Aztec West Ruin (Aztec Ruins National Monument — West House)
Aztec West Ruin · Aztec Ruins West House · Aztec Great House West
Pueblo II–III (Chacoan outlier 1110–1125, Mesa Verde 1150–1275)·Ancestral Puebloan (Chacoan outlier → Mesa Verde)·🇺🇸 New Mexico, San Juan County, Animas River, Aztec town, North San Juan basin, United States
About
About Aztec West Ruin (Aztec Ruins National Monument — West House)
Aztec West Ruin (Aztec Ruins National Monument — West House) is a multi-period tell/ancient village in New Mexico, San Juan County, Animas River, Aztec town, North San Juan basin, United States — Chacoan northern capital Aztec — 400-room Great House with reconstructed great kiva (largest in SW) Excavated evidence reveals Ancestral Puebloan (Chacoan outlier → Mesa Verde) cultural horizons with sandstone architecture. The great house 400 rooms, 3 storeys; west ruin 120×80 m; reconstructed great kiva 12 m preserves chacoan types i–mesa verde veneer, great kiva with 4 pillars and vault, wooden roof beams technique.
Position on New Mexico illustrates chaco’s northern successor capital — bridges chaco collapse to mesa verde fluorescence; best reconstructed great kiva.
Why it mattersChaco’s northern successor capital — bridges Chaco collapse to Mesa Verde fluorescence; best reconstructed great kiva.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Aztec West vs. Salmon — contemporaneous rivals or sequential capitals?
- 02Reconstructed great kiva — accurate or Morris conjecture?
Theories
- 01Morris Aztec-as-Chaco north capital vs. Lekson sequent capital model
- 02West Ruin elite residence vs. pilgrimage hostel debate
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.1110 CE Chacoan Great House founding; 1115–1125 CE Great House; 1150–1275 CE Mesa Verde reoccupation
- Period
- Pueblo II–III (Chacoan outlier 1110–1125, Mesa Verde 1150–1275)
- Culture
- Ancestral Puebloan (Chacoan outlier → Mesa Verde)
- Builders
- Chacoan–Aztec builders (post-Chaco northern capital), later Mesa Verde reoccupants
- Purpose
- Chacoan northern capital Aztec — 400-room Great House with reconstructed great kiva (largest in SW)
- Abandoned
- c.1280 CE Mesa Verde–San Juan abandonment
- Rediscovered
- Excavated 1916–1928 Morris (American Museum Natural History), 1930s NPS
- Excavation
- Excavated
1916
Morris opens Aztec West, great kiva reconstruction begins
1928
West Ruin full masonry typology and dendro published
1953
NPS reconstruction of 12 m great kiva completed
On the ground
Structures & features
36.8342° N · 108.0000° W · 1720 m · 3 mapped features
Reconstructed Great Kiva (12 m, Vaulted Roof)
kiva12 m reconstructed great kiva with 4 pillars (Morris restoration)
36.8343° N · 107.9998° WWest Ruin Great House Room Block (400 Rooms)
great house400-room Chacoan West Ruin block with Chaco veneer
36.8340° N · 108.0002° WEast Ruin Unexcavated Mound and Terraces
moundEast Ruin unexcavated mound and Animas terrace
36.8345° N · 107.9995° W