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Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
P.O. Box 517
Mountainair, NM. 87036
(505) 847-2585
In the stones of the Salinas Valley pueblo ruins are faint echoes of the communities that lived there three
centuries ago. Before they abandoned the area in the 1600s, Pueblo Indians forged a stable agricultural
society whose members lived in apartment-like complexes and participated, through rule and ritual, in the
cycles of nature. Two ancient southwestern cultural traditions -- the Anasazi and Mogollon -- over lapped
in the Salinas Valley to produce the later societies at Abo, Gran Quivira, and Quarai. These traditions
had roots as far back as 7,000 years ago and were themselves preceded by nomadic Indians who arrived
perhaps 20,000 years ago.
As the southwestern cultures evolved, better agricultural techniques from Mexico and the migration of
Tompiro -- and Tiwa-speaking peoples from the Rio Grande spurred the growth of settlements in the
Salinas Valley. By the 10th century, substantial Mogollon villages flourished here. The dwellers
practiced minimal agriculture supplemented by hunting and gathering, made a simple red or brown
pottery, and lived in pit houses and, later, above-ground jacales of adobe-plastered poles. By the late
1100s the Anasazi tradition from the Colorado Plateau, introduced through the Cibola (Zuni) district and
Rio Grande pueblos, began to assimilate the Mogollon. The contiguous stone-and-adobe homes of the
Anasazis represented the earliest stage of the pueblo society later encountered by the Spanish. Over the
next few hundred years the Salinas Valley became a major trade center and one of the most populous parts
of the Pueblo world, with perhaps 10,000 or more inhabitants in the 17th century. Located astride major
trade routes, the villagers were both producers and middlemen between the Rio Grande villages and the
plains tribes to the east. They traded maize, pinon nuts, beans, squash, salt, and cotton goods for dried
buffalo meat, hides, flints, and shells.
By 1300 the Anasazi culture was dominant, although the Salinas area always lagged behind the Anasazi
heartland to the north in cultural developments. Brush-and-mud jacales had evolved into large stone
complexes, some with hundreds of rooms, surrounding kiva-studded plazas. Besides the plants already
mentioned, the inhabitants ate wild plants, raised turkeys, and hunted rabbits, deer, antelope, and bison.
They wore breech cloths, bison robes, antelope and deer hides, and decorative blankets of cotton and yucca
fiber. Turquoise and shell jewelry, obtained by trade, brightened rituals. The Spaniards were impressed
by the Pueblos' weaving, basketmaking, and fine black-on-white pottery, a technique the Salinas people
borrowed from the Rio Grande pueblos. The Salinas pueblo dwellers were an adaptable people who drew
what was useful from more advanced groups. But strong influences from the Zuni district, the Spanish
explorers, and deteriorating relations with the Apaches to the east radically altered pueblo life. In the
1670s the Salinas villages were abandoned, and their peoples dispersed.
The Coming of the Spaniards
Soon after Spain had conquered and colonized Mexico, tales of great wealth to the North drew explorers
to New Mexico. Coronado's expedition in 1540 failed to turn up the fabled land of Quivira, although the
name and story lingered on. In 1598 a party led by Juan de Onate came to New Mexico to plant a
permanent colony. He called salt, which was abundant in Salinas,"one of the four riches of New
Mexico," but the other expected riches -- especially mines -- failed to materialize. Agriculture too proved
difficult in the harsh climate. Relations with the Indians soured when the soldiers attempted to collect
tribute to the Crown. Spain finally concluded that New Mexico would never be profitable. However, the
Pope had charged the Spanish Crown with Christianizing the natives of the New World. Phillip II
therefore decided to maintain the colony, partly at the Crown's expense, as primarily a missionary effort.
While many of the Franciscan missionaries were sincere and well-intentioned, the overlapping privileges
granted to the church and civil authorities inevitably led to conflict between the Franciscans and the
governors. Without the natural riches of some other colonies, the governors relied on profits from the sale
of slaves captured in raids on Plains tribes and from goods produced by Indian labor.
Relations with the pueblos were determined mainly through the encomienda system, in which ranking
citizens (encomenderos) were appointed by the governor to provide protection, aid, and education to
Indians and military support for the government in return for the privilege of collecting tribute. But the
system was abused, and New Mexico was too remote for the exploitation to be checked by higher
authorities. The Franciscans tried to lighten the burden on the Indians, but the settlers and government
refused to give up the profitable arrangement, and in any case, the friars themselves placed heavy
demands on the pueblos to support the missions. Still, some changes brought by the Spanish were
beneficial. Wheat and wheat bread, fruit trees, and grapes were introduced. Cattle, goats, and sheep
became a fixed part of the economy. Craftsmen began working metal.
In the end, however, cultural conflict and natural disaster devastated the Salinas pueblos. The Apaches,
formerly trading partners, now raided the pueblos for food and in retribution for Spanish slave raids in
which Pueblo Indians had participated. The Pueblos might have survived the raids, but they and the
Apaches and Spaniards were hit during the 1660s and 70s with drought and widespread famine that killed
450 people at Gran Quivira alone. Recurring epidemics further decimated the populace, which had little
resistance to European diseases. The ability of the pueblos to withstand these disasters may have been
weakened by the disruption of their culture under Spanish rule. In any event, the Salinas pueblos and
missions were abandoned during the 1670s, and the surviving Indians went to live with cultural relatives
in other pueblos. In 1680 the pueblos north of Salinas, in an uncharacteristic show of unity, revolted and
expelled the Spaniards from New Mexico. In the general exodus of Indians and Spaniards, the Piro and
Tompiro survivors of the Salinas pueblos moved south to the El Paso area. They were absorbed by Indian
communities there, making them the only linguistic group among the Pueblo Indians during the historic
period to lose forever their language and their homeland.
Visitor Information
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is open daily, year round. The park visitor center is in
Mountainair, N.M., one block west of the U.S. 60 and N M. 55 junction. Most accommodations and
services are available in town.
Abo Ruins are 9 miles west on U.S. 60 and one-half mile north on N.M. 513. The site features
sophisticated church architecture and a large unexcavated pueblo. Tel. 505-847-2400.
Gran Quivira Ruins are 26 miles south on N.M. 55. Two churches, excavated Indian structures,
museum exhibits, and a 40-minute film can be seen. Tel. 605-847-2770.
Quaral Ruins, 8 miles north on N.M. 55 and 1 mile west, has the most complete Salinas church.
Artifacts on display. Tel. 505847-2290.
Picnicking and Camping: The ruins have picnic areas but no camping. Nearby campgrounds:
Cibola National Forest (847-2990) and
Manzano State Park (847-2820).
Books & Maps
Browse through the Adventurous Traveler Bookstore's database to find an extensive collection of books and maps on New Mexico.
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