El Morro National Monument
| El Morro National Monument | |
|---|---|
| IUCN Category III (Natural Monument) | |
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| Location | Cibola County, New Mexico, USA |
| Nearest city | Ramah, NM |
| Coordinates | 35°2′18″N 108°21′12″W / 35.03833, -108.35333 |
| Area | 1,278.72 acres (5,174,800 m²) 1,039.92 acres (4,208,400 m²) federal |
| Established | December 8, 1906 |
| Visitors | 65,233 (in 2004) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
El Morro National Monument is located on an ancient east-west trail in western New Mexico. The main feature of this National Monument is a great sandstone promontory with a pool of water at its base. As a shaded oasis in the western U.S. desert, this site has seen many centuries of travelers. The Spaniard explorers called it "El Morro" (The Headland). The Zuni Indians call it "A'ts'ina" (Place of writings on the rock). Anglo-Americans called it "Inscription Rock". Travelers left signatures, names, dates, and stories of their treks. While some of the inscriptions are fading, there are still many that can be seen today, some dating to the 17th century. Some petroglyphs and carvings were made by the Anasazi centuries before Europeans started making their mark. In 1906, U.S. federal law prohibited further carving.
 Spanish inscription dating to 1709 |
 Native American Petroglyph |
 Sandstone bluff at El Morro |
References
- United States Government Printing Office (1995). El Morro National Monument. GPO 387-038/00173
External links
- Official National Parks Service site
- American Southwest, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary
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