• Tyuonyi Pueblo and Big Kiva from Frey Trail

    Bandelier

    National Monument New Mexico

There are park alerts in effect.
show Alerts »

  • Access by Shuttle Bus Only

    Starting May 24, 2013 all access to the most visited part of the park, Frijoles Canyon, will be via a mandatory shuttle bus from the nearby community of White Rock from 9 AM - 3 PM daily. Private cars may drive in before 9 AM or after 3 PM. More »

Ancestral Pueblo People - Vital Statistics

grinding corn

Hours spent kneeling and grinding corn took their toll on Ancestral Pueblo knees and arms.

NPS Photo by Sally King

Size
The average Ancestral Pueblo man was 5'5" tall while the average woman was 5'. The average size for people in Europe was approximately the same.

Lifespan
The average lifespan was 35 years; however, infant mortality rates were high. A large percentage of children never made it past 2 years of age. There would have been individuals who survived into their 50's and 60's but they would not be among the majority.

Health
Bad teeth and arthritis were common ailments. It was not uncommon for women to die in childbirth. Evidence suggests that injured persons were nursed and supported by the community.

Did You Know?

Queen butterfly

Queen butterflies are often mistaken for Monarchs because they look so much alike.  This is beneficial to the Queen, who is avoided by predators who fear this look-alike may be as toxic as the Monarch.