Pueblo Bonito is located in the Four Corners region in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. It was constructed over a thousand year span by the Anasazi Indians. The formation of Pueblo Bonito is in the shape of a “D.”
The
Anasazi Indians are known for building what
archeologist call “great houses.” Some of the architectural
characteristics of the great houses include planned layouts, distinctive
masonry, multi-story construction, and kivas (circular subterranean
chambers). Pueblo Bonito also has many large rooms with no windows that
have shelves that extend five feet out from the walls. These rooms are
storage rooms or sleeping quarters.
The oldest part of Pueblo Bonito dates back to about 850 AD. This earliest section consisted of 100 rooms ranging from one story rooms up to three story rooms. There were also 5 kivas surrounded by the multi-story rooms in a crescent shape. The location of Pueblo Bonito was unusual because they built it under a separated piece of a cliff wall. This piece was called “Threatening Rock,” standing 97 feet high and weighing about 30,000 tons. The Anasazi people recognized the threat and built a supporting terrace which slowed the erosion of the soil. The terrace worked well, because Threatening Rock did not fall until 1941.
The culture and traditions known as Anasazi were formed around 700 AD after centuries of trading with the Hohokam people. Their typical houses were built out of stone terraces or adobe blocks around a central plaza with walls facing the outside for protection. The Anasazi people grew domesticated plants including maize, beans and squash. They were a sedentary people, living in one area and eating domesticated foods. Many Anasazi people would live in small farm houses in the summer.
During the Basket Maker Period, the Anasazi people built granaries which became areas where towns were formed. During the drought of 1275 many farms and towns were abandoned, except for those around the Rio Grande River. The ones around the Rio Grande managed to survive through extensive irrigation systems. The Spanish visited the Pueblos in 1540; the Pueblos are descendants of the Anasazi people. From that point until present day, the Pueblo people have been ruled by the Spanish, Mexicans, and Americans. Today 22 Pueblo communities are still intact and running.
The ruins of Chaco Canyon were first discovered in 1849 by Lt. James Simpson during a military expedition. Simpson's guide named Carravahal from San Juan Pueblo provided the name Pueblo Bonito, which is Spanish for “beautiful town.” At the conclusion of his expedition, Simpson published the first description of Chaco Canyon. Richard Wetherill, a rancher and archeologist, and George Pepper from the Museum of National History, were the first to excavate at Pueblo Bonito. They started their excavations in 1896 and ended in 1899. When they finished, Wetherill remained at Chaco Canyon running a trading post until he died in 1910. In the short period Wetherill and Pepper excavated, they uncovered 190 rooms, photographing and mapping all of the major structures in Chaco Canyon. Wetherill and Pepper contributed immensely to the early excavation of Chaco Canyon.
References:
Perron, Robert. Art Resource, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2000. New York. 1993-1999
Muench, David. Allstock INC, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2000. 1993-1999
McLean, Kim. 1995 Pueblo Bonito Site Guide. (http://www.ratical.org/southwest/PBsiteGuide95.html). 1995
By Mitch Oachs