The People of Chaco: A Canyon and Its Culture Book

The classic work on the mysterious canyon of New Mexico updated with the latest archaeological and anthropological findings. Praised as a "breathtaking piece of work" that is "written in the best tradition of the science writer and the mystery writer" (Washington Times), People of Chaco is the essential book on the spectacular array of ruins at Chaco Canyon. Like Stonehenge, they are both a monument to our prehistory and a cryptic puzzle. We know that in Chaco Canyon, one thousand years ago, there arose among the Pueblo people a great and culturally sophisticated civilization. Kendrick Frazier addresses questions raised by the famous ruins: What function did Chaco Canyon fulfill? How great was its extent and influence? Why did its culture collapse? Frazier scours the canyon for clues and, in this expanded edition, adds the freshest discoveries on the cosmographic orientation of Chaco's buildings, reports conclusions of the new Chaco Synthesis Project, updates the cannibalism controversy, and summarizes other new archaeological and scientific understanding of this major landmark of the Southwest. 155 illustrations.Read More