Hohokam Pima National Monument

In the mesquite-studded desert valley southeast of Phoenix, excavations have revealed a surprisingly developed ancient farming culture that lasted from several centuries before the birth of Christ to A.D. 1400 or 1500.

The Hohokam people, named after a modern Pima Indian word meaning "that which has vanished," are believed to have been the first irrigationists in what is now the United States. An ancient system of hand-dug canals -- the earliest dating from as far back as 300 B.C. -- extends for miles throughout Arizona's Salt River and Gila River valleys.

In 1934 and again 30 years later, archaeologists excavated a site on the Gila River Indian Reservation that the Pima called Skoaquik, or "Place of the Snakes." Snaketown, as the archaeologists called it, contained pit houses, canals, what appears to be a ball court, countless artifacts, and shells decorated with etchings. The houses essentially were shallow pits dug into the ground and covered with mud and brush.

After more than 12 centuries of occupation, Snaketown was abandoned sometime between A.D. 1100 and 1200, but the Hohokam continued to live in scattered, smaller settlements up and down the valley. Today, Snaketown is again underground. After the last dig, archaeologists, using bulldozers, filled the 300-acre site with dirt to protect the remains from weather.

The Snaketown site was designated Hohokam Pima National Monument in 1972, but it remains closed to the public. The Pima Indians, who are thought to be related to the Hohokam people, have made it clear that they do not want non-Indian visitors admitted to the archaeological sites on their reservation. Tourists are welcome to visit other areas of the reservation, however, including the Gila River Indian Arts and Crafts Center, a source of income for local artisans.

Learn about these other national monuments:

­Agate Fossil Beds National Monument	Colorado National Monument	George Washington Birthplace National Monument	Natural Bridges National Monument	Scotts Bluff National Monument
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument	Devils Postpile National Monument	George Washington Carver National Monument	Ocmulgee National Monument	Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve	Dinosaur National Monument	Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument	Oregon Caves National Monument	Timpanogos Cave National Monument
Booker T. Washington National Monument	Effigy Mounds National Monument	Grand Portage National Monument	Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument	Tonto National Monument
Buck Island Reef National Monument	El Malpais National Monument	Hohokam Pima National Monument	Petroglyph National Monument	Tuzigoot National Monument
Cape Krusenstern National Monument	El Morro National Monument	Homestead National Monument	Pinnacles National Monument	Walnut Canyon National Monument
Capulin Volcano National Monument	Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument	Hovenweep National Monument	Pipe Spring National Monument	Wupatki National Monument
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument	Fort Frederica National Monument	Jewel Cave National Monument	Pipestone National Monument
Castle Clinton National Monument	Fort Matanzas National Monument	John Day Fossil Beds National Monument	Poverty Point National Monument
Cedar Breaks National Monument	Fort Stanwix National Monument	Lava Beds National Monument	Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Chiricahua National Monument	Fossil Butte National Monument	Montezuma Castle National Monument	Russell Cave National Monument

To learn more about national national monuments, memorials, and historic sites, and other travel destinations in North America, visit:

• National Monuments: Learn more about America's national monuments.
• National Memorials: Discover national memorials in the U.S.
• National Historic Sites: Read about American national historic sites.
• Arizona State Guide: Learn about Mobil Travel Guide-rated hotels and restaurants in Arizona as well as other recreational activities.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Eric Peterson is a Denver-based freelance writer who has contributed to numerous guidebooks about the Western United States.