Discover Medieval History in America | Montezuma Castle
Montezuma Castle, an awe-inspiring cliff dwelling, nestled within the limestone cliffs of Arizona's Verde Valley, resembles a medieval fortress, earning it the moniker "America's Historic Medieval Marvel." Join Kevin Hicks as he explores the history of Montezuma Castle, a remarkably preserved five-story structure which dates back to the 12th century, and the discover parallels between this and some of the medieval building techniques in Europe. As an extra treat, Kevin also explores more medieval structures at Montezuma Well, an oasis in the Arizona Desert.
www.nps.gov/moca/index.htm
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CREDITS:
Aerial footage of Montezuma: SQArials via Pond5 (licensed)
Music: Jungle Natural Mystery by Etian Epstein Music via Motionarray (licensed)
Castle A Illustration: @ 214 Chuck Nugent
Sepia Montezuma Castle with ladders: Courtesy National Park Service (NPS)
View from Montezuma Castle: Courtesy of Nicholas Goodman (NPS)
Montezuma Well illustration: Courtesy National Park Service (NPS)
Пікірлер: 637
“You’ll never guess, they have a model” I laughed out loud at this, your models are legendary Kevin. Really nice audio for this video outside btw. Hope you enjoyed AZ!
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
I enjoyed it very much 👍
@bartsanders1553
2 ай бұрын
I did too!😂
@stephaniecowans3646
2 ай бұрын
I, too, would have thought it was a Kevin model until he immediately mentioned it was done by others. 😄
@drj.r.cooper2493
2 ай бұрын
@thehistorysquad Good video, AZ is great. WITH RESPECT (and mostly in jest), I'm confused. I KNOW you're a big KZread star, but as a Southern gentleman from rural Appalachia, I would NEVER put my sweetheart at risk while she walked on treacherous ground. (SCREW women's lib!) Also, we're pretty close in age (I think), and I'm a bit of an old warhorse, too. I know that our bodies wear down & wear out, but that fuzz bucket that you call a "dog" can't be of much service if you carry it everywhere. (Unless it serves to build up your arms by carrying it.) 😂 Get a Lab, we've had two. One was 125 lb, the other was only 95 lb... We could almost be saddle & ride those monsters!
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
😂@@stephaniecowans3646
This man is overflowing with charisma, I could listen to him for hours!
@asklamar
2 ай бұрын
I often do. Make a playlist and listen on long road trips or to fall asleep to
@robcanisto8635
2 ай бұрын
indeed, i do 😂
@thirstybonsai1888
2 ай бұрын
You're a simp
@toothpaste1958
2 ай бұрын
Me too. Thanks Kevin!
I've always found it funny. How people consider Aztec, Inca etc Mesoamerican cultures as 'Ancients'. When yep, they're very much medieval. Particularly those we usually consider. I actually find it stunning how perfected to a way of life the cultures were, and the contrast of theirs with European at the same times. Also, as you've noted here, how ubiquitous some of these techniques are. Even across styles.
@JanJansen985
2 ай бұрын
American peoples have a complete different looks cus they had no beasts of burden
@Tommonius
2 ай бұрын
@@JanJansen985 They had Llamas which is better than nothing but compared to horses, oxen, goats & dogs you can see the difference draft/ pack and farm animals make when industrialized.
@suatchaglan7446
Ай бұрын
This is because the Americas is the true old world so there civilisations and cultures inherited far more advanced knowledge, advanced agriculture, architecture etc especially the creative side poetry art statutes decorations when you actually take a look at the civilisations old and recent in the Americas tis clear it’s the true old world
@djabroni_brochacho4644
Ай бұрын
Hard to associate them with the word "medieval" when they never left the stone age...
@JanJansen985
Ай бұрын
@@djabroni_brochacho4644 cmon they were doing metal working
It touched me very much. It shows me why the History Squad is all about: be human. Respect history and look at it with your heart
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
How lovely, thank you.
@cbhlde
Ай бұрын
Hmm, Human Squad?! ;)
They are all over the place out west. It's crazy that some of them are over 1,000 years old, and all of the wood is still intact, even the ladders.
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Just wonderful, the history of it.
What has me gobsmacked is that all those dwellings/structures still survive ; that after so many centuries, erosion hasn't destroyed them.
@duanedodson1
2 ай бұрын
It doesn't ever rain there.
@massmike11
2 ай бұрын
Lot you know. It rains a lot during the winter here and get below freezing often.
@michellezevenaar
Ай бұрын
They are protected from the rain. There are loads of small ones all over the desert under natural overhanging rock. This one is extraordinary though because of the size.
@djabroni_brochacho4644
Ай бұрын
It's possible a lot has eroded and all that's left is what was backed up under the mountain.
@michellezevenaar
Ай бұрын
@djabroni_brochacho4644 there is a ruien that wasn't under an overhang and it's very damaged compared to these. It's called 'casa grande' like the city it's next to.
The last thing i expected to see on this channel was a video done at a location not an hour away from me. What a pleasant surprise!
@pamelaoliver8442
2 ай бұрын
This!!!
@keepitsteel1993
2 ай бұрын
Ah Kev gets about
@massmike11
2 ай бұрын
I’m only in Camp Verde, so only like five minutes away.
@Campfire_Bandit
2 ай бұрын
+
@lorettablakeman3335
Ай бұрын
I'm in Casa Grande-116 miles away.Home of the Casa Grande ruins made by the Hopi's in the 1400's🌵
I forget that The States has a lot of cool history as well. Thanks to The Squad for showcasing our own great history that we should be proud of.
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Absolutely, so well said! 👍🏻
cool to see kevin in america
@The_ZeroLine
2 ай бұрын
Rumor has it he’s here to start high density burial sights. He plans to make a killing. (he hasn’t noticed all the space yet)
@robcanisto8635
2 ай бұрын
Kevin lending his Olde worlde charm to this gauche new one lol
@juanelorriaga2840
2 ай бұрын
I don’t want him to leave! Haha
My fourth grade teacher went there on vacation in the 90s, and during our unit on the history of the Southwest, she showed us slides from her trip. She actually went while the site still had the ladders out on display, though it must have been soon after they were removed, since she had a photo of the model of the homes. She was definitely one of my favorite teachers.
So glad you got to see the castle! Arizona is rich in history and natural beauty, hope you enjoyed it!
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
I absolutely did!
As a resident of Arizona, I'll tell you what happened. The apache murdered or assimilated them. That's what happens when a warlike tribe contacts a tribe of farmers. Like the Comanche, they drove the apache out of west texas and eastern new mexico when they migrated down from the northern plains
@user-vl2ri3tc7j
2 ай бұрын
Well it seems all the natives have migrated to federal reservations.
@jordanhicks5131
2 ай бұрын
@@user-vl2ri3tc7j not all of them. Many live off the rez.
@Benson_aka_devils_advocate_88
2 ай бұрын
There's no one Ah-Ha moment for why they left. But studies of the materials used by pack rats to build their nests shows a major shift to a drier climate 700 years ago. This would have forced the war-like tribes to start raiding the farmers more and more. Eventually the farmers had enough and left.
@JuffBeezos
2 ай бұрын
@@user-vl2ri3tc7jI'm native and I don't live on a reservation. Lol, I'm just a normal American like any other.
@801oap
2 ай бұрын
Wasn't there a volcano eruption around this time. If so then the ash could have made farming difficult or impossible due to ash dimming the sun.
Is that The History Dog? Yet again I learnt something new about a new people I've never read about. Being English we tend to forget about the rest of the world's ancient history. Great vid.
@fangslaughter1198
2 ай бұрын
That's Rupert. History Squad Volunteer of the Month. Award recipient every month.❤
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Haha, he's the best!
What an absolutely fantastic team you and Julie are, she really understands framing a shot, and you are an absolute joy to listen to; thank you so much!
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Thank you too - she will be pleased 👍🏻
Haha leave it to Kevin to find the model they have. Really enjoyed this, Kevin! A lot of interesting facts and architectural marvels 👍
I grew up down the road from here. Montezuma's well is also a neat spot. If you're heading north go on 89A from Sedona to Flagstaff, it's a beautiful drive through Oak Creek Canyon
@mimita1157
2 ай бұрын
Yes, Oak Creek Canyon is wondrous! The creek that runs through Sedona is crystal clear and it sings!
Good morning, Kevin and Julie. Your tour brings back memories of being there myself back in the mid 60s with my parents. I still have the photographs. I'm so glad you visited, and I agree, it is a magical place. Cheers from Texas.
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Cheers Dave, editing this brought lovely memories back for us too. 👍🏻
@robertfoley8414
2 ай бұрын
Welcome to Arizona. Have not been to the Castels or the well in some time. I remember as a child in the early 60s that you could e ter into the mid to upper levels of Castel A. Darn now I've got to up there this summer. Thank you😊
I love that you're visiting historical sites all over the world! You and your wife are amazing!
@thehistorysquad
Күн бұрын
Thank you!
Of course there’s a model 😂 👍 love the dog
@fangslaughter1198
2 ай бұрын
Rupert ❤️
You need to come to Florida Kevin. Saint Augustine has the Castillo de San Marcos.
There is a place in Colorado called Mesa Verde that is spectacular as well. It was built by the Puebloans. Ironically, it is in Montezuma COUNTY in Colorado.
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Yes, we did want to visit but our route home ended up going the other way. 👍🏻
@mimita1157
2 ай бұрын
Yes, Mesa Verde is wondrous. I have been there three times and each time discovered new things!
Kev I was there just where you are now in 1988 and I could not agree more it is simply amazing. Your video brings back memories!
I really enjoyed learning this bit of history from you, Kevin. The details you bring up are fascinating. Thanks for taking such an interest in the Southwest. And great camera work, Julie!
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Thanks so much 👍
Oh whoa, never thought Id see you across the pond
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Haha, you might check out my Deadwood and Little Bighorn videos too 👍
I learn something every time I watch your channel. I wasn't even aware this castle existed. I have seen the ruins at Mesa Verde and other cliff dwellings, but not these. You have a great channel and an abounding knowledge. Hope to watch for the tears I have left.
Remarkable I live in Missouri and need to make the drive down there. It’s amazing to think that between the time William was crossing the English Channel and Exeter Cathedral was being built, these people were eating their cornmeal and chilling on the cliffside during their evenings. Great video.
@zekeolopwi6642
Ай бұрын
Nooooooo. Stay. Go check out the Cahokia Mounds. The medieval mound builder city built in the same area of St. Louis.
I love that you venture to the new world to record history as well as your home of the old. Thank you for your videos, truly one of my favorites on KZread ❤
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Glad you like them!
I was just there a week ago! Wish I had seen you there Kevin
I enjoyed the way you tied this historic sight to the same time era in England. Great job. Keep up the good work. 👍🏻🙂
It just wouldn't be right seeing Kev without a beautiful model nearby. And the miniature ain't bad either. Cheers Kev!
@hound3000
2 ай бұрын
Hopefully, the missus won't get jealous with all those beautiful models around him. 🤣🤣
@johannaalbertse4011
2 ай бұрын
@@hound30000+😮+😮😅
Mr Hicks showing me more blind spots in my historical knowledge as usual! Stay well my good man!
Amazing!!!❤ I'm so glad I've found this channel!
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Me too, thanks for watching 👍🏻
Beautiful! Best way to start the day is with a new History Squad video!
I been there and enjoy the scenery of my home state of Arizona history and the story of the people who once lived there before settlers. Thank you
Fascinating! Welcome Stateside! ❤
Our protagonist looks quite hale and healthy here, I think the Arizona climate agrees with him.
I was just there a few months back! God bless
Top job, love the video. Julie as always, loved your videography.
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Hey Amy, thanks so much - it's sometimes hard to keep up with Kevin 😜
I took my kids there around ten years ago. Those places definitely have a feeling about it.
What an amazing convergence of geological features that allowed people to create this community. Absolutely fascinating to see as someone also from northwestern Europe, so many differences but also similarities! It shows that humans everywhere are so creative with their resources, and that we often think of the same things but execute them with the materials on hand.
This absolutely blew my mind. There's a castle in Asheville, NC but not medieval. I never knew this! Absolutely beautiful! I've gotta visit Arizona lol.
They were more isolated, in an arid landscape with few trees than in Europe so they used what they had. Amazing! Thank you. 🩸🏹I always look forward to Friday and your next video.
I'm American and never heard of this place! So amazing❤ Thanks Kev!
You are officially one of my favorite people in the world you respected the old ways and even honored them godbless you and much love from arkansas from Arizona.
We are keeping, Kevin 🇺🇸
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
😂
I’m taking a class about history of the southwest right now at Arizona state university, this is right up my alley.
@fangslaughter1198
2 ай бұрын
Can I recommend sharing this video with your fellow history students? Cheers!
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
@fangslaughter1198 a great idea, cheers Pat!
Thanks for memories. My Aunt lived at Camp Verde and I would go visit and hiked all over that area.
That's just up the road from me Kevin. Thanks for the visit. El Mirage, Arizona
This channel just keeps getting better and better! Always lovely to listen to you sir!
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Thanks!
Colorado and New Mexico have some fabulous places as well. It's great to see your obvious respect for all history/cultures. Happy Trails!
@tricial4330
2 ай бұрын
@@osakarose5612 yes, I've been to both, they truly are. I currently live in New Mexico- Santa Fe in fact.
I never did get west of Kansas, except a short time in the Mojave. Thanks for showing us this incredible place!
5 mins! Love the History squad Channel!
A great video Sir.
What a man this fella is. Best history channel going.
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Cheers 😃
Kevin, I saw these as well as many other sights in Arizona while I was there doing a tour of the state many years ago. It was really interesting to see in person. Good stuff, Mike.
This has to be my favorite video 🔥
Wow! Photography, editing, sound quality was superb! Love the respect and interest in other cultures. I would love to see you with a guest where you each share your respective cultures' bow and arrow skills. Excellent video... as usual.
Absolutely amazing, thanks for the video
I'm glad to see such an entertaining and informative personality get a bigger show audience!
You, sir, are a wonderful storyteller, and you have a great voice. I'm so glad that I discovered your channel... Admiration and respect sent from Canada, I think you're awesome
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
It's my pleasure. You know I'm based in Canada too? SK, land of the living skies 👍🏻
It’s time for History squad! I like the comparison of construction techniques.
I look forward to a talk from Kevin, and he never disappoints !!
It's a good day when Kevin post a video
So good to see you over here again. I really enjoy all your videos. I hope you’ll be doing more!
Glad you had another good "adventure" here in the states, Kevin. You and your camera operator.
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
😜
I had no idea this place existed. Thank you for sharing it with us. I find your videos really interesting, I've always liked history but in school history was taught by two teachers, one who made it interesting and the other who believed learning must be long, dull grind.
As always, another great video sir. Keep up the hard work, it's greatly appreciated.
Welcome to my state good sir! You are looking quite tan. I've spent many hours at this place and I'm happy you've presented it to your audience. I think you would also appreciate Wupatki to the north near Flagstaff. I've enjoyed your videos for quite a long time. Thank you for your effort.
Wow!! ❤❤ Kevin Hicks in my neck of the woods!!! Welcome to the states Mr. Hicks 🤝😊 enjoy! I just visited Montezuma's Castle a couple of months ago.
Hey Kevin this was certainly different and very enjoyable to watch love your videos. Love to you and your family you have me hooked. Xxx 🌹🌹🌹
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Cheers as ever Karen 👍🏻
I see notification bell I click.
Man I live in anthem Arizona you’re literally like 45 minutes away for me. Love watching your videos. I’ve been up there a handful of times in my life as well. Such a beautiful location. I was definitely bummed out as a teenager not being able to explore the castle.
Yet another masterpiece Kevin, an exceptional programme, thank you!
What a lovely perspective on the history of my home state. Anyone who has the chance should visit Montezuma's Well. It is every bit as extraordinary as Kevin relayed. A good book for further reading on some of the previous inhabitants of the area (though not the Sin Augua specifically) is House of Rain by Craig Childs. It's a fascinating and eye-opening perspective of the history of a good portion of the Desert Southwest. Great book.
Wonderful Kevin! Thank you so much! 😊❤
That's some pretty professional camerawork, Julie. And Kevin, that was fascinating, thanks.
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Thank you! You've made her day 😃
@unclenogbad1509
2 ай бұрын
@@thehistorysquad Welcome.
I saw this castle when I was a kid; amazing work.
We have a model!!!❤❤
I have recently discovered this channel. I love history and am greatful for such an amazing, entertaining and informative host. He reminds me of my sophomore high school teacher who allowed his students to learn though sight, sound and touch. Watching this channel makes me feel like I am participating in forgotten battles, living in medieval castles, or exploring the less traveled roads of time. Thank you for the journey.
Great video again, thanks to you both as always 🎉
Whenever I see history squad uploads I get happy
My daughter and I went on an excursion thru Arizona and Death Valley. We got to see this. So fascinating! I love this channel
Well you are in my neck of the woods, Grew up and live in Arizona for all my life Tempe and Mesa AZ
Thank you Kevin. Love your videos!!
"It's only a model." First minute. Welcome to the States, Kevin. I have been a subscriber for a month.
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Cheers Kevin!
Kev🏡🚂🚂 even in my darkest of times the trains of history keep on chugging; your knowledge, charisma, and general passion is infatuating
I've been to the "castle" and the well a few times since I moved to AZ and it's always a sight to be seen.
Absolutely fascinating Kevin.
I love this place! Great to just take it in and enjoy especially in the summer 😊
There’s so many places not easily accessible by vehicles but by hiking or horses to see pre-Colombian indigenous occupation along with old cowboys campgrounds as people traveled through the state before paved roads. Amazing how the desert preserves so much history because of it’s dryness. Telling how the climate has changed since the ice age when the are was wetter with rivers & streams.
Wow! I'll have to go there, someday! Wait, Arizona... maybe in winter sometime? Another great one, Kev!
Really fascinating Kev!! A really great video......again!! Keep up the great work. My best to you and Julie. Dave.
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Cheers Dave 👍🏻
Great work, love this channel.
Absolutely enchanting, Kevin, as always!
Loved the vid and was great seeing you explore American history like this
Fab, history is amazing. Thanks for your enthusiasm.
So happy you were able to come to our beautiful state and experience its history! Cheers brother
Welcome to America! Great video as always
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
Thank you! 😃
I live in Arizona and have been there several times, my dad has actually been up inside them back in the 70s. Glad you enjoyed our little bit of history here in the desert.
@thehistorysquad
2 ай бұрын
I did 👍
As a child I was able to Explorer that location. There was a special open day that my grandparents registered for. I still remember climbing the ladders and being told not to touch the walls. Amazing location