Aztecs, Kivas and Chacos....

We left the garage in Farmington today, the garage in Denver honoured the work they had done and the guarantee so I did not have an account to settleJ they would not however (garage in Denver) honor the work they had done for Les which I felt was most unfair. We did not leave until nearly lunch time, it was one of those mornings when you wish you could go back to bed and start the day again!!! Our journey took us to he Aztec ruins just out side Farmington, this is one of the largest and best preserved Ancestral Pueblo (native American) in this area (south west). The misnomer Aztec was given by early settlers who believed the ruins were connected to the Aztec from Mexico. It is infact much older then the Mexican Aztec buildings THIS POT IS 8 The builders carried sandstone from quarries many miles away each stone was dressed using stone hammers, mauls and pecking stone. Some unusual coloured stone was used to decorate (we think) but then the outer walls were plastered with mud. There are the original logs still inplace in these walls.

One of the most interesting buildings for me was the reconstructed “Kiva” this is a ceremonial building and I think the heart of the village all of the villages we have seen have had many “Kivas” so to be able to see on as it would have been was quite something. Kivas are still used today by the native American’s because their culture does not write down their history only pass their tradition down by word of mouth the core of their culture has not changed, so with their help this “Kiva “ was reconstructed.

A very interesting visit, from here we are going to “ The Chaco Culture” I went to Chaco in July, but this visit was no where near as HOT!!! The weather however was very warm. I braved the road again which I told you last time is the worst corrugated/washboard road I have ever been on 15 miles of it!!!! I enjoyed the visit as much the second time in the evening we went to a solar talk and enjoyed the moon and stars through the telescope, the evening however was very cold.
I hope that you enjoy these pictures and my little writing Take care you all