astronomical knowledge have been found in Chaco Canyon. On top of Fajada Butte, a crack in the rock wall is aligned with a spiral petroglyph so that sunlight shining through will be perfectly centered on the summer solstice. Sunlight penetrating In a remote canyon in northwest New Mexico lies the center of ancestral Puebloan culture and the largest pre-Columbian ruin north of Mexico. Chaco Canyon served as a cultural, administrative, and economic hub for the peoples of the Four Corners region from approximately 850 until 1250 AD. Major developments in astronomy, art, engineering, and architecture were spawned there.

New masonry techniques allowed for the construction of multiple story great houses. Pueblo Bonito, the largest of the great houses, had over 600 rooms and 40 kivas. These elaborately planned buildings, which took many decades of coordinated effort to complete, demonstrate a deep understanding of the natural cycles of the earth. The back wall of Pueblo Bonito is alligned on a perfect east-west axis. On the summer solstice, the sun passes directly over this wall. Perfectly straight roads that originate in Chaco Canyon emanate out for many miles to other ancestral Puebloan sites. Many examples of astronomical knowledge have been found in Chaco Canyon. On top of Fajada Butte, a crack in the rock wall is aligned with a spiral petroglyph so that sunlight shining through will be perfectly centered on the summer solstice. Sunlight penetrating a

egion from approximately 850 until 1250 AD. Major developments in astronomy, art, engineering, and architecture were spawned there.

New masonry techniques allowed for the construction of multiple story great houses. Pueblo Bonito, the largest of the great houses, had over 600 rooms and 40 kivas. These elaborately planned buildings, which took many decades of coordinated effort to complete, demonstrate a deep understanding of the natural cycles of the earth. The back wall of Pueblo Bonito is alligned on a perfect east-west axis. On the summer solstice, the sun passes directly over this wall. Perfectly straight roads that originate in Chaco Canyon emanate out for many miles to other ancestral Puebloan sites. Many examples of astronomical knowledge have been found in Chaco Canyon. On top of Fajada Butte, a crack in the rock wall is aligned with a spiral petroglyph so that sunlight shining through will be perfectly centered on the summer solstice. Sunlight penetrating

st of the great houses, had over 600 rooms and 40 kivas. These elaborately planned buildings, which took many decades of coordinated effort to complete, demonstrate a deep understanding of the natural cycles of the earth. The back wall of Pueblo Bonito is alligned on a perfect east-west axis. On the summer solstice, the sun passes directly over this wall. Perfectly straight roads that originate in Chaco Canyon emanate out for many miles to other ancestral Puebloan sites. Many examples of astronomical knowledge have been found in Chaco Canyon. On top of Fajada Butte, a crack in the rock wall is aligned with a spiral petroglyph so that sunlight shining through will be perfectly centered on the summer solstice. Sunlight penetrating onito is alligned on a perfect east-west axis. On the summer solstice, the sun passes directly over this wall. Perfectly straight roads that originate in Chaco Canyon emanate out for many miles to other ancestral Puebloan sites. Many examples of astronomical knowledge have been found in Chaco Canyon. On top of Fajada Butte, a crack in the rock wall is aligned with a spiral petroglyph so that sunlight shining through will be perfectly centered on the summer solstice. Sunlight penetrating astronomical knowledge have been found in Chaco Canyon. On top of Fajada Butte, a crack in the rock wall is aligned with a spiral petroglyph so that sunlight shining through will be perfectly centered on the summer solstice. Sunlight penetrating a window in Pueblo Bonito aligns with an inside corner of the building perfectly on the winter solstice. In addition, several petroglyphs have been found depicting astronomical events, such as the great supernova of 1054 AD. Although Chacoan culture fluorished for 400 years, these people left the area towards the end of the 13th century. Several causes may have contributed to this exodus, but the exact reason remains one of the great mysteries of archeology.

Chaco Culture National Historic Park preserves the irreplacable remains of this culture, and was designated a World Heritage site by the United Nations for the priceless cultural resources contained there. The entrance to the park is located 21 miles off of Highway 550/44 south of Farmington. Signs will direct you to the access road, consisting of five paved miles followed by 16 miles of unpaved road. The road is usually smooth enough to be passed by any two wheel drive vehicle, but can be rough in spots. Be sur