Ancestral Sites Tour - Making a Living

Pecos thrived because of its location. The wide expanse of the Pecos Valley provided plenty of farmland. Two year-round sources of water were nearby: Glorieta Creek, below you, and the Pecos River, one mile east. Spanish observers also reported springs and reservoirs near the pueblo. Additionally, the commanding view of the entire valley alerted the Pecos to anyone approaching from the Rio Grande Valley or the Great Plains.  

Here, at 6,900 feet, frost comes early. The growing season could be short for corn, beans, and squash. A successful harvest depended on generations of experience. Farmers planted crops throughout the spring to prevent an unexpected late frost from killing an entire crop of young plants. Dozens of one-room “field houses” throughout the valley show that watchful eyes were always on the crops. The Pecos conducted ceremonies to ensure the earth’s fertility and, during summer, to bring rain.  

The Pecos’ livelihood did not depend on farming alone. They hunted elk, deer, antelope, and small animals nearby. They raised turkeys and harvested plants, seeds, and roots growing in the valley and mountains. They also took advantage of wild plants, animals, and trade. The pueblo’s location near the pass connecting the Great Plains and the Rio Grande Valley provided many opportunities to trade. Pecos Pueblo hosted large trade fairs attended by Plains people and other pueblos. Corn, beans, squash, and pottery were traded to Plains groups for hides, buffalo meat, and stone tool materials.  

Whether through trade or careful plantings, the Pecos had an impressive food store by the time the Spanish arrived. One observer reported thousands of bushels of corn stored in the pueblo.