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Cited by 16Historical and Architectural StudiesArchaeological and Geological StudiesArchaeology and ancient environmental studies

The complex history of Pueblo Bonito and its interpretation

Open access
Crown, Patricia L., Wills, W.H.·2018·Antiquity
DOI 10.15184/aqy.2018.138
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Abstract

Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon is one of the most iconic pre-Hispanic archaeological sites in the U.S. Southwest. Archaeologists refer to it as a great house in recognition of its massive scale, and often describe it as the centre of the Chaco world. Yet questions remain about Pueblo Bonito’s origins, sequence of construction, duration of occupation and abandonment. Here, the authors present new research that helps to clarify the early phases of occupation, and illuminates some of the problems inherent in reconstructing a building that was a perennial work in progress.

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Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

New re-excavations and archival work at Pueblo Bonito indicate the great house was built over an extensive earlier settlement and underwent near-constant architectural change, with only one probable temporary abandonment in the late AD 900s. The authors argue its history is best understood as a work in progress shaped by dynamic socio-political transformation.

Key findings

  • Pueblo Bonito was established on an extensive earlier settlement: Basketmaker III ceramics indicate seventh- and eighth-century AD occupation, probable tub rooms under later rooms date to the AD 800s, and by the mid tenth century the northern portion had approximately 25 ground-floor rooms.
  • Tree-ring dates indicate construction began in the ninth century AD and continued into the early tenth; a hiatus in building activity occurred c. AD 975–1040; eleventh-century construction added at least 80 new rooms from AD 1040–1050, another 24 rooms between AD 1050 and 1070, and perhaps another 160–170 rooms between AD 1070 and 1100.
  • Room 28 contained 173 ceramic vessels, including 112 cylinder jars—the largest group of whole vessels recovered from any single room in the region—and a fire partially vitrified the sand floor and burned until the upper room collapsed, probably as part of termination or retirement rituals.
  • Ancestral Puebloans probably abandoned Pueblo Bonito by the fourteenth century, although Navajo and Europeans later used the buildings at least periodically.

Methods

  • Since 2004, the University of New Mexico conducted re-excavations in the two refuse mounds south of Pueblo Bonito, the Wetherill Homestead area immediately west, and Room 28 in the northern part of the site; the authors also used documentary records available at www.chacoarchive.org.
  • Dating and reconstruction drew on stratigraphy, masonry styles, bonding/abutting of wall corners, ceramics, tree-ring, radiocarbon and archaeomagnetic samples, plus new techniques such as ground-penetrating radar and test units 10–20m west of the great house.
  • The discussion synthesises these new investigations with prior excavations: the Hyde Exploring Expedition (1896–1899, around 200 rooms) and National Geographic Society excavations (1921–1927).

Limitations

  • Stated: there are problems with all dating techniques because Chacoans reused wood from old structures, refurbished older rooms with new wood, and remodelled tirelessly; poorly documented and sometimes unethical past excavations, including looting, compound interpretation, and it may be impossible to overcome completely the resulting interpretive limitations.
  • Stated: there is currently no independent archaeological evidence—such as ceramic patterning or biochemical data—supporting an influx of northern populations in the ninth century AD; some features cannot be dated precisely, such as the reuse of Room 28b.
  • Evident: reliance on archival records and old excavations limits reconstruction of the full construction and use history, and earlier settlements were probably obliterated or buried, making earlier local population size difficult to estimate.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.15184/aqy.2018.138

Cites

38 of 38 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

2 of 27 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged · accuracy not yet measured

  • Findingcitation

    There is currently no independent archaeological evidence-such as ceramic patterning or biochemical data-that supports an influx of northern populations in the ninth century AD.

    “There is, however, currently no independent archaeological evidence-such as ceramic patterning or biochemical data-that supports an influx of northern populations in the ninth century AD (see Kantner 2012;Price et al. 2017;Mills et al. 2018).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Kantner 2012 source
    • cites Price et al. 2017

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

    • cites Mills et al. 2018 source

      The Migration scenario 1 section reports a gap in ninth-century ceramic-network ties between Chaco and the Northern San Juan, and says isotopic signatures from Pueblo Bonito did not overlap with those from northern areas. The Conclusions say there is “little evidence” for migration from the Northern San Juan in the AD 800s, not no evidence; Migration scenario 1 also describes evidence of communities arriving from northern regions in the late AD 800s. (LLM, conf=0.84)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Findingown data

    Three recently excavated test units located 10-20m west of Pueblo Bonito revealed alternating layers of sand and silt-clay layers mixed with cultural material.

    “Three recently excavated test units located 10-20m west of Pueblo Bonito revealed alternating layers of sand and silt-clay layers mixed with cultural material.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Deep stratigraphic test pits below rooms in the south-east part of Pueblo Bonito and outside the western walls have encountered distinctive strata of water-lain silts interfaced with layers containing ash, charcoal and artefacts.

    “Deep stratigraphic test pits below rooms in the south-east part of Pueblo Bonito and outside the western walls have encountered distinctive strata of water-lain silts interfaced with layers containing ash, charcoal and artefacts.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingcitation

    More than two metres below the floor of Room 241, these deposits covered a floor surface and razed wall consistent with ninth-century building techniques.

    “More than two metres below the floor of Room 241, estimated to have been built between AD 1075 and 1085 (Lekson 1984), these deposits covered a floor surface and razed wall consistent with ninth-century building techniques (Judd 1964: 77).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Lekson 1984

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

    • cites Judd 1964: 77
  • Findingown data

    Pueblo Bonito was built on a location occupied during the Basketmaker III Period (c. AD 450-750).

    “Pueblo Bonito was built on a location occupied during the Basketmaker III Period (c.AD 450-750), a period characterised by agricultural economies and the first ceramics in the northern U.S. Southwest.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims. 21
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 2

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    These fires were probably part of termination or retirement rituals, which closed the rooms from further use and removed the power from objects accorded animacy as spiritual beings.

    “These were probably part of termination or retirement rituals, which closed the rooms from further use and removed the power from objects accorded animacy as spiritual beings (Mills 2008: 103;Mills & Ferguson 2008;Crown 2018).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Mills 2008: 103 source
    • cites Mills & Ferguson 2008 source
    • cites Crown 2018 source

      In “Archaeological Evidence in Chaco” (page unavailable), Crown describes burning vessels to deactivate their power and a fire in Room 28 after which its doors were sealed and the room collapsed. This supports the proposed ritual termination, but the paper does not explicitly describe the objects as spiritual beings or establish that fires closed multiple rooms from further use. (LLM, conf=0.83)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Tree-ring dates indicate that construction of Pueblo Bonito began in the ninth century AD and continued into the early tenth century, spanning the Pueblo I/Pueblo II boundary.

    “Tree-ring dates indicate that construction of Pueblo Bonito began in the ninth century AD and continued into the early tenth century, thus spanning the conventional temporal boundary between Pueblo I (c.AD 750-900) and Pueblo II (c.AD 900-1100).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingreasoning

    Basketmaker III-Period ceramics are present in small amounts at Pueblo Bonito, indicating occupation in the seventh and eighth centuries AD.

    “Basketmaker III-Period ceramics are present in small amounts at Pueblo Bonito, indicating occupation in the seventh and eighth centuries AD.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingnone given

    A fire was set around one of the posts on the lower floor, starting a conflagration that partially vitrified the sand floor and burned until the upper room collapsed and smothered the fire.

    “A fire was set around one of the posts on the lower floor, starting a conflagration that partially vitrified the sand floor and burned until the upper room collapsed and smothered the fire.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingcitation

    Pollen samples taken from a surface immediately beneath the floor and associated with the construction of Room 28 contain copious amounts of cattail pollen, supporting the possible contemporaneous presence of a marshy area near the village.

    “Pollen samples taken from a surface immediately beneath the floor and associated with the construction of Room 28 contain copious amounts of cattail pollen (Smith forthcoming), supporting the possible contemporaneous presence of a marshy area near the village.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Smith forthcoming

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingcitation

    Another 24 rooms were built between AD 1050 and 1070, and perhaps another 160-170 rooms between AD 1070 and 1100.

    “Another 24 rooms were built between AD 1050 and 1070, and perhaps another 160-170 rooms between AD 1070 and 1100 (Windes & Ford 1996: 302-303).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Windes & Ford 1996: 302-303 source

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Strata beneath the Room 28 floor that are probably contemporaneous with the structure under Room 28a contain large numbers of turkey gastroliths, suggesting that turkeys were kept there.

    “Strata beneath the Room 28 floor that are probably contemporaneous with the structure under Room 28a contain large numbers of turkey gastroliths, suggesting that turkeys were kept there.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    The higher floor in Room 28a corresponds to the depth of the floor located in adjacent Room 28, but the lower floor was excavated 0.3m into sterile sand.

    “The higher floor corresponds to the depth of the floor we located in adjacent Room 28, but the lower floor was excavated 0.3m into sterile sand.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingcitation

    Tree-ring dates from the new upper-storey rooms suggest construction in AD 1071, a date congruent with the Type IV masonry style.

    “Tree-ring dates from the new upper-storey rooms suggest construction in AD 1071-a date congruent with the Type IV masonry style (Lekson 1984: 19).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Lekson 1984: 19

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Between c. AD 850 and 925, the inhabitants of Pueblo Bonito constructed masonry rooms that varied from one to four storeys in height and used diverse construction methods.

    “Between c. AD 850 and 925, the inhabitants of Pueblo Bonito constructed masonry rooms that varied from one to four storeys in height and used diverse construction methods (Figure 8).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Pueblo Bonito fits the pattern of distinct communities characterised by dispersed household structures surrounding a larger masonry building, particularly in having two large tenth-century middens later buried by expansion of the pueblo.

    “Pueblo Bonito fits this pattern, particularly in having two large tenthcentury middens that were later buried by expansion of the pueblo (Figure 3).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The two pithouses under the West Court appear to be Basketmaker III Period in date, at elevations consistent with radiocarbon-dated layers of mixed fluvial and cultural deposits documented in test units approximately 15m west of the great house.

    “These appear to be Basketmaker III Period in date, at elevations consistent with radiocarbon-dated layers of mixed fluvial and cultural deposits documented in test units approximately 15m west of the great house (discussed below).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Similar flooding may have affected the early occupation at Pueblo Bonito, which is located on deep sandy sediments at the base of a cliff, slightly higher than the adjacent floodplain today.

    “Similar flooding may have affected the early occupation at Pueblo Bonito; the great house is located on deep sandy sediments at the base of a cliff-slightly higher than the adjacent floodplain today (Figure 4).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    The alternating sand and silt-clay layers sloped to the west and formed as floodwaters receded and became less turbulent.

    “These layers sloped to the west (Figure 5), and formed as floodwaters receded and became less turbulent.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    A photograph of Room 28a shows shelf projections around the workman standing on the lower floor, supporting the idea that this was a tub room.

    “A photograph of the room (Figure 6) shows shelf projections around the workman standing on the lower floor, supporting the idea that this was a tub room.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Given the probable chronology of the rooms above these subfloor features, these earlier rooms must date to the AD 800s-and probably the early 800s-dates supported by ceramics from adjacent surfaces.

    “Given the probable chronology of the rooms above these subfloor features, these earlier rooms must date to the AD 800s-and probably the early 800s-dates supported by ceramics from adjacent surfaces.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Pueblo Bonito's entire occupation was one of near-constant architectural change, interrupted only once by a probable temporary abandonment in the late AD 900s.

    “In conjunction with prior research by many scholars, these results indicate that Pueblo Bonito was probably established on an extensive earlier settlement, and that its entire occupation was one of near-constant architectural change, interrupted only once by a probable temporary abandonment in the late AD 900s.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    The earliest rooms in the northern area had masonry walls and may have been of the architectural form called 'tub' rooms, which may be restricted to the San Juan Basin.

    “The earliest rooms in this northern area had masonry walls, and may have been of the architectural form called 'tub' rooms, which may be restricted to the San Juan Basin (Windes 1993).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Windes 1993

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    The presence of ceramics, including from the lower northern rooms, suggests continued occupation of Pueblo Bonito into the AD 1200s-perhaps by migrants from the Mesa Verde area to the north.

    “The presence of ceramics, including from the lower northern rooms, suggest continued occupation of Pueblo Bonito into the AD 1200s-perhaps by migrants from the Mesa Verde area to the north.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Interpretationreasoning

    The dynamism at Pueblo Bonito reflects the volatility of rapid socio-political transformation in early farming societies.

    “We suspect this dynamism reflects the volatility of rapid socio-political transformation in early farming societies.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationreasoning

    It may be impossible to overcome completely the interpretive limitations resulting from poorly executed and documented past excavations.

    “It may be impossible to overcome completely the interpretive limitations resulting from poorly executed and documented past excavations.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    Ancestral Puebloans probably abandoned Pueblo Bonito by the fourteenth century, although Navajo and Europeans later used the buildings at least periodically.

    “Ancestral Puebloans probably abandoned Pueblo Bonito by the fourteenth century, although as Windes and Ford (1996: 297) emphasise, both Navajo and Europeans later used the buildings, at least periodically.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Windes & Ford 1996: 297 source

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The high concentration of posts in some masonry rooms contrasts with rooms with no posts, which may provide evidence that ramadas or jacal-walled rooms preceded the masonry rooms.

    “The high concentration of posts in some masonry rooms (e.g.Rooms 28, 32, 33, 53, 61) contrasts with rooms with no posts.This may provide evidence that ramadas or jacal-walled rooms preceded the masonry rooms.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
23 of 23

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Chacoans reused wood from old structures when building new structures, refurbished older rooms with new pieces of wood, and remodelled tirelessly.

    “In particular, Chacoans reused wood from old structures when building new structures, refurbished older rooms with new pieces of wood and remodelled tirelessly.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The canyon alluvial environment was aggrading between AD 800 and 1000.

    “Unlike the wide, shallow drainages outside Chaco, the canyon alluvial environment was aggrading between AD 800 and 1000.”
2 of 2

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

1 of the 39 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 16

  1. Windes, 1993, The Spadefoot Toad site: investigations at 29SJ 629, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico: artifactual and biological analyses volume II
  2. Marden K. 2011. Taphonomy, paleopathology and mortuary variability in Chaco Canyon: using bioarchaeological and forensic methods to understand ancient cultural practices. Unpublished PhD dissertation, Tulane University.
  3. Neitzel, 2003, Pueblo Bonito: center of the Chacoan world
  4. Kluckhohn, 1939, Preliminary report on the 1937 excavations, Bc50-51, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, 26
  5. Stein, 2003, Pueblo Bonito: center of the Chacoan World, 33
  6. Adams, 1951, Half house: a pithouse in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, Papers of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters, 35, 273
  7. Windes, 2003, Pueblo Bonito: center of the Chacoan world, 14
  8. Moorehead, 1906, A narrative of explorations in New Mexico, Arizona, Indian, etc.
  9. Hall, 2010, Geology of the Four Corners, New Mexico. New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook, 61st Field Conference, 231
  10. Lekson, 2006, The archaeology of Chaco Canyon: an eleventh century Pueblo regional center
  11. Smith S. Forthcoming. Pollen analysis of Room 28, Pueblo Bonito, in P.L. Crown (ed.) The house of the cylinder jars: Room 28 in Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon. Manuscript in preparation.
  12. Pepper G.H. 1909. The exploration of a burial room in Pueblo Bonito, New Mexico, in His Friends and Associates (ed.) Putnam anniversary volume anthropological essays: 196–252. New York: G.E. Stechert & Co.
  13. Crown, 2012, Chocolate consumption and cuisine from Chaco to colonial New Mexico, El Palacio, 117, 36
  14. Pepper, 1920, Pueblo Bonito
  15. Bradley, 1971, Site Bc 236, Chaco Canyon National Monument, New Mexico
  16. Judd, 1924, Two Chaco Canyon pit houses

Cited by

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Related

Authors
Crown, P. L., & Wills, W. H.
Affiliations
University of New Mexico (US)
Corresponding author
Crown, Patricia L.
ORCID
Venue
Antiquity
Publisher
Antiquity Publications
Published
2018-08
Volume
92
Issue
364
Pages
890-904
ISSN
  • 0003-598X (ISSN-L)
  • 1745-1744
DOI
10.15184/aqy.2018.138
OpenAlex
W2888135399
Semantic Scholar
f427e546489baaae44905b98e4f3709a31d4fbfa
Cited by
16
References
39
Citations by year
2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2
FWCI
8.31
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 21 d)
Locations
Antiquity (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (0408720)
  • National Endowment for the Humanities (RZ-51417-13)
  • National Geographic Society (9276-13)
  • National Park Service
  • Advanced Research Projects Agency
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Historical and Architectural Studies
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Archaeological and Geological Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
Keywords
Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, great houses, pre-Hispanic archaeology, construction sequence, occupation history, abandonment, Ancestral Puebloan architecture

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