Las Humanas

Las Humanas is a pueblo ruins complex in Salinas National Monument in New Mexico with limestone structures built across different periods. The site contains two mission churches, residential buildings, and storage facilities spread across an elevated landscape.

The pueblo existed from at least 1000 onward, with settlement expanding over centuries until Spanish arrival. In the 1600s, missionaries built San Buenaventura church, marking a major shift in religious and social life.

This settlement was a meeting place for the Tompiro-speaking people, where traders and families gathered from distant regions. The layout shows how people organized their daily lives around both commerce and spiritual activities.

The site is easy to reach and parking is available near the ruins. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water since the grounds are open and exposed to the elements.

Salt harvested from nearby lakes flowed through this settlement to distant trading networks reaching the Great Plains and Pacific Coast. This salt trade made the settlement one of the wealthiest communities in the region.