Salmon Pueblo (Salmon Ruins / San Juan Chaco Outlier)
Salmon Pueblo · Salmon Ruins · San Juan Outlier
Pueblo II–III (Chacoan outlier 1088–1125, Mesa Verde reoccupation 1180–1250)·Ancestral Puebloan (Chacoan outlier → Mesa Verde/San Juan)·🇺🇸 New Mexico, San Juan County, San Juan River, Farmington-Bloomfield, United States
About
About Salmon Pueblo (Salmon Ruins / San Juan Chaco Outlier)
Salmon Pueblo (Salmon Ruins / San Juan Chaco Outlier) is a multi-period tell/ancient village in New Mexico, San Juan County, San Juan River, Farmington-Bloomfield, United States — Northernmost Chacoan Great House outlier on San Juan River — colonization model and Chaco–San Juan frontier Excavated evidence reveals Ancestral Puebloan (Chacoan outlier → Mesa Verde/San Juan) cultural horizons with sandstone architecture. 6 m, tower kiva preserves chacoan core-and-veneer, tower kiva, great kiva with chacoan pilasters, later san juan masonry technique.
Position on New Mexico illustrates best-preserved chacoan outlier demonstrating great house colonization 60 km north of chaco.
Why it mattersBest-preserved Chacoan outlier demonstrating Great House colonization 60 km north of Chaco.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Salmon colonists — Chacoans or local adoption of Chacoan masonry?
- 02Twin outlier Aztec vs. Salmon primacy?
Theories
- 01Irwin-Williams Chaco colonization vs. Lekson San Juan integration model
- 02Outlier kiva pilgrimage vs. elite outpost 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.1088 CE Chacoan Great House founding (San Juan); 1090–1125 CE Chacoan occupation; 1180–1250 CE Mesa Verde reoccupation
- Period
- Pueblo II–III (Chacoan outlier 1088–1125, Mesa Verde reoccupation 1180–1250)
- Culture
- Ancestral Puebloan (Chacoan outlier → Mesa Verde/San Juan)
- Builders
- Chacoan colonists from Chaco Canyon (Great House 1088), later Mesa Verde San Juan reoccupants
- Purpose
- Northernmost Chacoan Great House outlier on San Juan River — colonization model and Chaco–San Juan frontier
- Abandoned
- c.1125 CE Chacoan abandonment; final 1280 CE San Juan abandonment (Great Drought)
- Rediscovered
- Excavated 1970–1978 Irwin-Williams (Eastern New Mexico Univ)
- Excavation
- Excavated
1970
Irwin-Williams opens Salmon Ruins, Chacoan Great House identified
1975
175-room plan and great kiva dated 1088 via dendro
2006
Re-dating ties salmon abandonment to Chaco collapse 1125
On the ground
Structures & features
36.7011° N · 107.9647° W · 1670 m · 3 mapped features
Chacoan Great House (175 Rooms, Dendro 1088)
great houseChacoan 175-room Great House with Chacoan veneer
36.7013° N · 107.9646° WGreat Kiva (14.6 m) and Tower Kiva
kiva14.6 m great kiva plus tower kiva with second storey
36.7009° N · 107.9649° WSan Juan River Floodplain and Irrigation Ditch
hydraulicSan Juan floodplain ditch and trash mound stratigraphy
36.7014° N · 107.9650° W