Chaco Canyon - Book Report/Review Example

Chaco Canyon review Introduction Chaco Canyon by Brian Fagan has been referred by many has the Stonehenge of North America. The book’s impressive pueblos or great houses are the world most prominent which as catch the attention of archaeologists for over a century (Fagan, 11-13). The book commences by talking about the well known ancient life in the San Juan Basin and the way climate predominantly rainfall is a factor in subsistence agriculture and population trends. The author further proceeds to explicate how the tree-ring growth patterns permit scholars to build a relative chronology of building and remodelling in the region. The wonderfully demonstrated book with colour and black and white photographs draws from the most recent research on Chaco and its environs to reveal the fantastic narration of the Canyon residents. The author of the book, Brain Fagan shows his beautiful storytelling skills by weaving the most recent discoveries into a persuasive story of the people dwelling in harsh and unpredictable surroundings. The story does not talk about artefacts and dusty digs, but mainly tells a story of people in the distant past. In fact, it dwells on the daily lives of the Chaco people, in which it narrates their daily business, living and dying, loving, bringing up children as well as residing in plenty and hunger (17-19). It also wonders about the universe, and the challenges the people meet in the unpredictable environment. Basing its narration on the rare access records of Chaco Synthesis project, the author make known of a society in which agriculture and religion are carried out together. He further reveals a society in which the ritual power of its leaders drew pilgrims from far communities bearing gifts. Fagan illustrates the bountiful burials in the centre of Pueblo Bonito, which provide hints about the distinctiveness of the shadowy leaders of Chaco people. He further examines the lasting mystery of the Chaco’s sudden downfall in the face of savage drought and reveals the way in which legacy continues to exist even in the modern times. In the book is the first commanding description of the people of Chaco documented for the typical audience, providing an intriguing human face to one America’s prominent archaeological sites. In a nutshell, the Chaco Canyon illustrates a series of deserted settlements that can be dated back from about 800 A.D. to 1100 A.D. The story elaborates the people of Chaco culture, history, possible social course and the possible causes of its abandonment. Review The book talks about climate to some extent, but it does not give in-depth information on the air and ocean currents that attract the climatic changes. Fagan examines the years of drought, the areas in took place, the length of time they lasted and how the residents reacted to all these changes at diverse periods (Fagan, 30-32). The author sees the whole phenomenon of the rise and downfall of the Chaco as a human reaction to changes in climate. Fagan beautifully points out that it is the people flexibility in responding to these changes that let them last in the area for a lengthy period in spite of the drought conditions. He acknowledges that it is the people substantial investment in agriculture with the increment in population and a slow restricting of their option to adaptive that caused the ultimate abandonment of the place. It is true that harsh drought contributed to the abandonment, but the critical factor is the failure to rely on former practices due to habitat destruction. Chaco Canyon talks about some of the research methods that have developed over the past decades that let archaeologist get a vivid picture of the life in the area. The other things talked about in the book include the styles of building, the construction techniques, the features of pottery and the modes of burial with respect to what they have to imply concerning the present society (Fagan, 101). However, this volume does not carry the features above to its extremes. The book author credits that a great deal of information have not been included, and the casual reader might not necessarily benefit from the in-depth exposure. Nonetheless, the author offers short sidebars of information that clarifies the facts given in the book. The excellent endnotes provide many valuable resources for people willing to known much more about the variety of aspects of the recorded material. Fagan admits that being a “parachutist” in his archaeological approach enables one to put much of the information in the entire region’s context. He further states it helps in addressing points like whether the culture of Chaco had close ties to that of the other areas, whether the associations went beyond the people links to the real domination of the other areas among others. The author discussion depicts that he can stay within the boundary of what data can tell on about the issues. Fagan vividly highlights how accurate information can give support to his discussions. The author offers a balanced elaboration of the themes in the book. In contrast to other authors view on the Chaco area, Fagan perceives it with small, inward-looking populace that work in cooperation with the extended relatives groups in vital projects and in times of need. Fagan sees a populace that perhaps share a number of common beliefs and behaviours of other subsistence farmers across the globe and specifically those still occupying the southwest conditions. In addition, he further perceives a slow disbursal of person families from the region to other areas in which joint kin ties and reciprocity is an obligation. He asserts that the people in the more marginal land were perhaps the first to move but not until there was less to the no exterior groups around them from whom to seek support when those residing in the Great Houses leave too. According to the book the people had plenty to leave behind as a result of their immense investment in agriculture and buildings. The author believes groups such as Hopi and Zuni are the present day descendants of the Chaco people. On this Fagan might be accurate, since these present heirs to the area share kinship myths with the first inhabitants left sites and also call on them for spiritual input (Fagan, 74). The reason for believing so is that other authors on the Canyon all seemed to relate the two groups and the original inhabitants of Chaco. The book has recorded everything one would want to know about the ancient inhabitants of America’s desert southwest as well as what happened to the people. The author’s evocative writing style gives the audience the environmental sense of San Juan Basin and the present Chaco, from the Pueblo Bonito remains to the small settlements. The audience derives the feeling for the life of Chaco from its first residents 11,000 years ago through the thriving of the ancestral Pueblos. The book brings together a vast collection of material into a refined, well-thought work which is well recorded with annotated references. The author has clearly and meticulously captured the real meaning of the lives of the ancient Puebloan people of Chaco Canyon in the fully faceted collection of their flourishing creation of a complex society in unfriendly surroundings. Fagan tactical approach to the opposing scholarly perspectives on the evolution of the Chaco people makes his narration a reliable contribution towards understanding of the people. In the insightful story, he takes the audience through the streets, outcroppings and damages of Chaco, collecting data from the people who are real occupants of the placed in the past years and the modern time. The technique makes the book to endure even in the significant time to come. The works of Fagan provides interpretations to the confusing puzzles. In the book, he looks at the number of people that might have resided and worked in Chaco. Fagan further gives the possible reason that made the people choose to areas as well as those that made them leave finally. What is more, the author also examines how the Chaco people might have governed, carried out trade and observed their religious rites. Fagan also discusses the reason builders made wide and straight roads that today fade into the evacuated harsh area. The narration by Fagan demonstrates a high level of professionalism. Every chapter in his book is laid out with a cameo of real living at the time of that part. What follow is facts familiar to the archaeologists and after which a question set and speculation comes after? Fagan vividly splits what is acknowledged from what is assumed, and then takes a thrilling journey to reveal the ancient field archaeologists competing tirelessly. The narration can be read in immense detail or can be skimmed with the first few chapters catching the interest of the reader. Readers would finish the book with the knowledge of how the Anasazi houses were constructed, how San Juan ruled the people were ruled and how they dispersed. It will also leave the audience with answers about how the culture changed from worship to defence and the way derivative civilisations came. There are some areas the author arrives at the conclusion without backing with evidence. Such assumptions can irritate readers and other archaeologists who want the realities to be backed by facts and evidence. Nevertheless, the book is an excellent masterpiece that is popular among both archaeologists and readers worldwide. It is a captivating book and can rarely bring to readers due to the manner in which it approaches the subject. Author’s qualifications The author of the Chaco Canyon is Brain Fagan, an infamous personality in the field of archaeology. He is a professional archaeologist and has contributed to the addition of knowledge in this field through his 46 books. Fagan has a wide experienced and expertise in adding archaeological knowledge, and he contributes to American Archaeology and Discovery Magazines. The author has been awarded the 1996 society of professional Archaeologists’ award for his immense contribution to the subject. Conclusion In my opinion, I find the book interesting because of the way it approaches the subject matter. It is easy to comprehend, not like technical archaeology articles and reports. The references and endnotes given at the end of the book are great especially for those having an interest in doing further research about Chaco Canyon. Work cited Fagan, Brian M. Chaco Canyon: Archeologists Explore the Lives of an Ancient Society. Oxford: UP, 2005. Print. Read More