"Pueblo people
were probably attracted to Woods Canyon as a place to live because
of the variety of natural resources that were available in the canyon.
Most of the artifacts that
we found during our excavations were made from materials that you
can find within an easy walk from the village.
"When
we analyzed the artifacts from Woods Canyon Pueblo, we could tell
that the ancient Pueblo people knew exactly which raw materials
were best for making different kinds of tools. The most common artifacts
found were small stone flakes and pottery sherds. One particular
type of stone, called quartzite,
was preferred for making arrowheads. Because of its hardness and
texture, this type of stone is one of the best materials in the
area for flintknapping.
"In addition
to making excellent stone tools, ancient Pueblo people also made
beautiful pottery. They collected the clay from nearby sources,
mixed it with water, and added crushed volcanic rock, which is also
found close to the village. The small pieces of crushed rock made
the clay mixture stronger. After they shaped the clay into pots,
they decorated them with paints made from minerals and plants. The
beautifully painted ancient Pueblo bowls and jars are some of the
finest pottery vessels ever made.
"Knowledge
of local natural resources and an understanding of how to use them
develops through many generations of careful observation, as well
as through lots of trial and error. Although modern people learn
a great deal about nature by reading books, I think few of us have
as much first-hand practical knowledge of our environment as did
the Pueblo people who lived at Woods Canyon Pueblo."
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