At the height of their power in the late eleventh century, the Chaco Anasazi dominated a territory in the American Southwest larger than any European principality of the time. A vast and powerful alliance of thousands of farming hamlets and nearly 100 spectacular towns integrated the region through economic and religious ties, and the whole system was interconnected with hundreds of miles of roads. It took these Anasazi farmers more than seven centuries to lay the agricultural, organizational, and technological groundwork for the creation of classic Chacoan civilization, which lasted about 200 years--only to collapse spectacularly in a mere 40. Why did such a great society collapse? Who survived? Why? In this lively book anthropologist/archaeologist David Stuart presents answers to these questions that offer useful lessons to modern societies. His account of the rise and fall of the Chaco Anasazi brings to life the people known to us today as the architects of Chaco Canyon, the spectacular national park in New Mexico that thousands of tourists visit every year.

Examines what is known about the Anasazi civilization, from the arrival of the Ancient Ones in North America 14,000 years ago to the lives of their present-day descendants, the Pueblo.

An exuberant, hands-on fly-on-the-wall account that combines the thrill of canyoneering and rock climbing with the intellectual sleuthing of archaeology to explore the Anasazi. David Roberts describes the culture of the Anasazi—the name means “enemy ancestors” in Navajo—who once inhabited the Colorado Plateau and whose modern descendants are the Hopi Indians of Arizona. Archaeologists, Roberts writes, have been puzzling over the Anasazi for more than a century, trying to determine the environmental and cultural stresses that caused their society to collapse 700 years ago. He guides us through controversies in the historical record, among them the haunting question of whether the Anasazi committed acts of cannibalism. Roberts’s book is full of up-to-date thinking on the culture of the ancient people who lived in the harsh desert country of the Southwest.

Biography of the man who discovered the prehistoric ruins at Mesa Verde, Colorado, and began the excavation of Pueblo Bonito at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico.

Take a fascinating journey through Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde with leading southwestern archaeologists, historians, architects, artists, and urban planners as guides. Twenty-two essays identify Anasazi building and cultural features related to design and site planning, history, mythology, and ecology. 40 halftones. 5 maps.

A woman runs away in search of a Spiritual Helper, never to return.

A catalogue and companion to an exhibit at the Utah Museum of Natural History, displaying woven sandals of the people who lived in what is now Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico for about the first 13 centuries of the current era. The examples demonstrate the various and intricate weaving techniques and the incredible diversity of styles, patterns, and decoration the weavers managed within the parameters of function. No index. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Perhaps the most fascinating chapter in Southwest history is the tale of the mysterious, "vanished" Anasazi Indians. Their tremendous achievements can be found in many places, including the spectacular cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park. But the crest of the Anasazi wave was in Chaco Canyon, a shallow, windswept wash in northwest New Mexico. Here, 1,000 years ago, strange and unexplained events unfolded; events which continue to intrigue scientists and visitors today. During the years 850-1150 AD, multi-story buildings comparable in size to the Roman Coliseum were constructed. Advanced astronomy, water works, and agriculture flourished. Exotic artifacts from Central America were traded over routes spanning thousands of miles. And after 300 years, they carefully sealed everything up, left, and never returned. The Anasazi of Chaco Canyon offers insight into the unknowns of the "Chaco Phenomenon," including the story of Kyle's journey of discovery. In addition, it draws on the latest research, personal experiences, and interpretations of oral traditions, leading the reader to a startling conclusion. Influenced by the writings of Edward Abbey and James Michener, Kyle Widner is a desert wanderer, amateur Anasazi ruins hunter, and internet business expert in his spare time. He lives in Boulder City, Nevada with his wife Jean, two golden retrievers, and two cats. This book is the companion guide to an educational video game and 3D computer simulation of Chaco Canyon for Mac and PC computers. Learn more at Shadowplay.com.