The Microenvironment of Cliffdwellings in Tsegi Canyon, Arizona

Bibliographic Data

ID5982167
AuthorsAndrew L Christenson (corresponding author)
Year1991
Volume57
Issue1
Pages39-54
Publication date1991-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueKIVA (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0023-1940 • E-ISSN: 2051-6177
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00231940.1991.11758183
OpenAlexW2188286164
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited9

Cliffdwellings are commonly thought to be good places to live because of their favorable microclimate and other desirable characteristics, but few substantive data have been collected to support such assumptions. As a step toward filling this gap, temperature and relative humidity measurements were collected in several Anasazi cliffdwellings in the Tsegi Canyon system of northeastern Arizona. Evaluation of these data and consideration of other rockshelter characteristics leads to the conclusion that the principal factors favoring rockshelter use compared to life in the open are protection from moisture, warmer winter temperatures, and ease of defense. The importance of the latter characteristic increased in the last period of prehistoric occupation in the canyon

Canyon · Cartography · Geography · Building materials and conservation · Geological formations and processes · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research

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