The Chaco Meridian: Centers of Political Power in the Ancient Southwest

by Stephen H. Lekson

Southwestern archaeologists have long pondered the meaning and importance of the monumental 11th-century structures in Chaco Canyon. Now, Stephen H. Lekson offers a lively, provocative thesis, which attempts to reconceptualize the meaning of Chaco and its importance to the understanding of the entire Southwest. Chaco was not alone, according to Lekson, but only one of three capitals of a vast politically and economically integrated region, a network that incorporated most of the Pueblo world and that had contact as far away as Central America. A sophisticated astronomical tradition allowed for astrally aligned monumental structures, great ceremonial roads and—upon the abandonment of Chaco Canyon in the 12th century—the shift of the regional capital first to the Aztec site, then Paquime, all located on precisely the same longitudinal meridian. Lekson's ground-breaking synthesis of 500 years of Southwestern prehistory—with its explanation of phenomena as diverse as the Great North Road, macaw feathers, Pueblo mythology, and the rise of kachina ceremonies—will be of great interest to all those concerned with the prehistory and history of the American Southwest.

Genres: Archaeology, History, Nonfiction, Native American History

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Joe Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

These comments may be superseded as I understand a second edition, which I have not read, has been released.

I have little patience for authors who effect a cute and clever writing style. All the fluff wastes my time and annoys me. Lekson, or his editors, seem to think that the book will sell better if he writes in a familiar and idiosyncratic manner that inflates the book's length. But, once beyond the stylistic nonsense there's a lot of interesting information in this book. Its central premise is that Chacoan society was class stratified and that the overlords constrained the working class to build these "great houses" and nonfunctional roads as status monuments. He claims that Aztec ruins on the Animas, Chaco canyon and Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, are aligned on a north-south axis (except they aren't) and that this purported alignment is no accident. As evidence of this assertion he cites the existence of a "Great North Road" running due north from Chaco to a small ruin on Kutz Arroyo (not to Aztec). From there the road is supposed to follow the arroyo bottom northwest to Salmon ruins on the San Juan (skewing the alignment), although floods have obliterated all signs of this road segment. Salmon ruins is due south of Aztec but there's no sign of the road over the mesa between the rivers. No sign of any road south of Chaco across the Chihuahuan desert, either. Despite this imprecise alignment and lack of evidence for any roads besides the Great North Road, Lekson goes to pains to assure us that the alignment is real and intentional. Is it, and what does it matter if it is? Well, some cultures built pyramids while the Chacoan Anasazi aligned their pueblos, more or less, along lines of longitude. This is supposed to be the monumental achievement that gave the ruling class its authority. Maybe so. Who knows? And why would the people these overlords oppressed care? Why would such an alignment give these parasites their authority? Maybe being able to unleash cannibal goon squads on dissenting pueblos is how the parasitic class, if there was one, maintained power, not because they could align their outposts with the north star or their control of the trinket trade. Lekson thinks he can get inside the heads of ancient people and determine how they thought and what impressed them. I think this is arrogant and I don't buy it.

What struck me most about this book is all that Lekson leaves out. No mention of the rampant cannibalism that characterized Chacoan society. No mention of the anemia consequent to an overwhelmingly corn diet. No mention of the impact of Na-Dene speaking peoples coming down from the north during the Chacoan heyday. Lekson's dismissive treatment of the differences in pottery and architectural styles between Chaco, Aztec and Casas Grandes, which would seem to contradict his argument, I find especially weak. Another thing, when I visited Casas Grandes in the 1980s the guide said that the structures Lekson says were macaw cages, were turkey pens. I've also read that they may have been compost bins. Chihuahua is far north of the tropical range of macaws and I find it hard to believe they would have reproduced inside the adobe boxes where he claims they were bred for the archaic feather trade. I don't believe this and neither did the English speaking guy who showed people around the ruins in exchange for tips. Also, I don't believe that Lekson appreciates how much the ecology of the region has changed over the centuries, especially with the eradication of beavers and introduction of exotic bovids and equids. He's an archeologist, not an ecologist, and this fact makes some of his interpretations of the agricultural potential of various floodplains weak. There were certainly other drainages suitable for the development of canal irrigation closer to Chaco/Aztec than the Rio Casas Grandes. Thinking that these were bypassed because they didn't align with the "Chaco Meridian" is, in my opinion, silly.

So, despite Lekson's being full of himself leading to a cutsie and stilted writing style, and the weakness of his arguments, I would still recommend this book to anyone interested in the prehistory of the North American Southwest. Maybe the second edition is better.

[River James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever, hilarious, iconoclastic. No, not a review of Anthony Jeselnik but of Lekson's writing style concerning the subject of the big WOW ruins of the Old Ones. I read this in 1999 and skimmed it in 2020 and it will add a lot of context and meaning when you visit Chaco, Mesa Verde, Canyon de Chelly, Hovenweep and Canyon of the Ancients. This book instilled a healthy questioning of the axioms underlying sciences like geology, cosmology and archaeology by way of illustrating a niche "controversy" in developing a new theory. This book will be of interest for those wishing to take a deeper dive into Chaco culture. For a broader perspective of pre-historic cultures besides Chacoan, I would recommend David Roberts "Lost World of the Old Ones" for its readability and illumination of current indigenous communities perspective as well as some back room archaeological verbal fisticuffs.

[Caiden Walls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lekson argues that Chaco was part of a larger, integrated region with astronomical alignments. After Chaco's decline, the capital shifted to Aztec and Paquime on the same meridian. This network could explain phenomena like the Great North Road and Pueblo mythology.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lekson's thesis didn't fascinate me all that much (he believes the ancient super-power cities of Chaco, Aztec, & Paquime were intentionally aligned on the same meridian because they were connected. The elites moved from Chaco to Aztec when Chaco fell, and then Aztec to Paquime when Aztec fell. His claim of elites also meets opposition, although I feel he has enough evidence that it should at least be seriously considered. Anyway, I can agree with his thesis-- I'm not an archaeologist and have a hard time seeing why his thesis has received so much controversy-- seems logical to me).

While his thesis didn't fascinate me a great deal, I really did enjoy his writing-style. If you have to read a book on a topic that doesn't get you super-duper excited, you ought to make it this one, because at least the author has an entertaining writing style! The book is filled with humor and reeks of personality-- it's great! It's very well-written (although sometimes he gets so bogged down on little bitty details it takes reading those parts two or three times before you can digest them-- but he is an archaeologist...)

If archaeology or super political powers of the Southwest are your thing or you just like reading topics of conflict, this just might be the book for you!

Mr Lekson, please give other archaeologists and historians a lesson in writing-- it would make those required texts for classes so much more interesting (and thus we would get more from them and do better on the tests).

[AskHistorians]

One of the most interesting and innovative books about the area, by one of its most famous scholars -- he posits a unified theory of the Pueblo world centered on Chaco Canyon. Be warned, though this book was tremendously influential its general arguments have not by supported by more recent archaeology. As Lekson notes on the first page of the book: "This book is not for the faint of heart, or for neophytes. If you are a practicing Southwestern archaeologist with hypertension problems, stop. If you are healthy but new to the region, I highly recommend starting Linda Cordell's (1994) Ancient Pueblo People. Fill up because we are diving into the deep end and not coming up for air."

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

A controversial book about an incredible time period in Native American history. Lekson is able to make fun of himself throughout the book by coming up with these incredible connections through time. A good read if your interested in american archaeology.

[Addie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this book while camped at Chaco Culture nat'l park (bought it in their bookstore). A most intriguing theory, and well presented. Now I really want to visit the other two main centers psotulated to lie on the 'Chaco Meridian'.

[Joseph Gendron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was there a north-south meridian that influenced Chaco and points north and south? How did the Mimbres culture fit in on this same axis and what part did Casas Grandes play?

The author, Stephen Lekson, will be in Silver City for a presentation on Oct.7

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author makes a case for a Chaco Canyon to Paquime space-time continuum.

Very interesting.

The more I read about the ancient Southwest, the more I want to learn about it.

[Jon Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for someone new to the Chaco Canyon world. Lekson is irreverent and funny. The book introduces you to his theory of the Chaco migration, but also informs you of the other writers and their theories.