Analysis Of The Mystery Of Chaco Canyon

The Mystery of Chaco Canyon introduces viewers to a very complex structure that was built by Ancient Pueblo Indians. Although there is no language to explain the structure’s meaning and purpose, researchers were able to read their architecture as a language. Four themes that were extracted from the structure were, the native’s immense understanding of astronomy, the use for the structure, the level of spirituality that the structure represents, and migration from Chaco Canyon. Ancient Pueblo Indians had a great understanding of astronomy. All of the pueblos in the canyon were aligned to match the movements of the sun and moon. Also, they marked their complexes with daggers and spirals to keep up with the moon cycles and sun movements. The film explains that the moon moves north for nearly ten years and then south for about ten years. To fully understand this cycle of the moon, Pueblo people had to study it for years in order to build their Pueblos in relations to it. The sun however, was different because it set and rose in the same position. The concept of building structures in an astronomical pattern this complex cannot be found anywhere else. Pueblo Bonito was built in an area that could be described as inhabitable. It was revealed to be a ceremonial

From the Pueblo Indian’s perspective, the Chacoans were constantly searching for a place where that they considered the center of their universe. Chaco Canyon was seen as that place. It was a very powerful place and there were a lot of spiritual people who others believed used Chaco Canyon’s powers to induce unwanted changes. Some have even argued that Chaco Canyon’s powers had the ability to corrupt people, which is said to have caused an imbalance in the world. The canyon was said to offer too much knowledge and power to individuals who could abuse it. However, researchers believe it was famine and droughts that drove Chacoans