By the time the Kayenta Anasazi Indians began a major expansion of this pueblo around 1050 A.D.  they had already occupied the Antelope site hundreds of years.  Paintings of antelope on a nearby cliff wall provided the ruin with its name.  Some people now think that the paintings may be the work of Dibe Yazhi, a Navajo artist who lived nearby in the 1830's...

Antelope House is set in a deep, protective alcove.  However, its position near the canyon floor has exposed it to sporadic flooding over the years.  The Anasazi abandoned the structure by 1270 A.D.  Some historians speculate that a major flood incited their departure since parts of the pueblo have been washed away.  Others suggest warfare or disease set off the exodus.  No one really knows for sure.

The pueblo complex is made up of two main buildings bordering a central plaza.  There may have been as many as 91 rooms. The structure may have been up to four stories tall in parts.  It also contained two or three large kivas and several smaller ones.  The Anasazi  originally plastered the walls on each side, covering the masonry construction.  Even today, some of the remaining walls display decorative paint designs.