The Cliff Dwellings of the Anasazi - Essay Example

Section/# Anasazi Civilization: A Brief Discussion One of the more difficult aspects of understanding and categorizing the earliest representations of society within the American west is the difficulty of determining what archeological indicators can be understood to correlate to which specific groups, ethnicities, or cultures. As a function f this, archeologists and historians alike have struggled with the correct way to classify the Anasazi civilization that was once located with the “Four Corners” section today represented by the juxtaposition of the states of Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.

However, regardless of the taxonomical ways in which current scholars debate the issue, the fact of the matter remains that a thriving civilization once existed in the Four Corners region and regardless of how it is called or classified, exhibited many of the same indicators that are currently attributed to the Anasazi people. As a function of better understanding this level of classification, this brief essay will seek to introduce the known facts, briefly discuss some myths and stories that exist with relation to these people, and settle upon a preliminary understanding of whether or not such a people group existed.

One particular fascinating aspect of the myth and reality that has defined a further understanding of the Anasazi people is the evidence that archeologists and historians have recently uncovered with relation to the complex network of road systems that seemingly were built during this particular period of civilization within the Americas. The road system has long been discussed as part of Pueblo mythology and was not believed to actually exist (Kloor 22). However, due to recent studies and archeological research it has been proven that the road system does indeed exist.

The root reason for this road system is still a topic of dispute due to the fact that many scholars believe and argue that the road system was economic in origin; as with almost all road construction that has taken place since the dawn of time. However, others indicate that the road system may have had the purpose of providing a way for the lost souls of ancestors to find their way back and forth between ceremonial celebrations and other important events (Anasazi Culture 1). Although the debate is ongoing, there is a level of evidence from current Pueblo mythology that lends the most credence to the secondary interpretation alongside the fact that the true nature and level of development of the Anasazi economy are not known to a well enough degree to indicate that such an economic reason for road construction would have been warranted.

Ultimately, this level of myth and reality juxtaposing itself within contemporary scholarship is unique. Whereas most ancient myth is ultimately unproven and impossible for inclusion in the annals of sociological, anthropological, or historical research, the means by which this particular level of understanding has helped to broaden researcher’s understanding of the means by which the very earliest development of the early progenitors of the Pueblo society lived their lives has proven itself invaluable.

Works Cited"Anasazi Culture." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2013): 1. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.Kloor, Keith. "Who Were The Anasazi?." Archaeology 62.6 (2009): 18-69. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.