Large kiva at Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

Chuck, to capture such a landscape with ruins in such a way that mysteriously radiates the questions about the past, even for somebody that don't know about that past, is really a great achievement. This photo has something so unreal that one feels, just knows that it has to be a very special place.

Technically brilliant, with a seemingly infinite DoF, and with a lighting that for me is one of the best I ever saw, since it gives that special, strange character to the photo, and at the same time keeps even the smallest detail visible!

Great!

But Chuck, if I may ask, can't/wouldn't anybody organize archeological excavations? It seems to be a place full of history, and I feel it is a pity letting it be forgotten? BTW, is that Anasazi? (Sorry if I just demonstrated my poor knowledge of the history of the new continents :-D)

Nick

Hi Nick;

I think that there are several reasons that so many of the ruins in this valley are still buried (by 800 years of wind blown dirt and sand): 1) It's expensive to do the excavation work. 2) Enough of the structures have been excavated to support the tourists. Not a lot of people come to this area. 3) Archaelogists can tell a lot about the buried structures with ground penetrating radar. 4) A number of Indians want the buried structures to stay buried and un-molested.

As for who built these ruins, yes, I haven't heard it said so explicitly, but I think they were Anasazi.

Also, for your information, some of these structures were four stories high, very impressive in their day. I recommend you do a search on the internet and find out more about this area. It's very interesting if you like archaeology.