Disappearance of the Anasazi

Who Were The Anasazi?The Anasazi, or “Ancient Ones” are the

ancestors of the modern Pueblo Indians. They inhabited the Four Corners country of southern Utah, southwest Colorado, northwestern New Mexico, and northern Arizona from about A.D. 200 to 1300.

Early on they practiced hunting and gathering, later moving to agriculture with the significant use of maize.

HypothesisAround 1200 A.D. an extended drought

with warmer temperatures struck the present day southwest U.S. causing the Anasazi people to leave their dwellings and cities due dry, poor soil conditions and lack of precipitation. This leading to a shortage in agriculture, the main source of food.

Previous Research Drought –In 1276 A.D. a 24 year long drought

started which lead to the leaving of many Anasazi communities. Caused a sever lack of water. Also caused dry useless soil, that prevented crops

from growing.

Health/Disease The Anasazi kept Turkey in pins next to their living

areas possibly causing salmonella poisoning. Salmonella poisoning causes typhoid fever

and other life-threatening diseases. Unsanitary living would also be a factor of bad

health and disease.

Conflict/Warfare May have been major conflicts within the Anasazi

group that caused fighting or even war. The lack of food and water had negative reactions. Forms of cannibalism.

Geography The Anasazi were centered on the Colorado

Plateau. They were spread out throughout the four corner states.

The terrain is dry, rocky and high in elevation. They depended on snowfall to fill their rivers and

canals, which was their main water source.

Culture History Farming- Heavily grew corn, squash and beans.

Growing populations forced agriculture to dry farming and further from rivers making rain one of the biggest sources of water.

Dwellings/Architecture – Typical villages consisted of buildings housing around 100 inhabitants. Some became very large holding up to 1200 people.

Cities/describe- Some cities became very complex with road systems, religious areas, centralized plazas and walls rising as high as five stories.

Pueblo BonitoPueblo Bonito was one of the largest Anasazi communities in the American Southwest. Located in the Chaco Canyon in present day New Mexico. It has more than 350 ground floor rooms along with 23 kivas and grew to over 600 rooms total. They farmed land to feed the community. It had a large system of roads for trade of agriculture and supplies.

Research Design Little to no food left behind in storage along with

agricultural seeds (maize) Poor nutrition due to lack of food during drought

may have led to many deaths. Signs of dry soil or lack of precipitation during

the time of disappearance. Signs of Cannibalism among the Anasazi due to

lack of food during drought.

Research Design First look very closely at past studies and

observations done at Anasazi sites. (Amount of pottery, traces of agriculture)

Tree Ring Dating- Look at wood samples collected from the sights to observe tree rings determining amounts of precipitation and temperature.

Data Collection Radio Carbon Dating- Use to test any traces of

agriculture (maize) and human bones from burial sites for dates.

Thermoluminescence- Use this to test pottery or clay artifacts once heated above 500°

Through the study of Bioarchaeology the use of bones could be used to determine nutrition patterns and show starvation or lack of nutrients due a large scale drought.

Data Collection Signs of cannibalism would arise through the

observation of mutilated, burned and crushed human bone.

Bones found in pit hearths with tool marks indented within them.

Human skeletons missing bones such as vertebrae, mandible and parts of skull missing to allow brain exposure.

Expectations If Hypothesis is supported expect:

Little traces of an agriculture surplus left in storage.

Signs of poor nutrition in bones of the late to last inhabitants at Anasazi sights.

Tree Ring evidence supporting signs of drought and hotter temperatures during the time of disappearance.

Signs of cannibalism due to the bone alteration.

References Slide 2: "Anasazi. Anasazi. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov.

2013. <http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapterSlide 6: "Anasazi People - Fremont People -

Crystalinks." Anasazi People - Fremont People - Crystalinks. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. <http://www.crystalinks.com/anasazi.html

Slide 6- http://www.watertown.k12.ma.us/cunniff/americanhistorycentral/01firstamericans/The_Anasazi.html

Slide 6-http://fourriverscharter.org/projects/Inventions/pages/americas_anasazibuildings.htm

Slide 7: http://www.abrock.com/InterimReports/Kivas/Kivas.html

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