Ancient Cobblestone Dwelling

Hidden under a large alcove, in a canyon flanking a major Arizona river, you find this beautiful ancient site. Today, two rooms comprise the main structure. Between the Southern and Northern rooms, you’ll notice that almost nothing remains of the rafters that once supported the second floorโ€”in fact, there are no timbers in the southern …

My Favorite Sedona Ruins

If youโ€™ve followed my work for any length of time, you undoubtedly are familiar with my love for Sedona. While it may be a world-famous tourist destination, itโ€™s a great place to escape the crowdsโ€”and actually, if you go far enough into any Sedona canyon, you are unlikely to see anyone. But beyond the views …

Sinagua Cave Dwelling, Sedona

This is one of many Southern Sinagua single-family dwellings in Sedona. The Sinagua are believed to have moved into the Red Rock Canyons of Sedona sometime around A.D. 1125. Getting to this site requires some nerve as you climb a couple short but slippery slopes. I don’t feel like these photos do this sketchy slope …

Do You See A Cougar Or A Bear? ??

It is widely thought to beโ€ฆ(drumroll please) a bear! The nearby (what appear to be) bear paw glyphs add weight to this interpretation. Bear paw glyphs could also indicate a bear or bears in the area, or a rival tribe known by the bear motif. It’s hard to discern what’s happening in this panel. Michael …

700 Year Old Sedona Cliff Dwellings

This site is believed to be over 700 years old. Like many ruins in the Red Rocks of Sedona, it is built into a large natural enclave. This built-in security would have protected its inhabitants from many hazards, even keeping them dry in terrible storms. Today, that same protection helps to preserve this site from …

The Metate and Mano, Ancient Food-prep tools

To some people this might look like nothing, but in actuality, this is what’s known as a “Metate,” a stone tool used by native peoples going back thousands of years to prepare plant foods. Metates were meant to be used in conjunction with a Mano (grinding stone), a small rounded rock, similar to what you …

Flagstaff Hand Pictographs

Sinagua Hand Pictographs, Flagstaff

If you follow me on Social Media, these hand pictographs might look familiar to you. Not too long ago I shared a similar photo of a number of red hand graphs, but in Sedona (seen below). More than coincidence, these 2 sites are likely connected by the same tribeโ€”the Sinagua. Different tribes often used different …