Navajo National Monument - Discovery

Discovery

The site of Kiet Siel was "discovered" in 1895 by the Wetherill Brothers. Originally part of a ranching family from Colorado, the Wetherill's keen interest in the Ancient Anasazi led them to pursue numerous expeditions into the heart of the Kayenta region, largely uncovering a number of sites that had remained undiscovered until then. Richard Wetherill is credited for selecting the term Anasazi, which refers to the ancient people that inhabited this region and means "Enemy Ancestors" in Navajo. It was not until 1909, after Navajo National Monument was created, that John Wetherill and Navajo guide Clatsozen Benully "discovered" Betatakin. The Wetherill Brothers made a living from giving guided tours of sites in and around the Tsegi Canyon and Utah. Later in their careers, the Wetherill brothers were largely involved in efforts for the preservation and protection of the sites that made up Navajo National Monument.

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