When was chaco canyon abandoned

The Pueblo and the Hopi are two Indian tribes that are thought to be descendants of the Anasazi. The term Pueblo refers to a group of Native Americans who descended from cliff-dwelling people long ago. Pueblo Bonito is amongst the largest and most completely excavated archaeological sites in the U. It encompasses approximately masonry rooms up to four storeys in height, as well as around 37 semi-subterranean masonry-lined structures kivas , which were probably used primarily for ritual activities.

When was chaco canyon abandoned? Asked by: Nikki Wisoky. Did people live at Chaco Canyon? Why is Chaco Canyon so important?

How old is Chaco? How did the people of Chaco Canyon align their buildings? Is Chaco Canyon open to the public? Why was Pueblo Bonito abandoned? Who first discovered Chaco Canyon? Who lived in Chaco? Where did Chaco people go? How long is Chaco Canyon? Can dogs go to Chaco Canyon?

Is Chaco Canyon a Unesco site? No one knows why for sure, but the thinking among archaeologists has been that excessive logging for firewood and construction caused deforestation, which caused erosion, which made the land unable to sustain a large population.

In this latest article, a trio of anthropologists from the University of New Mexico pokes big holes in this theory. The deforestation narrative rests mainly on two kinds of evidence: radiocarbon dating of the fossilized contents of packrat nests the absence of fossilized pine trees in the nests after a certain time could indicate deforestation , and hints that toward the end, the people of Chaco Canyon resorted to importing logs from great distances to continue building their houses.

Furthermore, according to Adler, the demise of Chaco did not halt the construction of outliers , and Lekson indicates people returned to Chaco. Yet at Chimney Rock, construction halted in Does that suggest the fate of Chimney Rock was most intimately connected with that of Chaco? We contend that Chaco and Chimney Rock were closely connected through the construction of the Great House and a series of fire pits that we believe served as a signaling system. Was the connection so close that one could not survive without the other?

We contend, however, Chimney Rock was evacuated in and never re-occupied. Lekson and Cameron also argue that most outliers were re-occupied by villagers. He and others argue that, as Chaco declined, Aztec emerged as the center of the Puebloan system. Difficulties in building the Great House The construction of the Chimney Rock Great House was a feat of immense engineering and construction requiring much manpower.

At 7, feet in elevation, it is the highest of the outliers and its northern most location gives it a short growing season and significant snow and cold weather. It sits atop a narrow ridge accessible only by a narrow dirt and rock path that rises more than feet in one-third of a mile. Little grows on the mesa top; there is no source of water and few stones are available.

Thus most of the stones, all of the trees for construction of the roofs, and all the water for masonry and food for the workers had to be brought up the narrow and treacherous path. The Great House contains more than 35 rooms and two large kivas. It is also built on a 35 degree slant, yet the floors are level. The walls were plastered and painted white. Building such a well-designed and beautiful edifice under these conditions surely makes it one of the marvels of the world.

One does wonder why such an effort was undertaken and how they could induce people to work on it. We know little about who built the Great House. Was it an occupying group of Chacoans or was it the local inhabitants or some combination of the two? Were they working because of a commitment to the rulers of the site or were they compelled to work? In either case, the commitment and skills required were extensive.

We maintain that the purpose of the Chimney Rock Great House was to house the high priest whose skill was the study of the sun and the stars. The connection between the lunar standstill and the natural pinnacles, Chimney Rock and Companion Rock, gave the site a special sacredness.

Most likely, the huge commitment of resources occurred because inhabitants believed the site was sacred and the high priests were, in effect, agents of the gods. As construction hit its stride, the minor drought of occurred. Kanter argues the effect on the building of Chaco was most significant. It is no coincidence that this marks a cessation of construction and a decline in canyon imports. Did this drought have the same effect on Chimney Rock?

Were some workers discouraged, particularly as the drought affected their resources? A revolt or an exodus of the workers is not difficult to imagine. If that caused the exodus from Chimney Rock, it may explain why the Chimney Rock abandonment occurred when it did and why it may be unrelated to abandonments of other outliers.

In other words, internal conditions at the site coupled with the fall of Chaco may have triggered the abandonment. As a worker, you believed in the sacredness of the site and your role in it because the high priests are able to predict many of the features of the sky.

They know when the moon will rise between the spires. In their time, the sky was rather turbulent. In a new, very bright star, the crab nebula, was suddenly easily visible during the day as well as at night.

In , the Sunset Crater in Arizona exploded. It was probably visible at Chimney Rock, perhaps covering the area in ash. In , probably during the midst of construction and following the drought of , a total eclipse of the sun occurred directly over the site. It is unlikely any of these events were predicted by the high priests. If you are working at the Great House and you lack sufficient food and water, what do you make of the eclipse of the sun?

As the sun casts a very strange light on you, you see your shadow elongated, showing ten fingers on each hand. Do you conclude the high priests may not understand the ways of the world? Do you then decide to leave or at least begin to think seriously about it? Do you hear of new religions in other towns? Are you attracted to them? Fanciful speculation on my part?

However these are the words of several of the leading lights in the field. Other concerns Mention was made of other possible causes of abandonment in the first part of this paper.

What of armed conflict or intervention from outsiders? Wilcox sees Chimney Rock as a military fortress We have no evidence of warfare at Chimney Rock though, with the presence of the Guard House at the top of the trail leading to the Great House, one can imagine concern for an invasion. The soldiers could be present but, without an attack, there is no reason to assume their presence was related to abandonment.

Likewise, there is no evidence of high levels of disease or epidemic. Conclusions and thoughts for further research In spite of the significant literature on abandonments in the Four Corners area, much confusion remains about why Chimney Rock was abandoned. Why were Chimney Rock and Chaco abandoned at the same time while other outliers remained inhabited?

We tend to view the Chimney Rock community as divided into two groups: the San Juan people who had lived there for centuries and the Chacoans who came to build or assist in building the Great House. The Chacoans may have left as those in Chaco Canyon left, but why would the San Juan people, who had more invested in the area, also leave? Let me close with some thoughts for further research. Is there evidence at Chimney Rock that perhaps the residents intended to come back?

One of the mysteries at Chimney Rock is why would they undergo such a monumental effort only to leave soon after completion? Do the artifacts that remained suggest in any way that their abandonment might be temporary?