Anasazi Ruins of the Southwest

by William Ferguson

The Anasazi Indians of the Southwest represent 2,500 years of cultural continuity, from the early Basket Makers of 700BC to their modern descendants, the Pueblo Indians. The pueblos and cliff dwellings they built during their halcyon days between 1100 and 1500AD are the most spectacular ruins north of Mexico. In this book, all of the significant and accessible Anasazi ruins are photographed and described in detail. Special attention is paid to the magnificent sites of Mesa Verde, Chaco Canyon, Canyon de Chelly, and Kayenta. Also included are illustrations of rock art and examples of the delicate jewellery and beautiful ceramics that have survived.

Genres: Archaeology

310 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1987

Reviews

[Jesse]

Wupatki "...near the loop road that winds through ponderosa pines, past Sunset Crater, down from 7,000 feet elevation through the lava beds, to 5,000 feet onto a spectacular table-land covered with multicolored sage growing out of a bed of black cinders and volcanic ash... beautiful vistas of the Painted Desert and the Colorado River valley."

There was a rabbit hopping through the doorway of the Lomaki Pueblo Ruin when I was there. I couldn't help but think he was one of those old Anasazi who wouldn't leave.

[Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just about everything you want to know about existing Anasazi ruins.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

great (if not scintilating) descriptions and pictures of places like Chaco Canyon

[Sandra Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for your next -- or first -- trip to the American Southwest.

[Hunter McCleary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overviews of key sites. Photos capture how impressive were the building skills of these supposedly primitive cultures. Are there lessons in this for America today? They had no leaders to manage the response to a collapsing environment. We have no leaders either.

p 16 Exodus was piece meal over decades so not a panicked abandonment.
p 69 The had egalitarian society so there were no leaders to respond to crop failures and spent environment.