Indian Country - Aztec NM

We leave Bloomfield and make the short drive northward to Aztec NM. The town has been misnamed. When the early Spanish explorers first came through this area, they saw the ruins of the pueblo and assumed it was part of the Aztec civilization they had seen in Mexico. Even though the Anasazi were not at all related to the Aztecs, the name stuck.

The town itself is clean and quaint with wide streets and old brick buildings.

We especially got a kick out Aztec's retro feel with its classic Aztec theater and original A&W building/sign. Yes - they even have a good Dairy Queen (our favorite on-the-road ice cream treat).

Aztec Theater

A&W in Aztec NM

After stocking up at the local grocery store, we drive over to the Aztec Ruins National Monument. To explore these ruins online, check out this interactive map of Aztec Ruins.

Entrance to Aztec Ruins National Monument

Visitor's Center

Model of Aztec Pueblo

The Visitors' Center has a nice small museum of artifacts found in the ruins.

Classic black and white Anasazi pottery

A very rare surviving ladder

Metate and manos for grinding corn

After checking out the museum and picking up a self-guided tour map from the Ranger, we walk out the back door to the ruins themselves.

Aztec Ruins - notice rebuilt Great Kiva on the right

Since Aztec was a distant community associated with Chaco Canyon, it has many similarities in building techniques.

Corner window for solar calendar

Chocked rock work

Hallway of doors

However Aztec also has it's own unique features as well, such, as streak of green rock running through the main outer walls. Since these walls were plastered over and not seen, it's unclear what the significance of the green rocks are.  Perhaps the more salient feature of Aztec is its reconstructed Great Kiva, which is the only Chacoan Kiva to be totally rebuilt. Earl H. Morris initially excavated these ruins in 1916 and was so taken by this Kiva he made it his life's work to rebuild it.

Streak of green rocks on outer wall

Outer wall of the Great Kiva

Great Kiva behind another still in ruins

Although there is some debate on how correct this reconstruction is (the roof might have been a little lower and perhaps dome shaped rather than flat), modern descendents of the Anasazi, are content with its general accuracy.

We were surprised to learn it took over 300 trees to build the roof alone. Considering that many of these trees may have been felled many miles away, carried and milled by hand, without the benefit of animals or modern tools, the amount of labor going into the original construction is mind boggling.

Entrance for priests (?)

The roof made of wood

Detail of roof pillar

The feeling of being inside the Great Kiva is an experience we were moved by. It's somewhat akin to being in one of the great cathedrals in Europe; however, instead of a soaring feeling we both felt more grounded, a part of the earth so to speak, with a solid sense of security. One of the Rangers described Kivas as not only being the community church, but also the church basement. Not only were religious ceremonies held in the Kivas, but also community meetings, and as a gathering place to keep warm in the winters where the daily work of weaving and other activities went on.

Inside the Great Kiva at Aztec Ruins