Canyon de Chelly
At a glance:
- Series: American Indians Ready Reference
- Categories: Archaeology, Civilizations, Cultures
- Subcategories: Native Americans, American Indians, Anthropology, Anthropologists
- Curriculum: American Colonial History (1607-1775), American History 1816-1855, American Indian History, American Pre-Colonial History (to 1606)
- Geographical Location: Arizona
- Date: Since 350
Canyon de Chelly, located near Chinle, Arizona, and now designated a U.S. national monument, was first inhabited by the Navajo as early as 350 c.e. Traditionally, the Navajo were at war with the people to the south, first with bands of the Western Apache, later with the Spanish. The Navajo learned to withdraw into the mountains for defense, and they turned Canyon de Chelly into a defensive stronghold. Though the Spanish and later Americans raided the cliff dwellings, Canyon de Chelly remained a feasible defensive stronghold until the era of the American Civil War.
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