In this return to his lively, provocative reconceptualization of the meaning of Chaco Canyon and its monumental 11th-century structures, Stephen H. Lekson expands—over time and distance—our understanding of the political and economic integration of the American Southwest.Lekson’s argument that Chaco did not stand alone, but rather was the first of three capitals in a vast networked region incorporating most of the Pueblo world has gained credence over the past 15 years. Here, he marshals new evidence and new interpretations to further the case for ritual astronomical alignment of monumental structures and cities, great ceremonial roads, and the shift of the regional capital first from Chaco Canyon to the Aztec Ruins site and then to Paquimé, all located on the same longitudinal meridian. Along the line from Aztec to Paquimé, Lekson synthesizes 1000 years of Southwestern prehistory—explaining phenomena as diverse as the Great North Road, macaw feathers, Pueblo mythology, the recycling of iconic symbols over time, founder burials, and the rise of kachina ceremonies—to yield a fascinating argument that will interest anyone concerned with the prehistory and history of the American Southwest.
Stephen H. Lekson is professor of anthropology and Curator of Archaeology, Museum of Natural History, at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Table of Contents
List of Figures Foreword in Three Movements Ruth M. Van Dyke, Phillip Tuwaletstiwa, and Severin FowlesAcknowledgments, Apologies Preface to the Second Edition 1. Pourparlers The Argument in Brief Plan of the Book It’s Complicated. .. 2. Mondo Chaco The Emerald City? The (Social) Dynamics of Chaco Prehistory The Regional System Out on the Edges Redistribution Revisited Chaco Hegemony Prestige Deflated Pax Chaco: Peace with an Edge and a Bite Lords of the Great House Chaco and Mimbres Life after Mimbres 3. Meridian Nexus Down the Yellow Brick Road Uniquity and Mobius Logic Three Southwestern Cities Regional Integration A Millennium on the Meridian 4. A Beautiful Fact Killed by an Ugly Theory Means: “They Do Things Differently There” Means (Continued): “Can’t Get There from Here” Motive (1): “Roads through Time” Motive (2): Direction and Distance Opportunity: “How Can You Be in Two Places at Once. . .?” Closing Arguments: “High Crimes and Misdemeanors” 5. Conclusions? The Four-Point Problem, without References But Wait. .. There’s More! So What? New Methods Needed: Apply Within Chaco Meridian Appendix A: Chaco as Altepetl Appendix B: Dating Casas Grandes Appendix C: Alto, Far View, and Chimney Rock References Index About the Author
