As you make the sweep around one of the curves in the winding road between Pagosa Springs and Durango, Colorado, you will suddenly spot a tall monolith on the left side of the road. Your first thought will be, "That should be called Chimney Rock!" You would be right! As you pass through the area, you will see a sign for the Chimney Rock Archaeological Area. When open, this proves to be a very interesting place to visit.

The story starts long ago when the Chacoans from Chaco Canyon were expanding their area of control. Like the Romans, the Chacoans were very precise in their way of living. Their roads were straight and most settlements had the same layout. (You pay the architect less that way.) The Chimney Rock site does not, however, fill this profile. It is neither on the main road system nor is the layout similar to other Chaco settlements. It is considered a Chaco outlier. But for what reason.

It took archeologists a while to figure out the answer. Unlike the typical village, the Kiva was not located in the village underground but instead was built of rock on a large rock outcrop. The view from the Kiva is of Chimney Rock and a second smaller spire called Companion Rock. The two form a "U" similar to a gunsight. Suspecting that this has something to do with the location, archaeologists started investigating the heavenly aspects of the site. What they found was that once every eighteen years when the solstice moonrise reaches its northern most point, the moon will rise precisely between the two spires.

Enjoy and explore our Treasured Pasts.

Stuart