Hohokam! Ancient Monuments of the Salt River Valley
Hohokam! Ancient Monuments of the Salt River Valley
explores the accomplishments of the ancestors of the O’odham people who
thrived in our arid desert environment for over a millennium, from A.D. 1 to
1450. The ancient houses, canals and ovens uncovered by archaeologists under
the streets of Mesa, rarely seen by the public, are presented here. We also
present many rare and unusual artifacts of Hohokam daily life and provide
information recovered by recent museum excavations.
Children explore the floor of a pithouse. Pithouses served
as the homes of Hohokam families. A pithouse of this style was
characteristic from about A.D. 900-1150.
Mural of Mesa Grande, showing temple mound site and a
Hohokam ballcourt at lower right. In the background the Salt River flows
westwards. The Arizona Museum of Natural History cares for the Mesa Grande,
a site on the National Register of Historic Places. The Mesa Grande mound is
just greater in each dimension than a modern football field and measures 27
feet high.
The exhibit shows the network of trade and interaction
between different prehistoric cultures. It presents rare and unusual items
that came from places as distant as West and Central Mexico, such as copper
bells and pyrite mirrors.
Hohokam are noted for their figurines, which sometimes occur
in sets showing activities of daily life. Two original Hohokam figures are
in bottom left of case; the others are reproductions, which illustrate how
the Hohokam might have painted their prehistoric figurines for use.
The exhibit includes a reproduction of a full size earth
oven or horno. Hornos measure about 6 feet deep by 6 feet
wide, and were used to roast agave hearts.
The Hohokam created the largest irrigation systems in the
prehistoric New World. This display is based upon actual canals that the
museum excavated at the site of the new Riverview development. What you see
here is a prehistoric canal later filled in by sediments deposited by the
water of the canal.
Can you solve the puzzles?
Archaeology is fun!
53 N. Macdonald
Mesa, AZ 85201
(One block north of Main Street in downtown Mesa. Take US 60 or 202 to
Country Club Drive, go to Main Street, and proceed one-half mile east to
Macdonald) -
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