The Anasazi People of Arizona

The Anasazi people were the earliest known native tribe in what is now Arizona. Anasazi means, "The Ancient Ones." The Anasazi lived near mesas. Mesas are hills or mountains that are flat on top. The Anasazi planted their crops on top of the mesas.

Question: What does the word "Anasazi" mean and where did the Anasazi people live?

• The word, "Anasazi" doesn't have a translated meaning. The Anasazi people lived near small rivers and they were very nomadic.

• The word "Anasazi" means the Early People and they lived near snow-crested high mountains in what is now Arizona

• The word, "Anasazi" means Ancient Ones. The Anasazi people lived in what is now Arizona, and the lived near mesas.

The Anasazi people were amazing basket makers. Their baskets looked like little round bowls that were weaved. These baskets were used for carrying water, storing grain, and even cooking. In order to carry water they had to rub "pitch" on the baskets so they wouldn't leak. They dropped heated stones into the water in the basket to cook food. These baskets were made until they learned how to use clay pottery.

Question: How did the Anasazi people keep water in the baskets and how did they cook?

• The Anasazi used plastic containers to get water. They cooked all of their food over an open fire.

• The Anasazi people lined the basket with pitch to keep the water in the basket. In order to cook, they heated stones and put them in the water in the baskets.

• The Anasazi people had many rubber trees and put the rubber in the baskets. In order to cook, they would put the basket over a fire. Of course, after the meal they had to make a new basket.

As time passed, the Anasazi learned how to make pottery out of clay, and they made bowls, canteens, and mugs. These items could be used for storing grain, cooking food, drinking water, and sometimes for ceremonial services. Most of the pottery was made by women. Different designs for the pottery was passed down from mother to daughters.

Question: What did the Anasazi people use pottery for, and who made most of the pottery?

• The pottery was used for storing grain, cooking food, drinking water, and for ceremonial services. The women did most of the work on pottery.

• The pottery was used to plant very pretty flowers for decoration and ceremonies, and the men in the Anasazi tribes did most of the pottery work.

• The pottery was used for building houses by stacking clay pots together. Of course, the men did all the work!

The Anasazi houses were very tall and

many family members lived in the same house.

The houses were carved out of rocks.

and were made under a cliff. This was called Cliff Dwelling.

Question: Where were most of the houses made and what was this called?

• The Anasazi did not build houses, but they preferred to live in tents or teepees because they were always nomads.

• Most of the houses made by the Anasazi were carved out of rocks and made under a cliff, which was called Cliff Dwelling.

• Most of the houses were made out of clay and always on top of a mesa which is called Top Dwelling.

Kivas were Ceremonial rooms used mostly by the men. Inscriptions were carved or written all over the walls of the Kiva and there was decorated pottery everywhere. Kivas were built underground and a hole in the roof with a ladder was the only way of getting in or out.

Question: What was a Kiva used for and who used the Kivas mostly?

• The Kivas were used for burial grounds and only the religious priests could go into the Kivas.

• The Kivas were ceremonial rooms used mostly by the women. They entered the Kiva by a side tunnel.

• The Kivas were ceremonial rooms used mostly by the men. They had to use a ladder to get in and out.

Clothing: The Anasazi made sandals from the Yucca plants. During the winter months they wore feathers and cloth robes from animal skins. During the very hot summer months they wore a loin cloths.

Question: How did the Anasazi make their sandals and what did they wear during the winter months.

• The Anasazi made their sandals from the Yucca plant, and during the winter they wore feathers and robes from animal skins.

• The Anasazi made their sandals from leather and during the winter they ordered parkas from Sears.

• The Anasazi made their sandals from rubber trees and during the winter they wore feathers and nothing else.

From 100 B.C. to 1300 A.D., the Anasazi civilization grew in the dry lands of the American southwest. They lived in groups of houses. When the Spanish invaded in they called the group of houses, "Pueblos."

Question: Where did the Anasazi civilization grow and what did the later Spanish people call them.

• The Anasazi civilization grew in the dry lands of the American Southwest. The later Spanish people called the group of houses pueblos.

• The Anasazi lived in the highest areas of the Rocky Mountains and the Spanish people later on called them highlanders.

• The Anasazi civilization grew in the wetlands of the American Southeast, and the French people later called them grass huts.