Archaeological discoveries

What are some historic sites in New Mexico?

Chaco Culture National Historical Park:

- Ancient Puebloan ruins dating back to the 9th to 13th centuries, including Pueblo Bonito, the largest pre-Columbian building north of Mexico.

Bandelier National Monument:

- Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings carved into soft tuff cliffs and canyons, inhabited from around 1150 to 1550

Jemez Historic Site:

- 16th-century Spanish mission ruins, as well as the remains of a Native American pueblo and kiva.

Aztec Ruins National Monument:

- Ancestral Puebloan Great House with hundreds of rooms and a large kiva, dating back to the 11th to 13th centuries.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument:

- Unique geological formations of cone-shaped tent rocks formed by volcanic ash and erosion.

Santa Fe Plaza:

- Historic Plaza in the heart of Santa Fe, surrounded by adobe buildings, art galleries, shops, and restaurants.

San Miguel Mission:

- Oldest church in the continental United States, built in 1610 in Santa Fe.

El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro:

- Historic trade route established by the Spanish from Mexico City to Santa Fe, with missions, presidios, and settlements along the way.

Fort Union National Monument:

- Remnants of a 19th-century U.S. military fort that played a role in the American Civil War, the Comanche Wars, and the expansion of the American frontier.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park:

- Over 100 known caves, including the famous Carlsbad Cavern, with its massive chambers, stalactites, stalagmites, and underground lakes.