Amazing Rocks!! pt 2
New Mexico and Page, Arizona
Where were we…
After spending 10 delicious, beautiful and cold days in Santa Fe and Taos, we headed north through Bandolier National Monument. Bandolier, named after the settler who”rediscovered the dwellings, is actually two historic cities, Tyuonyi and Tsankawi which were inhabited by the Anasazi people. Hundreds of years after the people moved to in search of water, it is an incredible site and it would not be surprising if Spanish architect Gaudi was inspired by the cliffs.
The ingenuity and creativity showcased at this dwelling place was inspiring. There was even a cave you are able to climb up into, via ladder, and look out at the skeleton of the garden plots and kivas, the ceiling still black from the fires that once burned there. The circular holes in the cliff walls mark where supports made from tree trunks used to be, creating 2-3 story structures. To help the crops weather the cold spring, stone hedges were built around them . The rocks absorbed heat from the sun during the day and radiated onto the crops during the night. From what remains, you can easily imagine lush garden plots, multistoried dwellings, apartment buildings and the constant organized flow of the people who lived there.
We were hoping to also stop at Chaco Canyon as well, but it had snowed the night before. The road google maps took us on started out as a highway, then switched to a 2 lane road, then a well traveled dirt road that was covered in compact snow, then we encountered a cargo van that was stuck, blocking the road and trying to turn around with the help of another car… We turned ourselves around to avoid the same fate. What was already gong to be a long day of driving was extended by several hours.
Tyuonyi and Tsankawi (Bandolier National Monument)
The several hours of detour had us arriving into the town of Aztec around 8pm and all we wanted was dinner and sleep. In the morning we had the pleasure of visiting Aztec National Monument. Yet another amazing example of incredible masonry and intentional cooperative living. The education I was given had me believing that these old dwellings were simple, primitive and put up haphazardly. (especially when compared to the longevity of castles and other stone structures in Europe.) What isn’t readily shared is how the specialized builders traveled to different cities and worked at different job sites. Modifications and renovations were made as technology advanced and the needs of the community shifted. Over and over again the story told by the descendants of the people who lived here is that their ancestors were on a long journey, never intending to stay indefinitely. They purposefully built in a way that would let the buildings return to the earth, creating the least amount of disruption. We are ingrained with the idea that “built to last”, making your mark and permanence are the beacons of success. What is that’s not the end all be all. How would we go about building to break down, without the ego driving choices?
From Aztec we drove west to Page Arizona where we immersed ourselves in more amazing rocks. Slot canyons, vermillion cliffs, and the The Chains near Lake Powell had our eyes full of wonder.
Aztec National Monument
Slot Canyons, Vermillion Cliffs
The Chains, Lake Powell
Thank you for reading along!
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