life of the ancestral Puebloan or Anasazi people who formerly lived along the bot- tomlands close to water, plants and game. The most likely explanation for the relocation was the need for additional farming space due to population growth and probably the fear of attack by incom- ing hostile groups. First Ruin straddles a narrow, badly eroded canyon ledge a short distance from the park’s entrance. “The ruin was rebuilt during the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corp,” Irene tells us. We cross the riverbed, driving south- east into Canyon de Chelly, destined for the monument’s crown jewel of pueblos, White House Ruin. The SUV bounces up and down the hilly terrain. Set back from the makeshift road, the canyon walls, some red as blood, are a testament to the land’s stark, surreal beauty. Clumps of juniper and piñon cling to their inclines. As we approach White House Ruin, the four-by-four maneuvers through a grove of gnarled cottonwoods. “The streams must flow year-round to produce trees this large,” says Richard. A canopy of branches sprawls out in all directions. The waxy golden leaves shimmer like tinsel in the soft winter light. Like the other canyon ruins, White House is not open to the public without a guide, although visitors can hike the trail to the overlook without one. It is actually
two ruins: a stone masonry structure on the canyon floor and a large cliff dwell- ing. Tree-ring dating indicates that both structures were built during the last half of the 11th century. The recovery of Navajo ceremonial artifacts honoring the supernatural being Yei-Bi-Chei and a sacrificial figurine indicate that the site was later used for NavajoandHopi rituals. The ruin is named for the front wall of the upper dwelling plastered with clay and white lime.
After a late lunch, we return to Can- yon del Muerto to visit Antelope House Ruin. It takes its name from the antelope paintings on the canyon wall that date back to the 1830s when the Navajo oc- cupied this site. During the late Pueblo period (A.D. 1100–1300), the multistory dwelling was built and continually expanded, includ- ing the addition of a tower. It was made of hand-cut sandstone block, set in mud mortar and mixed with chipped rocks.
18 COAST TO COAST fall 2013
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