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Data Gives Context to Castle A at Montezuma Castle National Monument
September 2016
Matthew Guebard, the Chief of Resources Management and Archeologist for the Southern Arizona Office, Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments, recently published research on Montezuma Castle National Monument in the journal Kiva. Guebard’s article discusses the use of archaeological information and Native American oral histories to investigate and interpret the abandonment of Castle A and Montezuma Castle, two large pueblo sites located near Camp Verde, Arizona. Archaeological data and traditional knowledge suggest that both sites were abandoned following a large and destructive fire at Castle A.
Native American oral histories from members of the Hopi Tribe and the Yavapai-Apache Nation recount the same violent event represented in the archaeological record. The coordinated analysis of archaeological data and oral histories presented in this paper provide an accurate and insightful representation of past events and illustrate a strong connection between contemporary Native American communities and the archaeological sites at Montezuma Castle National Monument.
Last updated: May 9, 2017