The Chaco Meridian: One Thousand Years of Political and

The Chaco Meridian: One Thousand Years of Political and Religious Power in the Ancient Southwest

In this return to his lively, provocative reconceptualization of the meaning of Chaco Canyon and its monumental 11^th-century structures, Stephen H. Lekson expandsâ€”over time and distanceâ€”our understanding of the political and economic integration of the American Southwest.
Leksonâ€™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 PaquimÃ©, all located on the same longitudinal meridian. Along the line from Aztec to PaquimÃ©, Lekson synthesizes 1000 years of Southwestern prehistoryâ€”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 ceremoniesâ€”to yield a fascinating argument that will interest anyone concerned with the prehistory and history of the American Southwest.
Country USA
Manufacturer Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2015-03-19
Format Kindle eBook

Country	USA
Manufacturer	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Binding	Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate	2015-03-19
Format	Kindle eBook

The Chaco Meridian: One Thousand Years of Political and Religious Power in the Ancient Southwest