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Home , Gila River, Mogollon culture, Sinagua

Answers to Cultural History Section

ANSWERS TO “DIG THAT PAD”: dated. Animal and plant 4. The roof that this remains from the fire pit beam was found in was 1. The Rule of Superposition can be radiocarbon dated. probably also built in A.D. applies to these layers. A sample of the fire pit clay 1286. Artifact E is older than arti- can be archaeomagneti- fact A. The bowl was depos- cally dated. Probably more 5. Tree B was cut down in ited first. After many years, than one of these would be A.D. 1300, while tree A was layers of dust and rock cov- done. If the dates gathered cut down in the A.D. 1286. ered it up. After the layers of from all the dating methods 1300 – 1286 = 14. Tree B earth built up, the shell pen- were around the same time, was cut down 14 years later. dant was left on the floor of then archeologists would 6. According to our calendar, the younger room. be very sure when the room the year A.D. 1300 was a was built and lived in. 2. There was another room wet year with abundant under the exposed room, 7. The shell pendant is made rainfall. The wide space because you can see the of seashells. The Gulf of between A.D. 1299 and ends of roof beams sticking , the California 1300 tells us that there was out of the layer. Pacific coast, and the Gulf much rainfall during that of are the nearest year. The tree was able to 3. The upper exposed room source for shells. These absorb more water, nutri- was probably a living quar- ancient people traded for ents, and minerals. This ters, because a fire pit was shells from one or more of allowed the tree to build used there for cooking and these distant places or trav- more tissue in its stem, warmth. eled there to collect shells causing the space between the rings to be wider. 4. Archeologists can learn themselves. much from the fire pit by 8. Macaws are found in the 7. No. A.D. 1294 was within examining bone and plant rainforests of Mexico and a severe drought that fragments in the ash., They South America. Like the lasted about 23 years. can determine what kinds shell pendant, the macaw Archeologists are sure of of animals lived in the area, skeleton tells us that these this because of tree ring dat- and which ones people people traded/traveled far to ing. This is the only part of were eating. Burned pieces the south. our calendar that is factual. can be radiocarbon dated, The rest is hypothetical. too. ANSWERS “TREES OF TIME”: 8. A.D. 1274 was probably a 5. The builders of this dwelling 1. Tree A is older. It was cut year with average rainfall. were probably members of down in A.D. 1286, while The early cultures probably an agricultural community, tree B was cut down in the had a sufficient harvest that because usually only farm- A.D. 1300. year. ers would take the time and energy to build a house of 2. Tree B lived longer. It lived 9. The years A.D. 1300 to 1303 stone that they lived in near 38 years before it was cut were very wet years with their fields all the time. down while tree A lived 36 abundant rainfall. Probably, years. major flooding was occur- 6. Many things in the room ring near rivers. Structures can be used to date it. The 3. Tree A was cut down in A.D. that were situated near riv- roof beams can be tree ring 1286.

68 CULTURAL HISTORY CULTURAL HISTORY 69 ers or on the lowlands were but dendrochronology is a 4. Salado is a Spanish word probably flooded out. science that can give them meaning “salty.” The Salado definite and precise num- culture was named after the 10. These were good years bers relating to spans of in where for planting crops, but the time between events. these people had lived. houses and the crops prob- ably had to be situated away ANSWERS FOR “WHAT DOES IT 5. Mogollon: Juan Ignacio from water, because there MEAN”: Flores Mogollon is the may have been flooding. name of an early Spanish Crops near the rivers were 1. Anasazi is a , or governor of . probably washed away. Dine’, term translated as His name was given to the “ancient enemy” or “ancient Mogollon Rim, Mogollon 11. Yes. During this time of foreigners.” When arche- Mountains, and ancient abundant rainfall, existing ologists wanted to name . The marshes were more exten- this culture, they asked the Mogollon lived in the sive and new marshes prob- Navajo people what they mountainous regions ably formed in low areas. called the ancient people between the Mogollon who had lived in the sites Rim and the Mogollon 12. Yes. Large, shallow stand- nearby. The Navajo, viewed Mountains and southeast ing bodies of water produce them as strangers and called into Chichuahua, Mexico. more plants and attract them “Anasazi.” The , more waterfowl. who consider the Anasazi 6. Casa Grande is a Spanish their ancestors, prefer to word that means “big or 13. Our calendar shows at least call them Hisatsinom, which grand house.” It is the name four years before it ends. means “people of long ago.” given to a struc- 14. Tree A germinated about ture near the by 2. Hohokam is a Pima or A.D. 1250. Spanish explorers. Akimel “‘okham phrase 15. Tree B germinated about meaning “those who 7. Montezuma (Castle and A.D. 1260. have gone” or “all used Well): “Montezuma” actu- up.” Archeologists named ally refers to Moctezuma 16. Tree A germinated about the ancient farmers of II, the last Aztec emperor. A.D. 1250 and died in A.D. the Arizona desert the Settlers from the U.S. gave 1286. 1286 – 1250 = 36. Hohokam after excavating this name to Montezuma Tree A lived 36 years. Snake Town with the help Castle and of Pima workers. because they believed that 17. Both tree A and tree B were Montezuma and the Aztec burned in the year A.D. 3. is a Spanish phrase people had once occupied 1271. meaning “without water.” this area. Spanish explorers noticed 18. This was a very wet year. that the 8. Tuzigoot is an Some of the answers above area did not have water, so phrase, which has been are purely speculative, and they called the mountains, roughly translated as could be wrong. But these sierra sinagua. When arche- “crooked water.” It refers to are the kinds of clues that ologists discovered ancient the oxbow with Pecks Lake, archeologists use to try to sites in the Flagstaff area, which is near the pueblo. piece together the story of they took the Spanish name When archeologists exca- the past. Many times arche- given earlier to the peaks vated Tuzigoot pueblo, they ologists have little to go on, for this culture. were looking for a name for

70 CULTURAL HISTORY CULTURAL HISTORY 71 the site. An Apache worker ANSWERS TO “YOUR VISIT 10. The Sinagua mined salt named Ben Lewis suggested TO THE NATIONAL from large deposits outside “Tuzigoot.” The arche- MONUMENTS”: the present town of Camp ologists liked the name and Verde and traded it through- used it for the pueblo. 1. “Tuzigoot” is an Apache out the valley and to other phrase. It has been trans- regions. 9. Wupatki is a Hopi phrase lated as “crooked water.” It translated as “long house.” refers to Pecks Lake, which 11. The Sinagua generally did Archeologists adopted this is less than a mile north of not usually decorate their Hopi name for the Anasazi/ the monument. pottery. Once in a while Sinagua sites of Wupatki they experimented with National Monument north 2. When settlers first saw simple designs on their red of Flagstaff. Montezuma Castle, they did or brown plainware, such not think the local Apache as the one at Tuzigoot deco- 10. Canyon de Chelley (de had built it. They thought rated with white lines. shay): “Canyon de Chelly” the had come north is a mispronunciation of and built the cliff dwell- 12. All but one of the decorated the Navajo word, ‘tsegi,” ing for their emperor types were traded into the which means “rock can- Montezuma. region from other cultures. yon.” Although the Navajo considered this canyon to 3.“Sinagua” is a Spanish term 13. Those fields are modern be the heart of their home- meaning “without water.” copper tailings, the refuse land, it was the location of Dr. Harold Colton, who first left from smelting copper. many Anasazi cliff dwellings studied this culture, named They have nothing to do before the Navajo moved to it after the Spanish name with the ancient Sinagua or the area. for the San Francisco Peaks, Tuzigoot. sierra sinagua. 11. Tonto: “Tonto” is a Spanish 14. The Sinagua cultivated corn/ word that means “fool.” 4. The villages were first con- maize, beans, squash and The Spanish had given the structed approximately in cotton. name “Tonto” to a group of the 12th century. The dates 15. Most archeologists surmise Apache west of the White are based on pottery cross- that it was protection from Mountains. Early settlers dating and tree ring dates. animals, enemies and/or adopted the name, and 5. The Sinagua left the Verde drafts. called the lands where the Valley around A.D. 1400. had lived that, 16. The Sinagua may have had too, including Tonto Basin, 6. Macaws are native to Mexico enemies, but little evidence Tonto National Forest, and and South America. of warfare has been found. Tonto National Monument. 7. The seashells originated 17. The Sinagua got their water 12. Gila Cliff Dwellings: The from the from the and its cliff dwellings were named or the Pacific coast. tributaries, such as Beaver for the Gila River, whose Creek, and from springs, headwaters are nearby. The 8. A metate is a trough-shaped such as Montezuma Well. Gila River was named by mortar used to grind corn. the Spanish and means “a 18. Many answers are possible. 9. A mano is the hand-held steady going to and from a Examples would be banana stone used to grind corn on place.” yucca for rope and food, the metate. mesquite for flour and fuel,

70 CULTURAL HISTORY CULTURAL HISTORY 71 desert willow for baskets 29. The answer is left to the FOOD: Again, you can eat the and building material, etc. imagination. prickly pear fruit and pads. They will not only provide 19. Some examples could be an ANSWERS TO “WILL I SURVIVE”: water but also sugar for awl and a hairpin. energy. If you can make a WATER: There is no water. fire with the matches, you 20. An axe head and a hand hoe You need to acquire water can also cook the cactus are possible answers. in order to survive. Your pads until they are tender. best source is the prickly If the stems of the agave 21. Many answers are pos- pear cactus. If the fruit is in are green, you can also sible. Archeologists have season, you can cut, peel cook that and eat them. Salt many theories, such as soil and eat it with your knife. bush leaves can be added depletion, warfare, disease, Although there is not very to the agave or prickly pear drought, flooding, overuse much moisture in prickly pads to add seasoning and of the environment, or a pear cactus pads, you can replace salt. Many other combination thereof. cut up and mash the pulp plants are probably available of many pads to get a very 22. Cotton, yucca, and bear to eat, but you should not refreshing juice. Depending grass may have been sourc- try them unless you know on how long you are in the es of fiber for twine string they are safe. desert and how many prick- or rope. ly pear cacti are available, Don’t use your flare to start a 23. Yes. It gets very cold here you should be able to get fire, you need that to signal during the winter. During enough moisture to survive. a plane that may come look- the summer they may have If there are any areas where ing for you. worn fewer clothes. Pieces many plants are grow- of cotton clothing and blan- ing, such as a dry wash, Eat only foods that have some kets have been found at the there may be water under- moisture in them, and that monuments. ground that you can dig for. do not require much exer- Another option is to con- tion to collect and process. 24. They probably made their struct a still. Dig a pit about The human body uses water clothes out of cotton, ani- one to two feet deep. Get to digest and process food. mal skins, bear grass, and cactus pads and crush them Because digestion and exer- yucca. in the hole. Hang a plastic tion will dehydrate you, eat sheet over the hole and put only if you have enough 25. They made beads out of a pebble in the middle of water available. A person argillite, turquoise, and the plastic to make it sag. can go many days without shell. Put a cup or other container food while sitting in one 26. They ground the roughly underneath the plastic place, but only four days shaped stone or shell on a where the pebble sits. The without water. harder stone, and drilled sun’s heat will cause water SHELTER: At 120 degrees the holes using stone drill from the cactus and the dew Fahrenheit, your body will bits and a bow drill. to evaporate and condense on the plastic. Droplets will lose lots of water through 27. Many answers are possible roll down the plastic and perspiration. You can find here. drip into the cup over night. a shady spot near the plane When the cactus seems dry, or build a lean-to with 28. The answer is left to the cut more and crush them in rocks and branches to cre- imagination. the hole. ate shade. You can use the parachute to make a small

72 CULTURAL HISTORY CULTURAL HISTORY 73 tent for shade and to keep ANSWERS TO THE REAL into soap and shampoo. the moisture of your sweat NATURAL FOOD AND SUPPLY close to your skin. This may MARKET 5. Agave: The agave, also reduce the amount of water known as century plant, evaporating from your body. Name the plant and possible maguey, or mescal, can be You can use the agave poles ways it could have been used in many different ways. or part of the plane to sus- used: The seeds can be ground pend the parachute. Besides into flour. The blossoms 1. Prickly pear cactus: The shelter, the opened para- are edible. The stalk can be prickly pear fruit is edible. chute may be easily spotted chopped, and the sections It is sweet and pulpy, and by passing aircraft. boiled and eaten. The hearts a good source of energy of the plant can be cut out STRATEGY: Sit in that one loca- and moisture. The new and roasted into a nutri- tion. If you try to travel on pads can be skinned, diced, tious meal. The fibers of this foot in 120-degree weather, and boiled. This is a com- plant are also tough and can without water, you will mon dish for many cultural be used for making rope or probably die. Help will groups in the Southwest. woven into sandals. probably arrive to look for The pads can also be used the plane in a few days. as medicine to reduce swell- 6. Cattails: The cattail is a If they find the plane and ing or inflammation. marsh plant. The new you are not there, they shoots are edible. It tastes 2. Mesquite: The mesquite is may not find you if you are like cauliflower and smells in the bean family legumi- hurt or dying miles away. like licorice. The roots are nosae. The pods can be cut Tracking dogs do not work starchy and can be boiled like green beans and boiled, in extreme heat. like potatoes. The new seed or they can be ground into heads can be boiled and Don’t use the flare, except to a meal, which can be eaten eaten like corn on the cob. signal a low-flying plane. An raw, baked into bread, or The mature seed heads can airliner or other high-flying made into porridge. This be used as insulation for pil- aircraft will not see the flare. meal is high in protein, and lows or blankets. could be dried into cakes The open parachute can be that were stored for the 7. Bulrush: The roots of the easily spotted from the sky. winter. bulrush can be boiled and eaten. The hollow stems can You have a gun with six bul- 3. Bear grass: Bear grass can be bound together to make lets. Don’t use those bullets be used as fiber for basket a boat. unless absolutely weaving, or even making a necessary. Three shots in a soft fabric. 8. Willow: Willow branches row—or three of anything— can be used as building is a universal signal of dis- 4. Banana Yucca: Banana yucca material. The pliable limbs tress: it is a simple SOS sig- leaves can be stripped into can be used for basket nal. Use the first three shots fiber to make string, rope, weaving. The leaves can only if you are injured and baskets, sandals, or mats. be used as medicine for in need of medical attention The pointed end of the leaf headaches. or if you hear or see people can be used as a needle or or vehicles far away. chewed to form a paint- 9. Arizona cypress: The brush. The fruits are good branches of this tree can be raw or cooked. Roots of this used as building material. It and all yuccas can be made also produces a sticky sap

72 CULTURAL HISTORY CULTURAL HISTORY 73 that can be used as a strong their neighbors or moved in number of ears you used is adhesive. with them. the answer.

10. Gambel oak: The acorns 5. This answer will vary. 11. Divide the answer to #10 of this tree are edible but by 3 to find out how many need to be ground into a 6. Many answers are possible plants would feed a person meal; and then the meal here, such as corn on the for one day. Then multiply is leached with water for cob, corn tortillas, corn that answer by 365. This is several days to a month to flakes, nachos, corn dogs, the number of corn plants it draw out the tannic acid. popcorn, cornbread, corn would take to feed one per- This meal can then be made mush, corn fritters, corn son per year. into a mush or bread. chowder, corn soup, corn chips.

7. No, not unless someone ANSWERS TO “PITHOUSE TO ANSWERS TO “AGRICULTURE”: stays behind with the crops. PUEBLO” : They needed to be tended, 1. They probably used the watered, and protected 1. The earth around the sunk- same ingredients that were from animals or enemies. en floor acts as insulation. It used in class, but juniper will keep the house warmer or salt bush ashes may have 8. In general, the more help- in the cold, and cooler in been added for leaven, and ers, the better attention and the heat. Also, fewer build- the bread heated on stone protection the crops had. ing materials are needed. griddles. Small families would have had a hard time tending the 2. A pueblo could last hun- 2. They may have carried water crops alone. dreds of years with repairs, from the creek or river, dug while a pithouse often irrigation ditches, or divert- 9. Farming allows large caught fire or deteriorated ed runoff with check dams. groups of people to live from insects and other natu- in one place together, ral causes after only 15 to 3. They may have had to watch because enough food can 20 years. their fields all the time to be grown and stored to chase animals away. feed them from year to 3. Some archeologists believe year. Eventually, some farm- that having no door was a 4. If they had stored enough ers grew more than they form of defense against corn from the previous year, needed, and could feed people or animals. It may they may have lived on that. people who do other things also have been to reduce If not, they may have lived besides farming, such as drafts and to maintain the on their other crops and crafts, religion, and politics. insulation properties of the the animals and plants they Some farming societies with thick stone-and-mud walls. had hunted and gathered. specialists may eventually The pueblo room would Yet it would have been dif- become civilizations. have been similar to a base- ficult for them to have made ment, cave, or ancestral pit- up for the lost corn crop 10. This answer will vary, since house. by hunting and gathering, corn ear sizes vary. Add the because they would not weight of the kernels from 4. Caves are naturally insulated have time to hunt and gath- each shelled ear to each shelters. They are cooler in er many more wild plants other until they equal or are the summer and warmer in and animals. Otherwise, greater than the weight of the winter. Also they are a they could have traded with one cup of cornmeal. The safe, dry place to store food.

74 CULTURAL HISTORY CULTURAL HISTORY 75 If someone builds in a cave, 2. Sea shells were traded from 5. The sun always rises on the they do not have to build the Gulf of California. eastern horizon and sets in all the walls, since the cave the west. If your right hand walls are already there. 3. Macaws are found naturally is pointed toward the sun in the rainforests of Mexico rise, that would be east and 5. Although we do not know and South America. This your left would be west. You for sure, they may have shows that the Sinagua will be facing north. South done so, because had trade connections at will be behind you. are more durable, hold least as far south as Mexico. more people in less space, Remember that all travel and provide protected stor- back then was done on foot! age for crops. ANSWERS TO “WHO WERE THE 4. One side of the Big Dipper PREHISTORIC SOUTHWEST EXTRA CREDIT ANSWER: points to Polaris, the North PEOPLE?” : Many answers are pos- Star. The North Star always sible. Archeologists have points to true north. If you EXERCISE 1: Following is a proposed many theories are facing north, east will map with the regions that based on what they have be to your right, west to the Southwest cultures recovered from excavations. the left and south will be inhabited. Yet they continue to revise behind you. theories as they find new evidence. One of the newer theories states that the Sinagua left in the 15th cen- tury, because they could not sustain the large immigrant population that had come to the after the “Great Drought” of the 13th century. Famine, disease, and warfare resulted after decades of high flooding interspersed with drought. The remaining population gradually left to go to other places where they could continue a similar life style.

ANSWERS TO “TRADE” :

1. The Sinagua may have trad- ����������������� ed many different things ������ ��������� for decorated pottery, such as salt, minerals for paint ������� ������� and dye, cotton, and shell, turquoise, and/or argillite �������� jewelry.

74 CULTURAL HISTORY CULTURAL HISTORY 75 EXERCISE 2: large populations of farmers fluctuations of the weather. decreased or were replaced Yet they developed strate- 1. Anasazi or Ancestral Pueblo in many areas by hunter- gies to maintain their food gathers or combination gar- supply, such as multiple 2. Anasazi or Ancestral Pueblo deners and hunter-gatherers farming techniques, storage 3. Salado such as when the of food surpluses, trade, and Apache replaced the migration, and raiding. 4. Hohokam Sinagua. 7. Hunter-gatherers would be 5. Mimbres of the Mogollon 2. Anthropologists have found more subject to periods of that usually farmers need feast and famine, but they 6. Hohokam to work almost all the time moved more frequently to 7. Mogollon tending, tilling, harvesting, find other food sources. and guarding their crops in 8. Hohokam order to survive. 8. In general, agriculture requires larger families or 9. Salado 3. Anthropologists have found groups in order to tend that usually hunting-gather- and protect the crops. In 10. Sinagua ing bands all over the world general, hunting- gathering have more spare time than bands tend to be composed 11. Ancestral Pueblo or Anasazi any other life style. The of small groups of several traded to the Sinagua work comes in spurts of families, because it takes a 12. Mogollon high-energy consumption variety of resources collect- followed by long periods of ed from a large area of land 13. Mimbres of the Mogollon idleness. to feed just one person.

14. Hisatsinom or ancestral 4. Due to the diversity of 9. Hunter-gatherers are more Hopi, traded to the Sinagua the natural environment, mobile. They are not tied to hunter-gatherers have usu- one place, but rather range 15. Sinagua ally had a more varied diet. over a large territory. They 16. Ancestral Pueblo or Anasazi Agricultural communities will go where the food and tend to concentrate their resources are most abun- 17. Sinagua diet on one or several sta- dant. Hunter-gatherers read- ples. ily adapt to the conditions 18. Hisatsinom, or Ancestral of their environment. Hopi, traded to the Sinagua 5. Because most hunter-gath- erers are nomadic to semi- 10. Of course, farmers would nomadic, they are exposed be required to settle in one to more dangers in terms of location for long periods in ANSWERS TO “TO PLANT OR NOT enemies, competitors, and order to tend and protect TO PLANT” : natural hazards. their crops. 1. Although there is no defini- 6. Because farmers would be 11. Agricultural communities tive answer, archeologist able to see their crops in tend to build permanent often look at an environ- front of them, they may structures. In contrast, hunt- ment’s resources and chang- believe the illusion that ing-gathering bands tend to es in environment over their food supply is under build temporary shelters. time. For instance, after their control, while in actu- environmental changes in ality it is still subject to the the 13th and 14th centuries,

76 CULTURAL HISTORY CULTURAL HISTORY 77 ANSWERS TO “MODERN as PaleoIndian or Archaic, 4000 and 3400 B.C. The CULTURES OF THE VERDE thousands of years ago. ancient Mexicans produced VALLEY” : many different varieties and 6. Sombrero: This broad- colors. Through trade, this 1. Tortillas: Are a flat, unleav- brimmed, high-crowned crop was adopted through- ened bread. Ancient hat was worn in Spain and out the Southwest and Mexican people first made first introduced into the everywhere else it could them after they domesticat- Southwest by the Spanish. be grown in the American ed maize. After the Spanish continents. Other Native 7. Cowboy hat: Although many introduced wheat into Americans developed other styles of hats were worn Mexico, Mexicans made tor- varieties, too. tillas out of wheat flour, too. by American cowboys, one known as the Stetson was 11. Cotton: Cotton was first 2. Pueblo house: The Anasazi, specifically designed for the domesticated from a wild or Ancestral Pueblo, cul- Western outdoors by John cotton plant by the ancient tures first utilized this type B. Stetson in 1865. cultures of Mexico about of communal construction 5000 B.C.. Legend tells that 8. Kokopelli: The character in the Southwest. Later, the were able to of the hump backed flute other cultures such as the produce cotton in many dif- player has been portrayed Spanish and Americans cop- ferent colors. Many ancient in Native American art ied this style. cultures throughout the throughout the Southwest. Southwest learned to culti- 3. Horse: Modern horses Some researchers believe vate and weave cotton. In were introduced into the that the character was a the Southwest, at least three southwest by the Spanish, trader who traveled among different varieties of native who brought them by ship the pueblos. Legend says cotton were developed by to Mexico. Spanish and that he was very popular the Pima and Hopi or their Mexican explorers and with the maidens. This ancestors. North American colonists brought horses character has become a cotton is different from and other livestock into the popular icon of the modern both Egyptian and South regions north of the Rio Southwest. American cotton, although Grande from Mexico. 9. Katsina: To the Hopi, katsina they are related species. 4. Chaps: Because the deserts are spirits that come down 12. Tomato: Tomatoes were of the Southwest were cov- from the San Francisco domesticated from wild ered with brush and sharp, Peaks to the Hopi villages cherry-sized berries in piercing plants, Spanish to bring rain and bounti- ancient Mexico. Eventually and Mexican vaqueros, or ful blessings to the earth this crop was cultivated by cowboys, developed leather and the people. Portrayals many cultures throughout leggings to protect their legs of katsina have been found the American continents. while herding livestock. on murals and pottery The Spanish spread them made by the hisatsinom as throughout the world. 5. Moccasins: Many native cul- long ago as the 13th cen- tures had their own style of tury. 13. Potato: Although wild soft hide footwear for walk- varieties of potato grow ing and hunting. Moccasins 10. Corn: Maize, or corn, was throughout much of the may have been introduced first domesticated from a Americas, ancient peoples into the Southwest by the wild grass by the ancient of the Andes domesticated early nomadic cultures, such cultures of Mexico between it. Then the Spanish intro-

76 CULTURAL HISTORY CULTURAL HISTORY 77 duced it to North America 4. Mexico: This name came stone used with a metate. and the rest of the world. from the Aztecs. When the Aztec people settled in the 13. Yuma: This name is from 14. Chile pepper: Chile pep- region that is now cen- the Spanish word “humo” pers were domesticated tral Mexico, they changed which means “smoke.” The from very small wild chiles their name to Mexica (pro- Spanish noticed that this in tropical America. Many nounced “meshica”). Later, tribe made many fires in the different varieties of chile the Spanish and Mexican belief that it would cause were developed and grown people named all their terri- rain. Thus they named the by many native cultures all tory above Central America Yuma tribe. Later, the coun- over Mexico and Central “Mexico.” ty and city were named after and South America. At this the tribe. time, it not certain if chiles 5. : It is the Spanish came into the Southwest word meaning “red.” 14. Tucson: It is derived from before the Spanish and the Tohono O’odham Mexicans come north from 6. : It is a Spanish pro- phrase “chuk shon” which Mexico. nunciation of the Ute tribe. means “black base” and refers to Sentinel Mountain. 7. Coconino: This is an assimi- lation of the term “cojnino” 15. Mesa: It is the Spanish ANSWERS: What’s in a name? which is Lt. Sitgreaves’ word for “table.” It refers to understanding of the Hopi flat-topped landforms. 1. Coyote: The Spanish bor- name for the and rowed the Aztec word the Yavapai. Many places in 16. Phoenix: The name for the “Coyotl” from the Nahuatl northern Arizona bear this capitol city of Arizona comes language. name. from a Greek myth. The phoenix was a mythical bird 2. Arizona: It comes from 8. Lariat: This word for a that lived in the desert lands the name given to a Saric rope used to lasso cattle is of Arabia. When it died, it mission, in what is now derived from the Spanish would be reborn from the Pima County, known as the “la riata,” which means “the ashes of its funeral pyre. Arizonac. It is derived from rope.” the Tohono O’odham words 17. Palo verde: It is the Spanish “ali shonak” or “place of the 9. Chaps: The name for name for a desert tree, small spring.” The Spanish these leather leggings is which means “green trunk borrowed the phrase and short for the Spanish word or stick.” modified it to “Arizona.” “chaparajos.” 18. Mingus: Mingus Mountain 3. California: This name came 10. Coati: Portuguese name near Cottonwood, Arizona, from the old Spanish novel for the animal coatimundi, was named after a miner “Las Sergias de Esplandian,” which was borrowed from named William Mingus, who by Garcia Ordanez de the Tupi language. lived and owned a mine on Montalvo, published in the the mountain (1851 – 1911). year 1500. In this story is 11. Metate’: It is the Nahuatl an island called California. word for the grinding stone 19. Prescott: In 1864, the Hernando Cortez knew used to grind maize. citizens of this town named this story and named the it after William Hickling 12. Mano: It is the Spanish Pacific region north of the Prescott (1796 – 1859), a word means “hand,” used Rio Grande “,” historian from the eastern for the hand-held grinding meaning “upper California.” , who wrote

78 CULTURAL HISTORY CULTURAL HISTORY 79 about the Aztecs and trans- ARCHEOLOGY CROSSWORD SOLUTION lated Spanish literature, including a journal of the “Conquest of the Aztecs.”

20. Sedona: This town is named after Sedona Schnebly, who was the wife of Theodore Schnebly. In 1901, he applied for the first post office there, but the name he chose was too long. His brother suggested using Sedona, which the U.S. Postal Service accepted for the name of the town.

21. Mesquite: The Spanish name for this bean tree is derived from the Nahuatl word “mizquitl.”

EXTRA CREDIT: The Apache and the Navajo languages are from Athapascan language ANCIENT SINAGUA CROSSWORD SOLUTION family. These two cultures are more closely related to each other than to any of the others listed. That is why their words sometimes sound similar.

78 CULTURAL HISTORY CULTURAL HISTORY 79 80 NATURAL HISTORY 81