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Betat'akin (Talastima) is one of three major archaeological sites that are protected by the National Park Service at the Navajo National Monument in northeastern Arizona. There are other unprotected (and legally inaccessible) sites in the area.
Most visitors view the ruins from the 1-mile round-trip Sandal Trail on the canyon rim. Closer access to Betat'akin is only via ranger-led tours. The trail to Betat'akin is a 5-mile round trip with a 700' descent in the first mile - and, of course, a 700' ascent for the last mile. Inquire at Monument Headquarters for tour times and availability.
Betat'akin was occupied around 1250 AD and abandoned about 1300 AD - a short lifespan for a site this large (about 135 rooms). There may have been 100-150 people living here during the peak period of occupation. Betat'akin is still an active spiritual site for the Hopi.
There is also some even more ancient history to be seen here. Dinosaur tracks at Navajo National Monument were left by a small three-toed Jurassic dinosaur walking through mud about 180 million years ago. The tracks filled with sediment which eventually turned to stone. These tracks are common in the limestone formations of Navajo country.
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| Dinosaur track | Dinosaur tracks | Dinosaur tracks | ||||
Betat'akin (Talastima) was one of the several homes of the Kayenta Anasazi, in this case the ancestors of the Hopi Deer, Fire, Flute and Water clans. The canyons provided shelter, water and fertile soil for their crops.
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| Betat'akin Canyon Navajo National Monument |
Tsegi Canyon Navajo National Monument |
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The Anasazi built in this alcove because it was deep enough to provide shelter and, since it faced south, it was warmed by the morning sun in winter and stayed shady and cool in the summer. Smart builders!!
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| Betat'akin from the approach trail | Betat'akin up close | Betat'akin up close and personal | ||||
Betat'akin, like most Anasazi sites, is a study in urban planning - specifically, space utilization and the use of natural cycles. Every "nearly flat" surface inside the alcove was utilized as living space. Thus the need for weatherproof roofing for the homes was avoided and the natural heating and cooling of the Sun cycles throughout the year were most effective. In this case,"nearly flat" means anything up to and including a 45 degree slope.
The Anasazi used stone, wood and mortar construction, very often on surfaces that are slanted enough to make one wonder what kind of mortar they used that would last 1000 years or more - and still hold on that kind of slope.
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| Betat'akin space utilization | Betat'akin balcony | Betat'akin construction | ||||
Many of the beams that were used for construction still survive. Dendrochronology has been one of the prime sources of dating many archaeological sites, including Betat'akin.
A mano/metate combination is a form of mortar and pestle used to grind corn. Of course, the corn also became mixed with the rock dust that resulted from the grinding. This made for a very short lifespan for human teeth. And therefore, for the humans as well. The manos/metates shown below are as they were originally found in the 19th century. There are photos from the early part of the 20th century that clearly show these items just as they are today.
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| So how did they get up there? | 1000 year old support logs | Manos and Metates | ||||
Betat'akin is home to both pictographs and petroglyphs. It was common for a community to use a large pictograph portraying which clan (or clans) lived there. The purpose and meaning of most pictographs and petroglyphs is the subject of much speculation and will likely remain so.
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Created: 10 Dec 2007
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