[Aztlan] THE ANASAZI ABANDONMENT

[michael ruggeri]

Listeros,

Archaeologists are studying the mass Anasazi abandonment of their  
Colorado plateau home for more desolate regions in the south in the  
late 1200's trying to find an explanation for this out-migration of  
the population. The earlier explanations of drought or a little Ice  
Age are now found wanting. There had been a drought in the late  
1200's and pollen layers in lake bottoms and bogs show shorter  
growing seasons due to colder weather at the same time. But starting  
in 1300, the whole area abandoned became much wetter but the  
inhabitants did not return.

Some Anasazi did revert from maize growing and turkey raising during  
the drought to hunting and gathering and built defensive walls  
against raiders. Evidence of increased violence is seen in more  
scalpings, dismemberments and perhaps cannibalism and whole families  
were slain in their homes. But this was not constant everywhere. At  
Kiet Siel, in northwestern Arizona, they continued to thrive till  
1290, 15 years after the drought, and then they all left in an  
orderly fashion, sealing their granaries with fitted rocks and caulk  
seemingly in no hurry or danger.

Researchers now see the possible driving force in the great  
abandonment was a new Puebloan religion. Building styles were  
changing into more open architecture with public plazas and kivas  
from a more closed style in the past. Serving bowls became larger and  
more decorative. Immigrants from the west brought new pottery styles.  
Some archaeologists see signs of an evangelical religion emanating  
from the south pulling people out of their homes.

Archaeologists are now doing mass computer simulations of diet,  
rainfall, growing conditions and other factors and coming to the  
conclusion that as the Anasazi society became more successful, they  
became more fragile and too dependent on maize and animal husbandry  
and trade with neighbors. When the drought came and colder weather  
hit, they were no longer as flexible and independent as in the  
simpler past and then new religions, new immigrants and new  
ideologies led to societal breakdown and political change which led  
to the orderly abandonment of their pueblos to move south in some  
kind of mass religious movement.

The New York Times has the story here;
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/08/science/08anasazi.html

Mike Ruggeri


Mike Ruggeri's The Ancient Southwest
http://tinyurl.com/2j8whx