Overview
By 1300 cliff-dwelling Anasazi in what are now northern New Mexico and southern Colorado had completely abandoned their cliff cities and moved to other pueblo villages to the south and east. Scholars do not know for sure why they left their homes. Some explanations include hostile Indian invaders, climate changes, loss of food supply, or severe drought. Some of the cliff dwellings in southern New Mexico were occupied as late as 1450. Today's Pueblo Indians are descendants of the Anasazi.
Excerpt adapted from the "Pueblo Indians" and "Cliff dwellers" articles, The World Book Encyclopedia, © 1999