The Fate of the Anasazi
Theory and Fact
Feb 24, 2009 Jeffrey R Gudzune
In 1849, an expedition under the command of Lieutenant James Simpson happened upon the ruins of the Anasazi “Great House” atop Chaco Canyon—a magnificent settlement containing the largest, and tallest, buildings in indigenous North America. Thinking that they had discovered a distant arm of the Aztec empire, the expedition catalogued its observations. As he surveyed the compound known as Pueblo Bonito, Simpson concluded that the architects who had constructed such a massive structure were most assuredly the product of a highly developed civilization. Indeed, they were. They were not, however, a remnant outpost of the Aztec empire. The Anasazi were a wholly Native American society, establishing a trade empire that thrived in the Four Corners region of the southwest. Masters of the turquoise trade, the Anasazi nation flourished between 100 B.C. and 1150 A.D. At the height of their development, a period referred to as the Golden Age, the Anasazi constructed entire cities of interconnected adobe buildings that graced the tops of canyons and mesas throughout the Four Corners. After 1150, however, the nine Great Houses (cities, or large trading centers) of the Anasazi were abandoned and the Anasazi had relocated to the canyons and cliffs of southwest Colorado. Why did such an advanced civilization have to relocate to the protection of these natural barriers? Additionally, why did this advanced society disappear altogether after 1300? The answer to these questions have been debated for over one hundred years.
The most commonly accepted cause of the Anasazi relocation is warfare. Despite the relative wealth and prestige of the Great Houses, the Anasazi nation was not immune to predation by surrounding tribes and not everyone that they encountered maintained friendly relations with them. The first threats most likely came along the established trade routes. The nine central Great Houses were connected to 75 other communities and trade centers throughout the Anasazi sphere of influence. These routes functioned as trade corridors and were used to transport goods and maintain economic ties to those who surrounded them. The transportation and distribution of valuable goods proved to be no small enticement for competitors of the Anasazi. But who could have risen to challenge the Anasazi and threaten their security enough to force them to relocate to more defensible topography? The most likely threat to the Great Houses came from those unaligned bands in the areas surrounding Anasazi domain. But which bands?
Some historians have claimed that the most likely threat to the Anasazi trade routes were the Apache and the Navajo. There is much debate regarding this theory, as archaeological evidence puts these groups in the area long after the year 1300—generally accepted as the time when the Anasazi disappeared. It is likely, however, that early nomadic bands of Apache, Navajo, and possibly even Ute struck at trade routes used by the Anasazi. Over time, these threats most likely plagued the trade outposts and a decision was made to relocate. Simpson and his team explored the ruins at Chaco Canyon and found evidence of invasion. Subsequent exploration of the cliff dwellings and cities of Mesa Verde have also failed to turn up any sign of invasion or internal rebellion that would have brought an end to the Anasazi.
What is known is that between 1276 and 1299, the area occupied by the Anasazi experienced a series of severe droughts. This could have impacted the internal workings of the society in general; as agriculture broke down it eventually impacted trade. Compounded with the threat posed by as yet positively identified foreign entities, drought could have generated a general breakdown of Anasazi society. Adopting a defensive posture, and with such an upheaval with respect to their agricultural base, it is highly likely that the Anasai nation broke apart and survived as smaller units. The Pueblo Indians for example bore many cultural traits that were similar to those of the Anasazi. If this is so, then the modern understanding of what constitutes a nation is more than the name of the people. With respect to many of the indigenous societies that thrived long before the arrival of the Europeans, it is likely that they did not in fact fade into history but became new societies.
Paul Aron, Unsolved Mysteries of American History: An Eye- Opening Hourney Through 500 Years of Discoveries, Disappearances, and Baffling Events. (New York: MJF Books, 1997).
Mark C Carnes, Ed, U.S. History. (New York: MacMillan Library Reference, 1996).
Kenneth C. Davis, Don’t Know Much About History. (New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2003).
Gilbert Legay, Atlas of Indians. (Hauppage: Barron’s, 1995)
Marilyn Miller and Marian Faux, Ed, American History Desk Reference. (New York: MacMillan, 1997).
Carl Waldman, Atlas of the North American Indian. (New York: Checkmark Book, 2000).
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