It was a fantastic day. We had a private tour of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park which is south of Bloomfield, New Mexico. A couple years ago we tried the same thing but got canceled because of rain. Flash flooding is common in the area. Today the weather was fine.
The drive to the Park is challenging for the part which is on the Navajo Reservation. They don't do road maintenance and the gravel road is an endless washboard. Very slow going.
Our guide was an archaeologist who is based at Salmon Ruins in Bloomfield. The site is where the Chaco people lived for a long time and built fantastic structures. They were excellent stone masons who accomplished their work without metal tools. Some of the structures were four stories. As we walked through the pueblos I kept imagining what it might have looked like at the height of its occupancy. Pueblo Bonito is the largest structure and the most important. There may have been 800 people there. Estimates vary, your results may be different.
One interesting thing is how they can date the construction of the various sections. One method is to examine the masonry. The style evolved over time and up to five basic styles are noted. Another method is to use dendrochronology which examines the width of growth rings. There are quite a few floor beams and lintels where the original wood is still in place.
This was one of the best tours we have ever taken. We think it almost always pays to book a good tour. Just reading signs does nothing. You can't ask a sign a question.
