New DNA evidence shows that elite leaders at Chaco Canyon weren’t just members of the same class — they were members of the same extended family, a “dynasty” that traced its ancestry to a single woman.
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Chaco’s Elites Were Natives of Chaco Canyon, Not Migrants, Their Remains Show
The elites of Chaco Canyon were born and raised there, and weren’t migrants from distant regions, as many thought, new research finds.
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Mesa Verde’s Sun Temple Reveals Geometrical ‘Genius,’ Physicist Says
An 800-year-old structure in Mesa Verde National Park was built using the same basic geometry found in ancient monuments around the world, a new study reports.
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How Did People of Chaco Canyon Grow Their Food? Expert Says, They Didn’t
Recently, researchers have been at odds over a simple, central question in Southwestern archaeology: How did the people of Chaco Canyon manage to grow their food? According to new research: They didn’t.
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New Evidence Reveals Violent Final Days at Arizona’s Montezuma Castle
The final days at one of Arizona’s most famous ancient landmarks were fraught with violence and death, new research shows.
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Earliest Known Clay Figurines in the Southwest May Be Fertility Symbols, Study Says
Curious clay figurines found in Arizona may be fertility symbols used by farmers as much as 3,000 years ago.
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Mummified Bird, Baby Found in Cave Shed Light on Earliest Desert Farmers
Archaeologists investigating a cave have discovered an unusual burial that’s providing new insights into the ways of some of the earliest farmers of the Chihuahuan Desert.
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Cliff Dwelling in Utah Found to Have Unique Decoration: Dinosaur Tracks
In a Utah cliff dwelling, researchers have found a decoration that’s never been reported before: dinosaur tracks above the front door.
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Grave of Disabled Young Woman Reveals Touching Tale of Care in Prehistoric Arizona
Human remains found buried in downtown Tempe, Arizona, are revealing a touching story about one young woman’s painful life and the community that cared for her more than 800 years…
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900-Year-Old Village Recorded in Volcanic Badlands of New Mexico
A 900-year-old village hidden in New Mexico’s black-rock badlands reveals its unique ties to Chaco Canyon.
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Photos: Watch the ‘Shadow Dagger’ Solar Calendar Mark the Equinox
See for yourself how ancient petroglyphs found in Arizona mark the spring equinox with a “shadow dagger.”
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Thousands of Ancient Petroglyphs, ‘Dramatic’ Solar Calendar Reported in N. Arizona
Archaeologists have uncovered a trove of previously undocumented rock art in northern Arizona, including a prehistoric solar calendar that has been marking the seasons for more than 700 years.
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‘Unexpected’ 3,000-Year-Old Bison Hunting Site Discovered in Southern Arizona
On a ranch in southeastern Arizona, archaeologists searching for signs of ancient corn farming have instead uncovered a 3,000-year-old bison-hunting site.
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First Evidence of Corn Beer in Southwest Discovered on Teeth From Ancient Burials
Fossilized tooth plaque is revealing new details about life, food, and drink in the ancient city of Casas Grandes — including what archaeologists say is the first conclusive evidence of corn beer in the Greater Southwest.
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Oldest Human Footprints in the Southwest Discovered at Tucson Construction Site
The footprints of ancient farmers, their children, and even their dogs have been found perfectly preserved at a construction site just north of Tucson.
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Cocoa, Caffeinated ‘Black Drink’ Were Widespread in Pre-Contact Southwest, Study Finds
Stimulating drinks made from exotic plants, like the cocoa tree and a type of southern holly, were consumed much more widely across the prehistoric Southwest than was thought, according to…
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