We have seen more dwellings of so many different Indian tribes that I do not think we'd pass a test on all of them. Today was a pueblo dwelling of the Sinagua ("without water") Indians just outside of old town Cottonwood called Tuzigoot ("crooked water"). These Indians built 120 feet above the Verde River on a very tall hill (called a mountain here). Each family that moved in built a room attached to the others. So, at one time there were 77 complete rooms in this pueblo. They were built in the 1100s and abandoned very mysteriously in the 1400s. Some believe they are ancestors of the Anasazis in the Four Corners area which mysteriously disappeared in the 1600s. I'll stop with all the facts and tell you this valley was so gorgeous, but today was very windy. We walked every place we could and tried to imagine how ingenious these Indians were. They used every available resourse to make a way of life. Their fulltime jobs were simply surviving from one day to another. We are amazed at what they could do and how strong they were. This southwestern part of our trip has taught us so much history and so much compassion for what difficult lives these people lived. It is truly amazing. Tomorrow is Sunday so I wish you a restful and enjoyable day.
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