Brief Description
For over 2,000 years, Pueblo peoples occupied a vast region of
the south-western United States. Chaco Canyon, a major centre of
ancestral Pueblo culture between 850 and 1250, was a focus for
ceremonials, trade and political activity for the prehistoric Four
Corners area. Chaco is remarkable for its monumental public and
ceremonial buildings and its distinctive architecture – it has an
ancient urban ceremonial centre that is unlike anything constructed
before or since. In addition to the Chaco Culture National Historical
Park, the World Heritage property includes the Aztec Ruins National
Monument and several smaller Chaco sites managed by the Bureau of Land
Management.
Statement of Significance
The Chaco Culture National Historical Park, the associated sites
at Aztec Ruins National Monument and five Chaco Culture Archeological
Protection Sites are outstanding elements of a vast pre-Columbian
cultural complex that dominated much of the south-western United States
in the mid-9th to early 13th centuries. Chaco Canyon, a major center of
ancestral Pueblo culture between 850 and 1250, was a focus for
ceremonies, trade and political activity. Chaco is remarkable for its
monumental public and ceremonial buildings and its distinctive
multi-storey “greathouses” which demonstrate a sophisticated
understanding of astronomical phenomena. They are linked by an elaborate
system of carefully engineered and constructed roads. The achievements
of the Chaco Anasazi people are exceptional, given the harsh
environmental conditions and resource limitations of the region.
Criterion (iii) The Chaco Canyon sites graphically illustrate the
architectural and engineering achievements of the Chaco Anasazi people,
who overcame the harshness of the environment of the south-western
United States to found a culture that dominated the area for more than
four centuries.
Long Description
Chaco is an example of a prehistoric or protohistoric culture
that is remarkable for its monumental public and ceremonial buildings
and its distinctive architecture. The cultural sites of Chaco Culture
National Historical Park They are part of the history and traditions of
the Hopi, the Pueblo peoples of New Mexico, and the Navajo, who continue
to respect and honour them. Chaco Canyon is the area with the highest
concentration of archaeological sites of the whole zone.
For over 2,000 years, Pueblo peoples occupied a vast region of the
south-western United States. In Chaco Canyon, a major centre of the
ancestral Pueblo culture between 850 and 1250, many different clans and
peoples created a community for ceremonials, trade, administrative and
political activity in the prehistoric Four Corners area. In addition to
the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, the World Heritage property
includes the Aztec Ruins National Monument and several smaller Chaco
sites.
The Anasazi, sedentary farmers as they were, occupied the greater
part of the south-west of what is now the United States. Within this
culture the Chacos appear as an autonomous group. This society is
characterized by a very elaborate ground occupation system which
includes a constellation of towns surrounded by satellite villages and
linked by a road network, so characteristic of Chaco culture.
The zenith was from around 1020 to 1110. The highly organized
reconstruction of old living places, such as Pueblo Bonito and Penasco
Blanco, demonstrates their skill in the use of building techniques in a
difficult environment. The Chaco people combined pre-planned
architectural designs, astronomical alignments, geometry, landscaping
and engineering to create an ancient urban centre of spectacular public
architecture. Chaco was connected to over 150 communities throughout the
region by engineered roads and a shared vision of the world.
At the same time it illustrates the increasing complexity of the Chaco social structure: circular kivas
having an essentially religious role appeared on a regular basis in the
middle of an increasingly differentiated unitary dwelling. More and
more roads were built and the signs of extensive trading became more
manifest (imports of ceramics and lithic materials, including
turquoise). This phase was followed by a period of rapid decadence about
1110. From 1140 to 1200, the Chaco population died out and the pueblos
were abandoned.
After 1250, the people migrated from the area, moving south, east and
west to join relatives living on the Hopi Mesas, along the Rio Grande,
and around Zuñi Mountain. The region remained practically uninhabited
until the 17th century, when it was taken over by Navajo Indians.
Source: UNESCO/CLT/WHC
