National Register of Historic Places

Crow Canyon Archeological District

Farmington, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico
Listed
July 14, 1974
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
74001200

About this property

The Crow Canyon Archaeological District is located in the heart of the Dinétah region of the American Southwest in Rio Arriba and San Juan counties in New Mexico approximately 30 miles southeast of the city of Farmington. This region, known to be the ancestral homeland of the Navajo people, contains the most extensive collection of Navajo and Ancient Pueblo petroglyphs or rock art in the United States. Etched into rock panels on the lower southwest walls of the canyon are petroglyphs or rock art depicting what is believed to be ceremonial scenes and symbolic images that represent the stories, traditions and beliefs of the Navajo people. Dating back to the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, the petroglyphs have maintained their integrity despite the environmental conditions of the canyon and the effects of tourism. Among the ruins in the Crow Canyon Archaeological District there is also a cluster of Navajo defensive structures or pueblitos, which were built in the 18th century during periods of conflict with the Utes and the beginnings of Spanish Colonialism. Crow Canyon Archaeological District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Location

Farmington, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico

Categories

PREHISTORICHISTORIC - ABORIGINALARTARCHITECTURE
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Questions about this property

When was Crow Canyon Archeological District listed on the National Register?

Crow Canyon Archeological District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 14, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Crow Canyon Archeological District?

Crow Canyon Archeological District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Crow Canyon Archeological District?

The period of significance for Crow Canyon Archeological District is recorded as the listed era.

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