Ancestral peoples established this village site in the 14th and early 15th centuries. During this time, the greater Southwest, northern Mexico, and the southern plains were experiencing a high rate of migration and community blending. As different groups came together, so did their culture and social dynamics. At the Merchant village, residents apparently went through their own major and minor social and cultural changes. Most obviously, 2 pit structures at the site suggest that this community was a mix of both Southwest and Plains peoples who came together to establish a permanent village.