Chimney Rock

Location

Chimney rock was a stop between our rally sites. Leaving Chama, New Mexico we wanted to spend time learning. One of my favorite things to practice, how to ask questions. Engaging with docents is a great way to hone question generation. Chimney rock is a national monument, we inquired about a tour, none were available, however a interpretive ranger was available at nearly every point of interest.

We were able to park Olive in the over-sized lot with ease. The park supplies van service to the top of the monument, the ride up the washboard road was awesome especially since I didn’t have to drive.

Arriving at the site, it is easy to see the hardship of living at elevation. No way to grow food or store water was present. The effort required to support the residents required substantial resources. It’s my understanding that the Kiva is the largest of its kind, establishing a precedence of high value. The current theory based upon dating building material and evaluating the expansions of the Kiva was that the site was used for stargazing/tracking, tools and pottery creation, and communication with other communities 150+Miles away. The Kiva’s perspective of the moon rise will observe a lunar standstill between the two rocks (at moonrise) every 18.6 years.

Immense effort to build the structure. The Great House Pueblo

On this hike up we were treated to watching some vultures catch thermals off the mountains.

Ode to the three sisters. Corn(Maize), Beans, Squash

My thoughts/perceptions

The people were traders and were trading created products (arrows, pottery, etc..) they also traded information. The scholars/academics were able to see the changes in the sky and how those changes affected the lives of others. I also feel that due to the location and proven ability to communicate over long distances allowed them to trade communication (safe passage/security, inventory, and services).

I assume the people living in the community were there in support of the academics. The academics were solely focused on study, trade, strategy, and communication. The value they provided to the community allowed for the high amount of resources required to support them in The Great House. The community would not have supported a house on the hill without utilizing the value it supplied.

References:

https://www.nal.usda.gov/collections/stories/three-sisters https://www.chimneyrockco.org/puebloan-resources/archaeological-sites/ https://www.chimneyrockco.org/puebloan-resources/commchaco/

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