If you like
rocks, scenery,
prehistory,
gemstones,
geology, & stars
in the sky,
to our
FREE EMAIL
NEWSLETTER.
INTERACTIVE MAP:
The Ancient
Hohokam Canal System
in the Valley of the Sun
Geoarchaeology is a
rapidly expanding
science, and
modification of the
Earth by humans does
qualify as geology at
work (see our FREE
GeoStory(TM) called "Rooms with a View" for
more on this subject)!
For these reasons we
have decided to include
this subject in our
website.
The map below the approximate location of canals created by the people during
a period beginning about
500 CE (current era) and
ending about 1450 CE.
This is roughly equal to
the period in European
history between the end
of the Roman Empire and
the "Renaissance".
Phoenix and its suburbs of Scottsdale, Glendale, Tempe, Chandler,
and Mesa now occupy this
site -- once one of the
greatest centers of
prehistoric civilization
in North America.
By some estimates, up to
50,000 people then lived
here!
Probably nowhere north
of the Valley of Mexico
(Teotihuacan /
Tenochtitlan) was as
populous at the time.
A few major archaeological sites are also shown, including the big
one preserved today at
Pueblo Grande Museum,
now called
S'edav Va'aki
Museum (since
March 2023). Names in
BRIGHT RED
are active links to more
information.
Please use our
GeoScenery Map to
compare the ancient
locations to present-day
features.
There is little evidence of the old canals today, but many of the
working canals running
through modern day
Phoenix were originally
based on the Hohokam
system.
You can also read a short GeoStory(TM) about those ruins as well as some modern day ones in "Rooms with a View".
It is in PDF format, so you can print it off easily if you like.
If you like those stories, there are other in the GeoStories section.
Also, see the GeoArt page for views of ancient rock art.
The map
above is
based on
work done by
Omar Turney
in 1929.
According to
him, the
system
encompassed
"the
largest
single body
of land
irrigated in
prehistoric
times in
North or
South
America, and
perhaps in
the world".
The system
utilized at
least 1000
miles (1600
km) of
canals and
irrigated
over 100,000
acres
(40,470
hectares) of
land.
The area shown measures about 50 miles (80 km) West to East, by 40
miles (64km)
North to
South, and
encompasses
approximately
2000 square
miles (5200
km).
The scale is
the same as
the map of
the
Rock
Formations
of the
Valley of
the Sun.
