Chaco
Canyon was both the political and economic centre of the eastern
Anasazi world by AD 1000. Within the canyon an architectural
style consisting of very large, multi-storied pueblos and associated
earth-works had been started and continued to grow in both size
and number. These structures were pre-planned, had large rooms,
high ceilings, enclosed kivas and nearby great kivas. Some buildings
were up to four stories high with 695 rooms.
A kiva was like a combined community centre and church, used
for religious ceremonies and community celebrations. A kiva
was made from a shallow circular pit, roofed over with wooden
poles. There were both small kivas, perhaps used by a few families,
and large kivas used by the entire community. The interior of
a kiva was painted with various symbols, and scenes of people
and animals.
Numerous petroglyph panels were etched into the soft sandstone
canyon walls by the pueblos. Images of animals are common. The
most famous petroglyph is the spiral associated with the "sun
dagger" on Fajada Butte. During the solstice a ray of light
shines through detached sandstone slabs, creating a ray of sun
across the centre of the spiral.
Chaco Canyon was the centre of a network of spoke-like roads
carrying trade goods both into and out of the area. The roads
were constructed to a uniform width of approximately nine metres
and are almost always completely straight. When a change of
direction was necessary, these were made with sharp angular
turns. Research reveals the roads were maintained throughout
their use. Chaco Canyon went into decline after 1130 AD, although
Anasazi culture continued to flourish in other areas.
Norsemen from Iceland (themselves originally from Norway) settle
in Greenland and in Newfoundland at L'Anse aux Meadows after
1000 AD. The L'Anse aux Meadows settlement lasts only one or
two generations, although the Greenlanders continue to come
to North America for lumber and other trade goods for centuries.
25
years ago / 50 years ago
/ 80 years ago / 125
years ago / 150 years ago
250 years ago / 400
years ago / 700 years ago
/ 1,200 years ago
1,500 years ago / 2,000
years ago / 3,000 years
ago / 4,000 years ago
/ 5,000 years ago / 10,000
years ago
