Morgan Holt, a good friend of mine, suggested we make room for a side trip and pay a visit to an extraordinary part of the four corners countryside - Chaco Canyon. Off the beaten path...in fact way off the beaten path... at the end of a 20-mile dirt road, you will come across Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Although it wasn't on our List of 40 Parks, Chaco proved to be everything Morgan said it would be.
As you enter the Canyon, Fajada Butte stands guard of the many ancient ruins that are found within the Canyon boundaries.
The Chacoan people spent 300 years constructing the many structures present in the canyon. Their culture began to blossom in the mid-800's and, like the Anasazi, abandoned their architectural achievements somewhere around the late 1100's to early 1200's.
According to our Ranger Guide, G. B. Cornicopia, (I'm not making this up. That was what was imprinted on his name badge!) All of the structures in Chaco Canyon were built according to a "Master Plan", some over a period of 300 years! It is estimated that construction of Pueblo Bonito, the most significant of all structures in Chaco Canyon, begun around 850 A.D. and lasted until around 1150 A.D.
The average lifespan of a Chacoan was about 35-40 years. This means it took 7 generations of Chacoans to complete these remarkable structures. Now that requires some pretty fancy planning and strict discipline! How do you keep 7 generations of teenage Chacoans focused on these huge masonry projects without finding them wandering off into the weeds?
Victory Room
The Chacoans were very skilled masons and incorporated several masonry patterns during the many phases of construction. It is unknown exactly what purpose the many rooms were used for. Darker thinkers theorize they served as dungeons. The lighter side suggest the rooms were used for storage. C.B. didn't offer up his opinion. He allowed us to choose whichever side fit our individual personalities!
Anything circular has been labeled "Kiva", according to G.B. However, not all Kiva's served the same purpose. Typically, a Kiva was a place to conduct sacred ceremony. Yet many of the Kiva's here at Chaco, appeared to be residences.
Although we'll never know, these Kiva's may have been timeshared out by the Chacoans! G.B. had an answer for every question. "We're really not certain what was going on back then! Most all that archeologists and historians have come up with is pure speculation." So there you go! My theory is as valid as any!
The exposed log you see here is called a "viga" and served as the main beam support for the roofs and upper story floor construction. Although there is not a forest to be found anywhere near Chaco Canyon, somehow, these industrious natives hauled in an estimated 225,000 trees that were to be used in their construction projects.
And since they did not have horse or wagon back then, these peoples lugged the logs across many miles of the desert landscape on their shoulders. (At least that's how I believe they got the wood to the construction site.)
Wall thickness varied depending upon its position in the structure. Lower supporting walls were up to 30" thick. The walls tapered off in thickness as the structures gained elevation.
In 1940ish, a large section of the bluffs immediately behind Pueblo Bonito gave way and came crashing down upon the ruins. Knowing the large slab was teetering and about to fall, the Park Service hired a Photographer to memorialize the event. During the day the slab was to finally come crashing down, the Photographer had been roaming about the Canyon snapping pix of the Ruins and had used up his supply of film. Consequently, at the exact moment the huge slab came cascading down, the Photographer was inside the Curios Shop buying film!
Having once been a quasi-mason myself back in my Rainforest Construction days, I truly came to appreciate the craftsmanship of the Chacoans. Their patterns and precision was incredible considering they did not have a Rock Yard to buy their supplies. Everything was hand made! The mortar hand mixed. Which, by the way, fascinated me even more. The creek bed running thru Chaco Canyon is dry most of the year. So where the heck did they get the water in which to mix their mud? Perhaps they hauled it back from the forest where they got their trees!
Another point of fascination for me was to think about how these ingenious masons built these structures 4-stories high. Did they construct scaffolding? If so, there was no evidence of this to be found. If not, how'd they get the stones and mud up 40 feet in the air? Human pyramids?
Pueblo Bonito was the largest structure in the Chacoan system with several hundred "rooms" to its credit. It is thought to have been the central focal point of the Chacoan culture - their primary trade center, ceremonial center, social center.
These monumental structures were also believed to be oriented to solar, lunar and cardinal directions. Lines of sight between them enabled communication. Sophisticated astronomical markers surrounded them.
What was the purpose of all of this construction if in the end, it was all abandoned? C.B. didn't have the answer...nor do I. However, Terry and I found it fascinating!
A tall Chacoan stood about 5'4". The doorways they built typically measured about 24" x 48". The bottom of the doorway was always 3 feet above the ground level. Us Biggin's struggle to squeeze thru these openings! (The Park Service has filled in the rooms to preserve what's below)
Let your imagination run a bit wild here. Imagine a roof over these rooms. Total darkness in the evening hours. What was their function? How did the Chacoans navigate thru the rooms? Or did they? Was this just one huge construction project to keep the peeps busy? Great job security...unless you weren't a mason!
G.B. assured us this hunk of rock will not come tumbling down like the one that crashed into Pueblo Bonito. It appears a bit top heavy to me!
Precision Masonry
I was astounded at how precise the walls were constructed. How clean each corner appeared. Look at the very top right hand side of this structure and you'll notice what I'm talking about!
The ruins of Chaco Canyon are truly amazing! But let's not forget the people...for it is they who created these structures! If the architecture is incredible, the peoples who created these wonders must have been extraordinary...or extraterrestrial!
Our visit was brief...however, we will once again brave the bumpy dirt roads to experience this incredible Canyon.
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