Where Did They Go?

" Movement is life. Movement is seen everywhere….Movement was characteristic of our ancestors, who moved across the landscape like the clouds across the sky."— Tessy Naranjo, Santa Clara Pueblo

There are many reasons for the Ancestral Pueblo peoples’ departure from the Pajarito Plateau. They faced challenges not unlike many we face today – overpopulation, depletion of resources, and changing environmental conditions. They overcame these obstacles by continuing traditional patterns, learning, adapting, and relocating.

Just a Short Move
Beginning in the 1500s, the Ancestral Pueblo people moved from the Pajarito Plateau. They may have been drawn to the growing economies of Pueblo communities along the Rio Grande. These places – including Cochiti, San Ildefonso, Santo Domingo, Santa Clara, San Felipe, and Zuni Pueblos – remain the home of many Pueblo people today.

 

NPS Collection