PerryMesa

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PERRY MESA

Dec. 6, 2009

Perry Mesa is north of Black Canyon City and south of Cordes Junction.

It looks like a huge prairie, except where deep canyons cut through the

otherwise flat landscape. The 75-square-mile area includes Aqua Fria

National Monument. I have been there many times with specific destinations

in mind, but I stumbled upon this particular spot completely by accident.

Hmmm...let's go check out that little

hill overlooking that deep canyon.

Well, not much up here but a pile of rocks.

Wait a minute...let's take a closer look.

What's that thing on the bottom boulder?

Hey, it's a bird, drawn by ancient Native Americans.

I'm guessing it's a Great Blue Heron, since the

petroglyph is near the Aqua Fria River.

And some other critters. They could be deer, but

there are also pronghorns on Perry Mesa.

There are ancient pueblos and rock art sites all over

Perry Mesa. Most date to the 14th century. If you wander

off the beaten path a bit, it's actually not that hard to

find this stuff. The Indians were affiliated with neither

their Hohokam neighbors to the south nor the Sinagua

to the north, but were a culture in their own right.

Archaeologists simply refer to these prehistoric

Americans as belonging to the "Perry Mesa Tradition."

The influence of ancient art on modern design

Those transmission lines are certainly well hung, aren't they?

The land of leaning cactus

There are no paved roads in Aqua Fria National Monument.

Many of the area's natural wonders and archaeological

sites can only be seen after a certain amount of hiking.

Let's hope they keep it that way.

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