El Morro National Monument

El Morro National Monument
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Location	New Mexico, USA
Nearest city	Ramah, NM
Coordinates	35°2′18″N 108°21′12″W / 35.03833, -108.35333
Area	1,278.72 acres (5,174,800 m²) 1,039.92 acres (4,208,400 m²) federal
Established	December 8, 1906
Total visitation	65,233 (in 2004)
Governing body	National Park Service

El Morro National Monument is located on an ancient east-west trail in western New Mexico. The main feature of this National Monument is a great sandstone promontory with a pool of water at its base. As a shaded oasis in the western U.S. desert, this site has seen many centuries of travelers. The Spaniard explorers called it "El Morro" (The Headland). The Zuni Indians call it "A'ts'ina" (Place of writings on the rock). Anglo-Americans called it "Inscription Rock". Travelers left signatures, names, dates, and stories of their treks. While the axle grease is fading, there are still many inscriptions that can be seen today, some dating to the 17th century. Some petroglyphs and carvings were made by the Anasazi centuries before Europeans started making their mark. In 1906, U.S. federal law prohibited further carving on Inscription Rock.

Spanish inscription dating to 1709

Native American Petroglyph

Sandstone bluff at El Morro

El Morro National Monument

References

• United States Government Printing Office (1995). El Morro National Monument. GPO 387-038/00173

External links

• Official National Parks Service site

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