Reflection
The Anasazi cliff dwellers of the four corners region were known for many things.
They were known for their cliff houses, of course, and also for their weaving capabilities
and their pottery. They also had a huge trading system with the Aztecs, and cultures all around the southwestern United States and South America. While they are famous for
their cliff dwellings, the Anasazi actually only lived in them for around 100 years. Before that, they lived in many different ways, such as pit houses, or caves. Most of the way their culture developed was because of conflicts with other tribes. This is the reason for their moving around and different housing situations. It is also the reason for their civilization’s disappearance and violence in years before they disappeared. It was also influenced by a long lasting drought. Very little is known about them and their people overall, although certain traditions were carried on when some Anasazi people dispersed into Hopi and
Zuni Native American tribes. There culture is important to world history because of the huge cultural effect they had on the entire southwestern United States, and also part of the
culture in South America, which was spread through trade.
Many of the images I chose I already knew would be part of this project, because
of the importance that they had in the civilization. It was difficult to put certain pictures into different categories, because many of the objects used by the Anasazi were not objects that could easily fit into one category. For an example, the images of the baskets that I chose were difficult because they are both artwork, an invention, and part of the Anasazi lifestyle. All of the images I chose had some importance to their culture, even if it was a connection
in a different way than what I had planned originally. This is especially true for the image of the Beeplant, because while it is not actually an image of an Anasazi relic, it was used by them and is still used today to make paint. Some of the most interesting pictures that I
chose are the bone whistles, the image of Chaco Canyon, and the turquoise masks. I like the bone whistles because I believe that it is a very useful item that I would not have imagined needing if I lived in their civilization. Chaco Canyon is also very interesting to me because it was one of their two major cities, and it is a unique shape. The images of the
masks I liked because they are very decorative for items that were used for a crude or unusual purpose.
There were a few ideas about my culture that surprised me. First was that they
were cannibals. I had not previously known of any culture in the United States that practiced cannibalism, and it was very strange to me when I discovered that the Anasazi were. The second idea that surprised me was that they lived in cliffs for only around 100 years. They were an ancient culture that lived for nearly 1400 years, and they are famous for one period in their culture that lasted for a little more than a century. I find that amazing. It is also interesting because that was near the end of their time, when their culture began to fall apart. If I could experience the culture, it would depend on when I could visit it. I would definitely like to visit the culture during its earlier time, when it wasn’t so chaotic for them.
If I had to visit during the time when they were being perused by attackers in the midst of a drought, and practicing cannibalism, I probably would have been perfectly fine just studying them, rather than living with them.
They were known for their cliff houses, of course, and also for their weaving capabilities
and their pottery. They also had a huge trading system with the Aztecs, and cultures all around the southwestern United States and South America. While they are famous for
their cliff dwellings, the Anasazi actually only lived in them for around 100 years. Before that, they lived in many different ways, such as pit houses, or caves. Most of the way their culture developed was because of conflicts with other tribes. This is the reason for their moving around and different housing situations. It is also the reason for their civilization’s disappearance and violence in years before they disappeared. It was also influenced by a long lasting drought. Very little is known about them and their people overall, although certain traditions were carried on when some Anasazi people dispersed into Hopi and
Zuni Native American tribes. There culture is important to world history because of the huge cultural effect they had on the entire southwestern United States, and also part of the
culture in South America, which was spread through trade.
Many of the images I chose I already knew would be part of this project, because
of the importance that they had in the civilization. It was difficult to put certain pictures into different categories, because many of the objects used by the Anasazi were not objects that could easily fit into one category. For an example, the images of the baskets that I chose were difficult because they are both artwork, an invention, and part of the Anasazi lifestyle. All of the images I chose had some importance to their culture, even if it was a connection
in a different way than what I had planned originally. This is especially true for the image of the Beeplant, because while it is not actually an image of an Anasazi relic, it was used by them and is still used today to make paint. Some of the most interesting pictures that I
chose are the bone whistles, the image of Chaco Canyon, and the turquoise masks. I like the bone whistles because I believe that it is a very useful item that I would not have imagined needing if I lived in their civilization. Chaco Canyon is also very interesting to me because it was one of their two major cities, and it is a unique shape. The images of the
masks I liked because they are very decorative for items that were used for a crude or unusual purpose.
There were a few ideas about my culture that surprised me. First was that they
were cannibals. I had not previously known of any culture in the United States that practiced cannibalism, and it was very strange to me when I discovered that the Anasazi were. The second idea that surprised me was that they lived in cliffs for only around 100 years. They were an ancient culture that lived for nearly 1400 years, and they are famous for one period in their culture that lasted for a little more than a century. I find that amazing. It is also interesting because that was near the end of their time, when their culture began to fall apart. If I could experience the culture, it would depend on when I could visit it. I would definitely like to visit the culture during its earlier time, when it wasn’t so chaotic for them.
If I had to visit during the time when they were being perused by attackers in the midst of a drought, and practicing cannibalism, I probably would have been perfectly fine just studying them, rather than living with them.