Kin Ya‘a (Chaco Outlier Great House)
Kin Yaʼa · Kin Yaa, Kin Ya-a
Pueblo II-III; Bonito outlier peak·Chacoan outlier (McElmo transitional)·🇺🇸 New Mexico, Crownpoint–Chaco, South Road outlier, United States
About
About Kin Ya‘a (Chaco Outlier Great House)
Largest Chacoan outlier great house on South Road (c.1080–1100 CE) — isolated 100-room classic Bonito D-shaped house with tower kiva and road segment in high mesa desert 35 km south of Chaco, excavated Gwinn Vivian & Robert Marshall. Road to Chaco is visible as 8 m wide depression and berm for 25 km, defining Chaco regional system at maximum extent. Marks southern agricultural margin and timber/maize redistribution. No modern building atop, preserved but unstabilized ruin.
Why it mattersFurthest proven South Road great house; confirms Chaco road formalism over long distance and outlier agricultural strategy.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Road as formal engineered berm vs opportunistic swale debate remains
- 02Agricultural productivity of outlier basin — enough maize?
Theories
- 01Vivian outlier colony vs local emulation with Chaco pottery model
- 02Kin Ya’a as redistribution node vs ritual isolation
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.1080–1100 CE great house foundation (South Road phase)
- Period
- Pueblo II-III; Bonito outlier peak
- Culture
- Chacoan outlier (McElmo transitional)
- Builders
- Chaco colonists and local Red Mesa farmers
- Purpose
- Outlier great house and road terminus controlling maize basin
- Abandoned
- c.1180 CE regional system collapse
- Rediscovered
- Recorded 1930s Vivian; excavated 1975 Marshall/Brody; BLM survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1080 CE
Great house erected on South Road crest
1975
Marshall maps 25 km South Road segment to Pueblo Alto
On the ground
Structures & features
35.9500° N · 108.0500° W · 2050 m · 2 mapped features
Great house (D-shaped)
great house100-room south road great house
35.9505° N · 108.0505° WSouth Road berm
road8 m Chaco road depression to north
35.9510° N · 108.0510° W
Gallery