State of New Mexico

The first time that I learned about Chaco Culture National Historical Park was during my senior year of college. While enrolled at Kansas State University, I took a Southwest Native American Art History course. The class was so inspirational that I wanted to go see Chaco and other sites in person. My parents, who shared an interest in history, also took part in the experience. In March 2006, we traveled to New Mexico to see Chaco Canyon and locations related to Chacoan culture.

My Chaco Canyon visit is one of the first Ancestral Puebloan sites I was able to experience. It remains one of the most impressive historical locations in North America that I have been to. Chaco is a location that I have visited multiple times and one I have enjoyed returning to.

History of the Chacoan Culture at Chaco Canyon

The original residents of Chaco Canyon were nomadic hunters and gathering people dating back to 900 BCE. The first structures found in and around the area are pithouses dating back to 200 CE. Architecture in Chaco continues to develop, with larger multi-room pit house villages around 500 CE. The architectural achievement of the people living here progressed with the building of homes at Casa Rinconda in 700 CE. Ultimately, the development of structures began in 850 CE and continued until 1150, which is most commonly associated with Chacoan culture.

Chaco Canyon featured many monumental great house structures that were architecturally distinct to the area and the communities supporting them. This architecture was not limited to residents but included Kivas, which are large and small subterranean places of worship. The culture also includes a unique artistic style that is commonly found on pottery in the area. Additionally, Chaco was socially and economically the center for people in the area and included trade routes reaching Mesoamerica.

The complexity of society found at Chaco Canyon approaches that of central Mexican Mayan and Aztec cultures.

Chaco Canyon Architecture

Thirteen significant structures and hundreds of other smaller ones can be found in and around Chaco Culture National Historical Park. One of the most famous great houses in Chaco Canyon is Pueblo Bonito.

At its completion, Pueblo Bonito is said to have rivaled the Roman Colosseum in size. It was constructed in a D-shape, with the straight exterior wall running perfectly east and west. Only during the spring and fall equinoxes will the sun rise and set at the end of this wall. The structure features an interior midwall that runs perfectly north and south. At its completion, Pueblo Bonito included over 600 rooms, 32 kivas, and three great kivas. This multi-story building stretched to a height of four stories and was constructed using a combination of stone, timber, and adobe.

The second-largest pueblo, located a quarter of a mile away from Pueblo Bonito, is named Chetro Ketl. Construction began shortly after 1000 CE and continued for 100 years. The construction continued in phases and, at its completion, shared the same classic D-shape design as Pueblo Bonito. Chetro Ketl stood four stories high and had a total of 400 rooms, 10 kivas, and two great kivas at its completion.

A third astonishing structure at Chaco Canyon is 63 feet in diameter and is a kiva named Casa Rinconada. This is the largest kiva at Chaco Canyon and is unique in that it is not located within a great house like other kiva’s were. This quality is similar to the great kiva found at Lowry Pueblo and Aztec Ruins National Monument. To better understand what this structure might have looked like, a smaller version is reconstructed at Aztec Ruins National Monument.

The decline of Chaco Canyon

No one is certain what led to the decline of Chaco Canyon as a cultural center. Evidence suggests that by 1100 to 1200 CE, construction slowed, and by 1300, Chaco and outlying communities were largely abandoned.

It is believed that a combination of factors, including drought, overpopulation, and resource depletion, led to its abandonment. Evidence found at Chaco Canyon suggests that cannibalism took place here. The scale of which this act happened can’t be certain. Nor can we be sure if this act was a ritual or a violent act out of desperation. Furthermore, during this time of great migration, some pueblos may have been re-occupied. The evidence found might have taken place following Chaco’s abandonment.

A migration away from the San Juan Basin is part of today’s Puebloan culture. Whether it was the migration from Chaco or not, an outlying community, or another community further away, no one can be certain.

Other Points of Interest in and Around Chaco Canyon

The entire San Juan Basin is dotted with the remnants of numerous outlying great houses and communities. These sites are believed to have either supported or been influenced by Chacoan culture.

Located relatively close to Chaco Canyon are Pueblo Pintado and Kin Klizhin, both of which are open to the public. Additional locations not open to the public are Kin Bineola and Kin Ya’a.

Notable examples of outlying communities in present-day New Mexico, north of Chaco Canyon, include Salmon Ruins and Aztec Ruins National Monument. Further north, in present-day Colorado, is Chimney Rock National Monument. There are other locations in the region that existed at the time of Chaco Canyon or during the time of abandonment. Locations in Colorado include: Mesa Verde (500–1300 CE), Sand Canyon Pueblo (1000–1290 CE), Lowry Pueblo National Historic Landmark (1100 and 1300 CE), and Yucca House National Monument (1150–1300 CE). In present-day Utah, Hovenweep National Monument reached its peak between 1200 and 1300 CE. Some of these locations are considered part of the Canyon of the Ancients. Though the area and some of the locations might have been occupied and re-occupied for centuries, tree-ring dating (dendrochronology) identifies the peak construction and occupancy of their inhabitants.

Located south of Chaco Canyon are El Malpais National Monument (950–1350 CE), Casamero Pueblo (1000–1125 CE), and El Morro National Monument (1275 CE).

Many of today’s Puebloan cultures claim Chaco as their origin, and their oral traditions speak of a great migration. Whether it was a migration from Chaco Canyon, an outlying community, or another community further away, no one can be certain. Additionally, some locations in the area reached their apex at a later time before being abandoned.

More Information for Your Chaco Canyon Visit

If you found this article interesting, explore my other visits to state parks or national parks in New Mexico. You can also discover more articles on Indigenous People of the Southwest, Indigenous Peoples of North America, or Chaco Canyon UNESCO World Heritage Sites I’ve covered.

For more information about Chaco Canyon, its days and hours of operation, as well as fees, visit nps.gov. Also, visit newmexico.org for other information that might improve your Chaco Canyon visit.

Location

Chaco Culture National Historical Park Visitor Center
1808 County Road 7950
Nageezi, NM 87037