Lomaki Pueblo

I've been coming to and photographing these ruins for many years and they never fail to amaze me, never fail to provoke thoughts about those who built these structures and their lives in this area. Wupatki National Monument is a relatively quiet park, with these ruins being in a quiet part of the park. It's easy to sit and contemplate here.

Lomaki Pueblo overlooks a small canyon where the Sinagua and other ancient people used dry farming techniques to cultivate corn, beans, squash, and cotton. The area was settled around 500 AD, but saw a major influx of people after the eruption of nearby Sunset Crater (between 1040 and 1100), which blanketed the area in ash, improving agricultural productivity and the soil's ability to retain water.

In the background is Sunset Volcano (Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument) and the San Francisco Peaks.