Chimney Rocks Ruins
Part of the Indian ruins at Chimney Rocks National Monument near Durango, Colorado. The round structure was probably a kiva, which the Indians of the southwest U.S. used for religious ceremonies.
The guide who took us through this part of the park told us that archeologists have so far found no evidence that women ever lived here. Several features of the park and the surrounding area suggest, at least to me, that this may have been a kind of observatory.
There were adjoining structures outside the boundaries of the park that the builders positioned in a way that the rising sun shone on them through the space between the Chimney Rocks only on the day of the summer solstice. In addition, there were places in the area from which the occupants could signal people at Chaco Canyon, around seventy miles (110 km) away. Scientists have tried that and found it's possible, even with the hazy modern atmosphere.
Bottom line, the place is kind of a mystery to just about everybody.
Chimney Rocks Ruins
Part of the Indian ruins at Chimney Rocks National Monument near Durango, Colorado. The round structure was probably a kiva, which the Indians of the southwest U.S. used for religious ceremonies.
The guide who took us through this part of the park told us that archeologists have so far found no evidence that women ever lived here. Several features of the park and the surrounding area suggest, at least to me, that this may have been a kind of observatory.
There were adjoining structures outside the boundaries of the park that the builders positioned in a way that the rising sun shone on them through the space between the Chimney Rocks only on the day of the summer solstice. In addition, there were places in the area from which the occupants could signal people at Chaco Canyon, around seventy miles (110 km) away. Scientists have tried that and found it's possible, even with the hazy modern atmosphere.
Bottom line, the place is kind of a mystery to just about everybody.