Aztec Ruins National Monument In northwestern New Mexico provides a trip back in time, but don't let the name fool you. When discovered by Anglo settlers, they mistakenly believed these ruins were built by the Aztecs of central Mexico. In fact, these ruins are what remain of the community built from the late 1000s to the late 1200s by ancestral Pueblo people – a community that rivaled the better-known Chaco Canyon to the south.
We were given a guide for a self guided tour of this fascinating site.
Some of the darker back rooms were believed to have been used as storage. This photo to the left shows the original ceiling, built by the ancestral Pueblo people. Because the ceiling remained so well intact, rings from the trees that created the ceiling allowed the remains to be dated.
Rooms were connected by a series of doorways. The Great Kiva was excavated in 1921 and rebuilt in 1934. The meaning of the strip of green sandstone remains a mystery. Reg explores the interior of the Great Kiva which served as a sanctuary and meeting place.
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carryoncouple 
So interesting!! It’s funny that they haven’t changed the name
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It is, isn’t it…I guess the old name was too well established once the experts arrived. Thanks for visiting carryoncouple!
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