Enigmatic Montezuma Castle and Well
(Ancient Architects, March 25, 2020) SEDONA, Arizona - Nestled in a hollow on the face of a cliff in Camp Verde, Arizona -- just outside Sedona in the Southwest United States -- is an ancient structure known as Montezuma Castle.
Ancient Architects investigates. The Native American structure was built and used by the peaceful Sinagua Indians, a pre-Columbian (pre-European invasion, occupation, and genocide) people, between 110 and 1425 AD.
(Huck Outdoors) Montezuma Well national monument, Arizona sightseeing
The central structure is comprised of five stories with about 45 to 60 rooms. It was built over the course of three centuries. The naming of the structure is incorrect, because Emperor Montezuma was an Aztec from Mexico, and this area was formerly Mexico as was California and most of the Southwest USA.
When Europeans first observed the ruins in the 1860s, they thought the structure was connected to the Aztecs, possibly the home of the emperor. At that time the structure was long-abandoned and even though we now know a lot more about its history, the name has stuck.
Of course, it has no connection to the Aztecs, and archaeologists now know that the structure was actually abandoned 40 years before Emperor Montezuma was even born. It’s also not technically a "castle" but a prehistoric high-rise apartment complex.
It is situated 90 feet up a sheer limestone cliff that faces Beaver Creek and Montezuma Well, a mysterious spring and sinkhole. It is one of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in North America because it was built inside a natural alcove with minimal exposure to the elements.
The construction project was incredible, being a precarious location to build, together with the huge floor space over its five stories. This is no easy construction but the work of daring builders and skilled engineers. Google search images used only for educational purposes.
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