Site · United States
Canyon de Chelly
Ancestral Puebloan, 350–1300 CE
Canyon de Chelly holds cliff dwellings and rock art spanning Basketmaker to Pueblo III occupation, about 350 to 1300, within a canyon still farmed by Navajo families. The monument is unique in being jointly administered with the Navajo Nation.
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State / province | Arizona |
| Dates | 350–1300 CE |
| Status | National Monument on Navajo Nation land |
| Managed by | National Park Service with the Navajo Nation |
| Access | Rim drives are open; canyon-floor visits require a Navajo guide |
| Coordinates | 36.133, -109.47 (public site) |
What was found
White House, Antelope House and Mummy Cave yielded Basketmaker and Puebloan burials, baskets, sandals, cotton textiles, Kayenta and Mesa Verde pottery, and preserved corn. Navajo and earlier rock art covers the canyon walls.
Rules
Nothing may be collected, dug, moved or removed at Canyon de Chelly; it is a protected archaeological site managed by National Park Service with the Navajo Nation, and taking artifacts, stones or samples is an offence. Federal, state and tribal law, including ARPA and NAGPRA where applicable, protect the site and its burials. Navajo Nation law also applies and visitors may not leave the rim without a guide. This article is for study and context only and is not a collecting locality.
Elsewhere
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Canyon de Chelly" (Site). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/sites/canyon-de-chelly. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-canyon-de-chelly,
title = {Canyon de Chelly},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/sites/canyon-de-chelly}},
year = {2026},
note = {Site article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, commons, wikidata. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.