El Morro, spanish for 'the knoll', is a huge pink rock that looms above the surrounding Pinion/juniper landscape in western New Mexico. The closest town to it is tiny Ramah, but nearby Zuni is visited by more tourists.
Few people have heard of El Morro National Monument, but it is an important historical location.
This slot canyon channels water to a small pool at the base of the knoll that is the only water source for the pre-columbian people who built a pueblo on the top.
These people left their marks on the rock wall above the pool.
The rock is the biggest landmark for miles around and it has been used as a signpost by various travellers through history. Most of this inscription is too hard to read but I can make out the word conquisto, (conquest) and the year 1602. Another year was chisled into the rock at the bottom of the photo, 1858.
Presumably this inscription was left by another Spaniard more than a century after the first inscription. I can make out ___ del mes de junyo de este ano de 1709, Paso paraquy para Suni. Ramon ______. The rough translation goes something like, Ramon _____ passed by here on the ___ of June of 1709, bound for Zuni.
Pasamos por aqui el sargento mayor y el capitan........ That's all I can make out. It means The sargent major and the captain passed by here......
History progresses and control of the territory has changed again.
There is a trail that leads along the base of El Morro, and up to the ruined Pueblo at the top. There are many inscriptions left by passing travellers along the way that tell the story of the history of New Mexico.
1 comment:
fascinating, to see the rocks history.
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