Post by blackcrowheart on Jan 15, 2008 11:38:19 GMT -5
El Morro: Sentinel of ancient history
The monolith of El Morro guards seven centuries of inscriptions.
In western New Mexico, bordering on the Ramah Navajo Reservation, a
castle-like natural rock formation looms from the surrounding plateau of
scrubby desert plants and junipers.
Gathering a few ponderosas on its skirts, the sandstone bluff juts 200
feet above the surrounding land. This is El Morro, where history is
written with a permanence more commonly found on the old civilization
monuments in the Near East, those telling of the battles of ancient
kings.
At the base of the bluff - often called Inscription Rock - on sheltered
smooth slabs of stone, are seven centuries of inscriptions covering
human interaction with this spot.
This massive mesa point forms a striking landmark. In fact, El Morro
means "the headland." From its summit, rain and melted snow
drain into a natural basin at the foot of the cliff, creating a constant
and dependable supply of water. Historically, the pool attracted
coyotes, deer and other wild creatures.
A pre-Columbian, Native-American route from Acoma and the Rio Grande
Valley to the Zuni pueblos led directly past El Morro, probably marking
it as a favored camping site for prehistoric travelers.
On the top of El Morro, in the late 13th century, people built an
875-room pueblo, so inaccessible to outsiders as to rival Acoma. After
only a couple of generations they moved out. But, they and fellow
travelers, left petroglyphs - pecked-out outlines of bear tracks, human
hands, and other symbols on the creamy sandstone wall.
After the Colorado Plateau was abandoned, people of the Anasazi culture
moved into the valley. Around A.D. 1375, they began construction of two
villages on top of the bluff. By the 1300s, at least 1,500 people
occupied the largest village, today called A'ts'ina.
Perhaps seeking a better environment, the Anasazi left their homes by
A.D. 1400. For reasons unknown, they carved figures, animals, birds, and
geometric designs along the cliff. Today these carvings, called
petroglyphs, remind us that the Anasazi were the first to leave their
mark here. Then the Europeans, Spanish explorers initially, came. El
Morro was as much a landmark and water source for the conquistadors as
for the natives. The first known historical mention of El Morro is found
in the journal of Diego Pérez de Luxán, chronicler of the Espejo
Expedition, which stopped at the landmark for water on March 11, 1583.
Noting the secluded pool, they named it "El Estanque del Penol"
- the waterhole of the rock. Soon this place would become a popular
campsite for the Spaniards.
The words "Pasó por Aqui" begin the first Spanish
inscription, a message left by Don Juan de Oñate, the first governor
under Spain, of New Mexico. Translated, it reads, "Passed by here
the Governor Don Juan de Oñate, from the discovery of the Sea of the
South on the 16th of April 1605." Despite the elegant, careful
carving of this pronouncement, some historians now think the explorer
did not actually reach the Gulf of California, as it is now known.
Oñate went by here several times, mostly trying to recoup the
personal fortune he invested in leading expeditions from Mexico to
colonize New Mexico.
In 1680, the great Pueblo Indian revolt drove the Spaniards from New
Mexico. More than 400 lost their lives, including 23 priests, and the
remainder fled to El Paso. Twelve years later, Don Diego de Vargas
restored order without further bloodshed.
It is no wonder, then, that de Vargas, the most famous governor of New
Mexico, seems boastful in the message he left at El Morro. Translated,
his words read, "Here was the General Don Diego de Vargas, who
conquered for our Holy Faith and for the Royal Crown all of New Mexico
at his own expense, year of 1692."
At that time, the province of New Mexico extended roughly from the
border of Louisiana to the border of California, making the history
recorded on El Morro the history of a vast region.
As late as 1774, lengthy messages were carved by the Spaniards. These
historic writings, with words running together and unique abbreviations,
are a challenge for today's readers.
The army of Gen. Stephen W. Kearny occupied Santa Fe in August 1846, and
details of United States troops were dispatched to explore various parts
of the territory. Probably the first American officer to visit El Morro
was Lt. J.H. Simpson, accompanied by the artist R.H. Kern, who copied
some of the early inscriptions in September 1849. Some of the most
gracefully carved of the inscriptions were made on Aug. 23, 1859, when
an Army expedition led by Lt. Edward Beale passed through, establishing
a new route from Texas to California. This group included 25 Egyptian
camels being tested as pack animals, an idea that came to nothing. Their
wrangler, P. Gilmer Breckinridge, also left his signature on the rock.
The names of other soldiers, Indian agents, surveyors, emigrants
traveling westward, and settlers were added to the rock. So many
travelers added their names and messages that by 1906, El Morro's
historical significance was dwarfed by the graffiti-like excess that
marred the walls and overlapped some of the older inscriptions. In that
year, the site was proclaimed a national monument. Imagine, if you can,
a naturally occurring megalith rising from the flat land of Florida. In
addition to the petroglyphs of prehistoric inhabitants, this rock wall
has on it messages inscribed by members of the parties of Christopher
Columbus, Juan Ponce de Leon, and Andrew Jackson as they passed by. Such
a historically significant monument would rank in United States history
right alongside Plymouth Rock.
By contrast, El Morro faded into the backwaters of Southwestern history
when the railroad line was built 20 miles to the north. El Morro's water
supply was no longer needed. For many visitors, however, there are still
lessons in history to be learned from a trip to El Morro.
On approaching, it is reassuring to see the sandstone massif rise as a
landmark, just as it did for earlier travelers. An easy, one-half mile,
self-guided walk brings a visitor to the pool and inscriptions. The
calligraphy of messages from the 1800s is appealingly dated. Today, some
visitors can link their ancestry to names inscribed upon El Morro.
From the prehistoric past though, the hand prints leap out, calling for
human touch, human contact.
But don't respond. The inscriptions are already being eroded away by
natural causes. Adding more would only hasten the time when the older
inscriptions would disappear. On a summer day now, the shade provides an
oasis against the desert sun, just as it did long ago.
A more strenuous two-mile hike winds up the sides of the bluff, leading
to the top and a view of a box canyon enclosed by El Morro. Across the
top of the bluff are remnants of unexcavated and excavated pueblo
dwellings, kivas and other structures.
From here, a visitor now can look out at today's landscape, but can also
look into the past. Perhaps the imagination will stir up the dust of a
thirsty caravan coming from the east, the oxen straining against their
heavy wooden yokes, the tired horses surging forward to the promise of
water.
Your visit to El Morro begins at the visitor center. Rangers are
available to answer questions and orient visitors to the facilities and
self-guiding trails.
An entrance fee is required. Children under 17 are admitted free. U.S.
citizens age 62 and older may purchase a Golden Age Passport for a
one-time fee of $10.
Golden Eagle and Golden Access passes are also issued and honored. An
annual El Morro Park Pass can also be purchased.
The Visitor Center is open daily 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Memorial Day
through Labor Day and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the remainder of the year.
The monument is closed Christmas and New Year's Day.
Exhibits located in the visitor center span 700 years of human history.
A video program provides an introduction to the area.
Two self-guiding trails are available. Inscription Trail is a one-half
mile, round-trip walk on a paved surface. The trail begins at the
visitor center and goes to Inscription Rock where petroglyphs, old
Spanish messages, and 1800s autographs may be seen.
The Mesa Top Trail is a two-mile, round-trip hike from the visitor
center across varied terrain. It begins at Inscription Rock and
continues to the Anasazi ruins above. This trail focuses on the geology
and archeology of the area.
A 200-foot climb and the uneven sandstone surface make this a more
strenuous hike. Sturdy walking shoes and water are necessary.
Trails are open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., from Memorial Day through Labor
Day, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. the remainder of the year. At times,
trails may be closed due to weather conditions.
Picnic tables are located near the visitor center.
A nine-site, primitive campground operates all year on a first-come,
first-served basis. A fee is charged. Water is available at the
campground May through October.
Motels and campgrounds are located in Ramah, Grants, and Gallup.
For information call the Grants Chamber of Commerce, 1(800) 748-2142 or
the Gallup Convention and Visitor Bureau 1(800) 242-4282.
Getting there: From Grants, N.M., on I-40, take New Mexico 53 west, past
El Malpais National Monument to the El Morro National Monument turnoff.
For more information call (505) 783-4226.
Address:
El Morro National Monument
Rt 2, Box 43
Ramah, NM 87321-9603
Telephone: (505) 783-4226
The monolith of El Morro guards seven centuries of inscriptions.
In western New Mexico, bordering on the Ramah Navajo Reservation, a
castle-like natural rock formation looms from the surrounding plateau of
scrubby desert plants and junipers.
Gathering a few ponderosas on its skirts, the sandstone bluff juts 200
feet above the surrounding land. This is El Morro, where history is
written with a permanence more commonly found on the old civilization
monuments in the Near East, those telling of the battles of ancient
kings.
At the base of the bluff - often called Inscription Rock - on sheltered
smooth slabs of stone, are seven centuries of inscriptions covering
human interaction with this spot.
This massive mesa point forms a striking landmark. In fact, El Morro
means "the headland." From its summit, rain and melted snow
drain into a natural basin at the foot of the cliff, creating a constant
and dependable supply of water. Historically, the pool attracted
coyotes, deer and other wild creatures.
A pre-Columbian, Native-American route from Acoma and the Rio Grande
Valley to the Zuni pueblos led directly past El Morro, probably marking
it as a favored camping site for prehistoric travelers.
On the top of El Morro, in the late 13th century, people built an
875-room pueblo, so inaccessible to outsiders as to rival Acoma. After
only a couple of generations they moved out. But, they and fellow
travelers, left petroglyphs - pecked-out outlines of bear tracks, human
hands, and other symbols on the creamy sandstone wall.
After the Colorado Plateau was abandoned, people of the Anasazi culture
moved into the valley. Around A.D. 1375, they began construction of two
villages on top of the bluff. By the 1300s, at least 1,500 people
occupied the largest village, today called A'ts'ina.
Perhaps seeking a better environment, the Anasazi left their homes by
A.D. 1400. For reasons unknown, they carved figures, animals, birds, and
geometric designs along the cliff. Today these carvings, called
petroglyphs, remind us that the Anasazi were the first to leave their
mark here. Then the Europeans, Spanish explorers initially, came. El
Morro was as much a landmark and water source for the conquistadors as
for the natives. The first known historical mention of El Morro is found
in the journal of Diego Pérez de Luxán, chronicler of the Espejo
Expedition, which stopped at the landmark for water on March 11, 1583.
Noting the secluded pool, they named it "El Estanque del Penol"
- the waterhole of the rock. Soon this place would become a popular
campsite for the Spaniards.
The words "Pasó por Aqui" begin the first Spanish
inscription, a message left by Don Juan de Oñate, the first governor
under Spain, of New Mexico. Translated, it reads, "Passed by here
the Governor Don Juan de Oñate, from the discovery of the Sea of the
South on the 16th of April 1605." Despite the elegant, careful
carving of this pronouncement, some historians now think the explorer
did not actually reach the Gulf of California, as it is now known.
Oñate went by here several times, mostly trying to recoup the
personal fortune he invested in leading expeditions from Mexico to
colonize New Mexico.
In 1680, the great Pueblo Indian revolt drove the Spaniards from New
Mexico. More than 400 lost their lives, including 23 priests, and the
remainder fled to El Paso. Twelve years later, Don Diego de Vargas
restored order without further bloodshed.
It is no wonder, then, that de Vargas, the most famous governor of New
Mexico, seems boastful in the message he left at El Morro. Translated,
his words read, "Here was the General Don Diego de Vargas, who
conquered for our Holy Faith and for the Royal Crown all of New Mexico
at his own expense, year of 1692."
At that time, the province of New Mexico extended roughly from the
border of Louisiana to the border of California, making the history
recorded on El Morro the history of a vast region.
As late as 1774, lengthy messages were carved by the Spaniards. These
historic writings, with words running together and unique abbreviations,
are a challenge for today's readers.
The army of Gen. Stephen W. Kearny occupied Santa Fe in August 1846, and
details of United States troops were dispatched to explore various parts
of the territory. Probably the first American officer to visit El Morro
was Lt. J.H. Simpson, accompanied by the artist R.H. Kern, who copied
some of the early inscriptions in September 1849. Some of the most
gracefully carved of the inscriptions were made on Aug. 23, 1859, when
an Army expedition led by Lt. Edward Beale passed through, establishing
a new route from Texas to California. This group included 25 Egyptian
camels being tested as pack animals, an idea that came to nothing. Their
wrangler, P. Gilmer Breckinridge, also left his signature on the rock.
The names of other soldiers, Indian agents, surveyors, emigrants
traveling westward, and settlers were added to the rock. So many
travelers added their names and messages that by 1906, El Morro's
historical significance was dwarfed by the graffiti-like excess that
marred the walls and overlapped some of the older inscriptions. In that
year, the site was proclaimed a national monument. Imagine, if you can,
a naturally occurring megalith rising from the flat land of Florida. In
addition to the petroglyphs of prehistoric inhabitants, this rock wall
has on it messages inscribed by members of the parties of Christopher
Columbus, Juan Ponce de Leon, and Andrew Jackson as they passed by. Such
a historically significant monument would rank in United States history
right alongside Plymouth Rock.
By contrast, El Morro faded into the backwaters of Southwestern history
when the railroad line was built 20 miles to the north. El Morro's water
supply was no longer needed. For many visitors, however, there are still
lessons in history to be learned from a trip to El Morro.
On approaching, it is reassuring to see the sandstone massif rise as a
landmark, just as it did for earlier travelers. An easy, one-half mile,
self-guided walk brings a visitor to the pool and inscriptions. The
calligraphy of messages from the 1800s is appealingly dated. Today, some
visitors can link their ancestry to names inscribed upon El Morro.
From the prehistoric past though, the hand prints leap out, calling for
human touch, human contact.
But don't respond. The inscriptions are already being eroded away by
natural causes. Adding more would only hasten the time when the older
inscriptions would disappear. On a summer day now, the shade provides an
oasis against the desert sun, just as it did long ago.
A more strenuous two-mile hike winds up the sides of the bluff, leading
to the top and a view of a box canyon enclosed by El Morro. Across the
top of the bluff are remnants of unexcavated and excavated pueblo
dwellings, kivas and other structures.
From here, a visitor now can look out at today's landscape, but can also
look into the past. Perhaps the imagination will stir up the dust of a
thirsty caravan coming from the east, the oxen straining against their
heavy wooden yokes, the tired horses surging forward to the promise of
water.
Your visit to El Morro begins at the visitor center. Rangers are
available to answer questions and orient visitors to the facilities and
self-guiding trails.
An entrance fee is required. Children under 17 are admitted free. U.S.
citizens age 62 and older may purchase a Golden Age Passport for a
one-time fee of $10.
Golden Eagle and Golden Access passes are also issued and honored. An
annual El Morro Park Pass can also be purchased.
The Visitor Center is open daily 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Memorial Day
through Labor Day and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the remainder of the year.
The monument is closed Christmas and New Year's Day.
Exhibits located in the visitor center span 700 years of human history.
A video program provides an introduction to the area.
Two self-guiding trails are available. Inscription Trail is a one-half
mile, round-trip walk on a paved surface. The trail begins at the
visitor center and goes to Inscription Rock where petroglyphs, old
Spanish messages, and 1800s autographs may be seen.
The Mesa Top Trail is a two-mile, round-trip hike from the visitor
center across varied terrain. It begins at Inscription Rock and
continues to the Anasazi ruins above. This trail focuses on the geology
and archeology of the area.
A 200-foot climb and the uneven sandstone surface make this a more
strenuous hike. Sturdy walking shoes and water are necessary.
Trails are open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., from Memorial Day through Labor
Day, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. the remainder of the year. At times,
trails may be closed due to weather conditions.
Picnic tables are located near the visitor center.
A nine-site, primitive campground operates all year on a first-come,
first-served basis. A fee is charged. Water is available at the
campground May through October.
Motels and campgrounds are located in Ramah, Grants, and Gallup.
For information call the Grants Chamber of Commerce, 1(800) 748-2142 or
the Gallup Convention and Visitor Bureau 1(800) 242-4282.
Getting there: From Grants, N.M., on I-40, take New Mexico 53 west, past
El Malpais National Monument to the El Morro National Monument turnoff.
For more information call (505) 783-4226.
Address:
El Morro National Monument
Rt 2, Box 43
Ramah, NM 87321-9603
Telephone: (505) 783-4226