Mesa of sorrows

By Brooks, James

Subjects: Indians of north america, antiquities, Hopi Indians, Excavations (archaeology), north america, Antiquities, Religion, Massacres, Indians of north america, history, Violence, History, Excavations (Archaeology), Indians of north america, southwest, new

Description: The Hopi community of Awat'ovi existed peacefully on Arizona's Antelope Mesa for generations. Then one bleak morning in the fall of 1700 raiders from nearby Hopi villages descended on Awat'ovi, slaughtering their neighboring men, women, and children. Why did kinsmen target it for destruction? Drawing on oral traditions, archival accounts, and extensive archaeological research, Brooks unravels the story and its significance, and argues that a perfect storm of internal and external crises revitalized an ancient cycle of ritual bloodshed and purification.