Taos Pueblo, New Mexico

Do you know what a pueblo (pronounced pway-blow) is?

It is an Indian community made up of a large cluster of buildings meant to house many families. Taos Pueblo is a Pueblo Indian community in New Mexico that is thought to be around 600 years old and is still used as a residence. The buildings' walls are made of adobe, or sun-dried mud brick, that is two-feet thick in some places. 

The roofs consist of cedar logs, mats, branches, grass, and adobe. The pueblo's residents originally entered the building through small, low doors or climbed down ladders through rooftop entrances. These entryways would have forced invaders to stoop or climb in order to enter the building. 

The entrances became less necessary as threat of invasion decreased, and today the pueblo has many more large doors and windows. Today visitors may come to see the dwellings and watch ceremonies in order to learn about traditional Pueblo Indian life.

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