---
title: "For nearly 1,000 years, the mesa in all its forms has been an American icon"
url: https://newscentral.site/for-nearly-1-000-years-the-mesa-in-all-its-forms-has-been-an-american/
language: en
publisher: "News Central Site"
section: "Entertainment"
published: 2026-11-05T16:49:24.000Z
updated: 2026-11-06T16:24:23.406Z
id: 73e08c11-fc07-4b9c-992f-cbc0d96d3cde
source: "ABC News Entertainment https://abcnews.com/Entertainment/wireStory/1000-years-mesa-forms-american-icon-137882198"
attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/for-nearly-1-000-years-the-mesa-in-all-its-forms-has-been-an-american/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story."
---

# For nearly 1,000 years, the mesa in all its forms has been an American icon

A mesa is a flat-topped mountain or hill shaped by millions of years of erosion caused by gravity and wind.

The iconic American mesa has been a staple of our cultural imagination for nearly 1,000 years, appearing frequently in films and television shows.

Spanish explorers first encountered these natural formations when they arrived on the scene, and they dubbed them "mesas, meaning tables. However, from a geological standpoint, a mesa is simply a flat-topped mountain or hill that has been shaped by millions of years of constant erosion caused by gravity and wind.

In the American Southwest, the relentless forces of nature have created some of the most recognizable mesas in the world. For Native Americans, who were the original inhabitants of these lands, the elevation of the mesas provided a natural defense system, with steep sides and strategic vantage points that helped protect them from external threats.

These formations are not just important for their practical uses; they also hold deep spiritual significance for many people in the region. One example is Old Oraibi, a Hopi village located on a mesa in Northern Arizona, which has been continuously inhabited since 1150 and remains a sacred landmark to this day.

Monument Valley's striking red mesas and buttes have served as a backdrop for numerous iconic films, including several directed by John Ford. The valley's unique landscape has been used to depict various settings in movies such as Stagecoach and other Western classics.

Beyond its cinematic significance, Monument Valley holds historical importance as well. For instance, the area was also featured in Stanley Kubrick's sci-fi epic 2001: A Space Odyssey," where it represented a distorted alien environment at the end of the film. In this scene, astronaut Dave Bowman passes through the Stargate.

The valley's influence extends beyond Hollywood and into the realm of scientific research. The Los Alamos mesa in New Mexico was chosen by Robert J. Oppenheimer as the secret location to assemble a group of elite scientists working on atomic research. This secretive endeavor ultimately led to the creation of nuclear technology at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory.

The significance of mesas is also evident in their role as sacred landmarks for various indigenous communities. For example, Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico, also known as Sky City, stands 365 feet high and has been continuously inhabited since long before Hernando de Alvarado's arrival in 1540.

The mesa's steep terrain has made it a challenging place to inhabit, yet for centuries, people have called this land home.

Construction of the San Esteban del Rey Mission between 1629 and 1640 required transporting materials up the mesa by foot, highlighting the difficulties faced by those who settled here. This effort was not limited to building the mission, as the cemetery atop the mesa also had to be constructed using material carried up the steep slope.

The mesas' unique rock formations serve as a poignant reminder of the Earth's age and the impermanence of human presence on this land, which has been shaped by millions of years of geological forces.

---
Source: [ABC News Entertainment](https://abcnews.com/Entertainment/wireStory/1000-years-mesa-forms-american-icon-137882198)  
Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/for-nearly-1-000-years-the-mesa-in-all-its-forms-has-been-an-american/