Archeology

Archeologists at Tonto National Monument are working to better understand the age of the cliff dwellings and the order in which the rooms were constructed. Using dated ceramics and dendrochronology (obtaining dates from tree rings), a clearer picture of when the dwellings were first built is possible. As archeologists are beginning to discover, the the dwellings may have been occupied for a much shorter time than previously thought. Additionally, the dwellings were likely built much later than originally thought (~1350 C.E.). As additional research is conducted, we learn more about the monument's prehistoric inhabitants.