Ancient Verde Valley Family Life: The Sinagua at the Dyck Cliff Dwelling

The Dyck Cliff Dwelling is a relatively obscure habitation site along Beaver Creek, between Montezuma Castle National Monument and its sub-unit, Montezuma Well. The occupancy of the Dyck Cliff Dwelling is contemporaneous with the early occupation of Montezuma Castle. Inhabitants of these sites likely interacted with each other. The untold story of the people who lived in the cliff dwelling is revealed within its walls.Fortunately, the site was protected by its owner, Paul Dyck, for a quarter century until it was excavated professionally from 1962 to 1972. Even though excavations were completed in 1972, a detailed report was never written until the Verde Valley Archaeology Center received the collection from the Paul Dyck Foundation Research Institution of American Indian Culture in 2015. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Todd Bostwick, then the Director of Archaeology of the Verde Valley Archaeology Center, undertook this massive task. The result was a 701-page report, published in 2020, that contains 420 figures and 100 tables of data. While this extensive report was designed for our professional colleagues, this book is a condensed version for the general reader. Our desire is to share the excitement of the past through the discoveries provided by this look into the lives of a typical Sinagua family.