The Anasazi, also known as the Ancestral Puebloans, were an ancient Native American culture that thrived in the southwestern United States, particularly in present-day Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. They are known for their impressive cliff dwellings and multi-story stone buildings, which were often constructed in canyons and on mesas. The Anasazi developed advanced agricultural techniques, including irrigation, to cultivate crops like corn, beans, and squash. The Anasazi culture flourished from approximately 100 AD to 1300 AD, marked by significant achievements in pottery, weaving, and trade. They created intricate pottery designs and were skilled in creating textiles. Around the late 1200s, many Anasazi communities began to abandon their settlements, possibly due to drought, resource depletion, or social factors, leading to the migration of their descendants to other regions.