Pueblo people of Chaco Canyon transported logs

a reply to: Byrd

It wasn't a problem unless you think wheels are desirable.
If you look at the fruits of modern technological civilizations it makes you wonder.
The real problem was colonialism and genocide.

originally posted by: BO XIAN
a reply to: Byrd

I'm not that sure about that.

The area can get some enormous cloud bursts that drop a LOT of water in a short time.

And during the season, there can be several such massive storms.

A pit on property I know of about 5' X 6' X 5' filled in less than a few hours. And that was without much of the runoff being channeled, directed into it.

Good topic. Thanks.

Yes, you get floods. But without water management (channels drains, etc) the water never goes where you want it. And there's no drains leading into the kivas.

Kivas also have fire pits (where charcoal and other evidence of fire have been found.) You don't light a fire in the middle of your water tank.

a reply to: Byrd

but you do build fires in your smokehouses.

a reply to: Nickn3

Thanks Nickn3 for that insight. I do envy you having been to that fascinating and spiritual place.

I don't think most of us and certainly myself can relate to these people because of having been born in towns with everything provided. Those people had nothing except what they produced themselves. Although ancient man lived like that up till pretty recently in our time line - it just seems so strange. (In the UK you do have to be pretty hardy to enjoy the outdoor self-sufficient life so many of us simply dodge it so can't even relate to that easily).

I fancy you are right about their storing water and I would be interested to know what the rain fall was like when the Canyon was peopled - although they probably lived in tents before they settled there and then built their houses - which suggests they thought they could maintain themselves there for the future.

a reply to: BO XIAN

Hi Bo Xian, No I haven't been there and am sorry about that but I did look up a little about it which is why I concur with Nickn3 about the theory of water storage etc. I have copied an article from the Archaelogy site which you might find interesting. I expect you have been lucky enough to get there. I am afraid my archaeological trips have focused on Egypt and the ME so have only managed to see a small part of the world.

"Water is scarce too, but after the rains, the Chaco river receives runoff water coming from the top of the surrounding cliffs. This is clearly a difficult area for agrigultural production. However, between AD 800 and 1200, ancestral puebloan groups, the Chacoans, managed to create a complex regional system of small villages and large centers, with irrigation systems and inter-connecting roads.

After AD 400, farming was well established in the Chaco region, especially after the cultivation of maize, beans and squash (the "three sisters") became integrated with wild resources. The ancient inhabitants of Chaco Canyon adopted and developed a sophisticated method of irrigation collecting and managing runoff water from the cliffs into dams, canals, and terraces. This practice--especially after AD 900--allowed for the expansion of small villages and the creation of larger architectural complexes called great house sites."

archaeology.about.com...

I love seeing how innovative ancient man was.