[Aztlan] Earliest canal system in the Southwest uncovered

[michael ruggeri]

Listeros,

Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of an ancient farming  
community at a site called Las Capas in Arizona. The settlement dates  
to 1200 BC-800 BC, the early agricultural period in the Southwest. The  
settlers at Las Capas created a system of canals now proven to be the  
earliest extensive irrigation system in the Southwest. These canals  
pre-date the Hohokam canals by 1000 years. This find has completely  
revised the history of organized irrigation in the Southwest. The  
canals were built in grids with earthen gates to regulate flow. The  
canals held running water 9 months out of the year. The area covers  
100 acres and supported 150 people. The Las Capas people grew maize as  
their primary crop using popped corn to make tortillas. They gathered  
cactus fruit, mesquite pods and amaranth. Skeletal remains of the Las  
Capas people show they lived a healthy life. Circular pit houses have  
also been uncovered with charcoal remains used for cooking in shallow  
pits. They had domesticated dogs and other domesticated animals.

There are 7 other settlements nearby with evidence of canals there as  
well. A massive flood in 800 BC destroyed their society as the Las  
Capas people made attempts to rebuild the waterways and then abandoned  
their village.

The Explorer has the story here;
http://www.explorernews.com/articles/2009/05/13/news/doc4a09f6bd89333196876955.txt

A tiny URL;
http://tinyurl.com/p463bv

Mike Ruggeri

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

Mike Ruggeri's Moundbuilders/Ancient Southwest News and Links
http://tinyurl.com/b5mgtv