Prehistoric life on Walhalla Plateau
If you had visited this plateau 900 years ago, you would
have encountered prehistoric Indians known as the kayenta
Anasazi. They are believed to be the ancestors of the present
day Hopi Indians who live east of Grand Canyon.
In the winter months, the cold and snow on the rim
forced them to inhabit places like the sandy delta of Unkar
Creek, where they could continue to farm. During the
summer, however, some of the people moved up to the
rim to live in seasonal farming communities. Here they grew
beans, corn and squash. They also hunted in the North Rim
forests and gathered native plants for food, clothes and
medecine.
Archeologists have identified
more than 300 prehistoric sites
on this plateau, most of them
close to the rim. These ancient
farmers took advantage of the
warm air rising from the Canyon
taht provided a longer growing
season here than farther back
in the higher elevation, spruce-
fir forests.
About 1150 A.D. these
people left the Canyon, possibly
because of a decline in rainfall
which discouraged farming.
[Picture captions]
Unkar Delta, the site of numerous prehistoric
sites.
Granaries used for food storage located at
Nunkoweap Creek below the North Rim.
