LOWRY RUIN
Lowry Ruin is a large, multi-storied masonry pueblo located 32 miles northeast of Cortez, in southwestern Colorado. Martin excavated 37 rooms, eight ceremonial structures or kivas, and a number of test trenches for The Field Museum between 1930 and 1934.

At the time Lowry was excavated, archaeologists did not collect and save all the artifactual material found in a site. They collected only complete stone and bone tools, whole and reconstructable ceramic vessels, decorated pottery sherds and groundstone tools. Artifact types that are now considered important for archaeological research, such as potsherds, were not collected. The Field Museum has 140 whole pottery vessels, including 67 bowls, 25 mugs, 24 ladles, 21 jars, three canteens, and two plates. Curiously, only seven projectile points, or arrowheads, were found in the ruin.

Tree-ring evidence suggests that Lowry Pueblo was constructed about A.D. 1090. Lowry Ruin was declared a National Landmark in 1967. Today, it has been partially restored and is now open to the public for visitation.

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