Pueblitos of Dinetah, South of Navajo Reservation, north of Largo Canyon, Dulce, Rio Arriba County, NM

Significance: The Pueblitos of Denetah or small pueblos of the Navajo homeland are important structures which yield substantial information about the origins and evolution of the Navajo culture. Located in northern New Mexico, the Pueblitos of Dinetah contribute to our understanding of the economics, settlement patterns, social organization, and warfare between the Navajo, Ute and Pueblo Indians and the Spanish from 1680 to the mid 18th century. This period, known as the Gobernador Phase, was a time of social turmoil and hostility, beginning with the Pueblo Revolt in 1680. The Revolt broke the Spanish hold on Pueblo villages along the northern Rio Grande and when the Spanish regained control in 1692, most Pueblo groups fled westward to Navajo territory in the Lago-Gobernador area of northern New Mexico. During this period, the Navajo and Pueblo people lived together and probably intermarried. The influence of Pueblo refugees on the Navajo culture is exhibited in the pottery, rock art, and architecture of the region. By 1715, Ute attacks, encouraged by the Spanish, were threatening the survival of the Navajo and Pueblo people. These conflicts led to increased use of mesa tops, cliff faces, and large boulders as construction sites with most structures defensively positioned for protection from attack. Constructed of unfinished sandstone and mud mortar with earthen roofs and floors, the Pueblitos have expansive views of the surrounding territory, and often maintain a line-of-sight with each other. They vary from a single room to multi storied buildings with 40 rooms. Navajo and historic Puebloan artifacts found at the sites reveal contact with a wide geographical area. These unique structures reflect a blending of 18th century Navajo, Pueblo, and Spanish architectural styles. The Pueblitos include such architectural features as viga and latilla ceilings, masonry walls with interior plaster, blind entryways, storage racks, hooded fireplaces, and roof hatchways. Abandoned two and one-half centuries ago, the Pueblitos are the physical remnants of a unique period in history when three cultures came in close contact for a brief period in the Dinetah. While every pueblito is different, the structures documented under this project were chosen to represent the various types and locations of sites found throughout the study area.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N565
Survey number: HABS NM-161