Preliminary report on a visit to the Navaho National Monument, Arizona

The narrator recounts a 1910 archaeological reconnaissance of the remote cliffs of northern Arizona, where a presidentially designated monument protects a cluster of ancient dwellings. Traversing rugged routes from Flagstaff to Marsh Pass, he catalogues each ruin—Cliff‑House B, Swallows Nest, Betatakin, Keet Seel, and several lesser structures—paired with detailed sketches, floor plans, and photographs. The report reads like a field journal, noting the construction techniques, pottery fragments, and stone implements that hint at the daily lives of the people who built them.

He also ties the stone towns to living Hopi traditions, explaining how clan legends locate the ancestors of the Snake, Horn, and Flute families among these cliffs. By describing pottery styles and cult objects, the survey offers clues for tracing migrations that later formed the core of the Hopi pueblo of Walpi. The author concludes with practical recommendations for excavation, repair, and visitor access, making the work a valuable reference for students, preservationists, and curious travelers alike.