Puebloan

Puebloan refers to Indigenous peoples of the southwestern United States who belong to the Pueblo cultural tradition. It covers the Ancestral Puebloans of prehistoric times and the contemporary Pueblo peoples who live in pueblos and on reservations in New Mexico, Arizona, and nearby areas. The term is used in archaeology and ethnography to describe shared architectural, agricultural, and ceremonial traits, while recognizing distinct communities with their own identities.

The core region includes parts of the Colorado Plateau and the Rio Grande basin. Beginning in the first millennium BCE, Ancestral Puebloans built permanent settlements, including multi-story masonry pueblos and, in some areas, cliff dwellings. They developed sophisticated water management and trade networks across the Southwest. In the 13th century, many communities relocated, and descendants organized into the modern Pueblo communities known today.

Puebloan culture is characterized by adobe or stone pueblos, often containing kivas, ceremonial rooms used by men for spiritual rites. Agriculture focused on maize, beans, and squash. Pottery and weaving traditions flourished, with a variety of styles such as polished black-on-black pottery and polychrome works, reflecting regional identities and influences from long-distance trade.

Today, several Pueblo tribes are federally recognized across New Mexico and Arizona, including Hopi, Zuni, Acoma, Laguna, Santa Clara, and Taos, among others. Puebloan languages form a small, diverse group; communities preserve rituals, arts, and governance while engaging with broader American society. Archaeological sites like Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon illustrate the long history of Puebloan peoples.