Chaco Canyon in New Mexico is home to the ruins of the Anasazi cultural center, including multi-story buildings, astronomical towers, and dwellings. Excavations reveal advanced architectural development, irrigation systems, and evidence of trading ties. Construction slowed down in the 12th and 13th centuries, possibly due to prolonged drought. The area is now managed by the United States National Park System and is open to the public.
On a high mesa in Chaco Canyon, located in the San Juan Range of northwestern New Mexico, are the ruins of the once thriving cultural center of the Anasazi. Filled with multi-story buildings, a ceremonial center, astronomical towers and dwellings, the area has been excavated for nearly a century. Now under the management of the United States National Park System, Chaco Culture National Historical Park is the largest Anasazi site in the United States.
Archaeologists believe construction of the ancient dwellings in Chaco Culture National Historical Park began in the mid-1800s. Excavations reveal advanced architectural development, with pre-designed buildings of several floors containing hundreds of rooms. These large houses, called big houses, are surrounded by the remains of smaller dwellings and ceremonial sites. Although this area is now a desert, extensive irrigation systems and boreholes indicate that the inhabitants were farmers.
Archaeological evidence reveals that the area experienced incredible growth and became a commercial and cultural centre. Over 150 similar communities were found within a 100-mile (160.93 km) radius, all connected to the city in the Chaco Canyon by over 400 miles (643.74 km) of well-constructed roadways. Numerous turquoise jewels, brass bells, and the remains of parrots and macaws have been found in the ruins, none of which are native to the area. Based on these finds, it is believed that the Anasazi who lived in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park had trading ties that ranged from California to the west and Mexico to the south.
Construction slowed down in the 12th and 13th centuries as inhabitants began migrating east, west and south. No one is certain why the change occurred, but geographic evidence indicates that there was a period of prolonged drought that may have made life unsustainable in an already arid climate. The Navajo and other Southwestern tribes are believed to be descendants of the original inhabitants of Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
The first documented European sighting of the area came from a Spanish exhibit led by Vizcarra in 1823. Later that century, other explorers surveyed the area, and from 1896 to 1901, a team led by an amateur archaeologist worked on excavating the large house known as Pueblo Bonito and some of the surrounding ruins. Concerned about the potential damage that could occur if poorly trained explorers were allowed to continue working in the area, the United States Congress passed the Antiquities Act in 1906 which gave the president the option to set aside historic areas as national monuments. In 1907 President Theodore Roosevelt used this power to stop unauthorized work in Chaco Canyon by declaring the area Chaco Canyon National Monument.
In 1916, the United States National Park System was established and assumed management of what would become Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Licensed Expeditions began operating in 1921, and from 1937 to 1941, a group of men from the Civilian Conservation Corps planted trees and built earth mounds to stop erosion damage. A group of Navajo stonemasons were employed to do rebuilding work, a task that is still done by the Navajos. Over time exploration has revealed how extensive the settlement system was, and the park area has been extended to preserve more of this historic region.
In 1980, the area was renamed Chaco Culture National Historical Park. The area is open to the public and a 14.48km paved circular road leads visitors to some of the largest large house sites. Guided tours and day passes are available for hikers who want to explore on their own.
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