Ancestors and the sun: astronomy, architecture and culture at Chaco Canyon

Astronomical alignments in Chaco Canyon's Great Houses and Kivas reveal three distinct architectural traditions tied to migration, ancestor veneration, and solstice observations. The study confirms that Bonito Phase structures (AD 1020–1100) predominantly face south-southeast (SSE), likely linking them to ancestral practices, while later Great Houses exhibit cardinal north-south or east-west alignments, possibly serving as solstice calendrical stations for public ceremonies. Ethnographic evidence supports the SSE orientation's connection to migration traditions. One outlier, Bis sa'ani, combines all three traditions. The findings suggest that Chacoan elites used astronomical knowledge to assert ritual power and reinvigorate a declining system, offering insights into ancestral Pueblo social dynamics and power shifts.

Munro, A. M., & Malville, J. M. (2011). Ancestors and the sun: astronomy, architecture and culture at Chaco Canyon. Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, 7(S278), 255–264. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1743921311012683