CHACOAN CHRONOLOGY

Tom Windes

Numerous chronologies for the Chacoan Period in the San Juan Basin exist, which poses confusing and vexing problems for students of Chacoan archaeology. The table presented here gives structure to the latest thinking of time, phases, and major cultural historical events. Earlier phases assigned to Chacoan archaeology by Gladwin, Gordon Vivian, and others, which were based on architectural traits overlapping in time, have been discarded. While the present chart is not tight and concise, it does provide a framework that should be useable to the participants in this roundhouse on Chaco. Note that the framework is segmented more than normal to try to encorporate changes seen in the archaeological record with a temporal framework that does not quite fit into the Pecos Classification. This framework should be considered a working model to improve communication and discussion of the Chacoan Phenomenon.

Pecos Class Chaco Project Phases Period A.D. Ceramic Assemblage
(dominant types) Major Architectural events Other events

Late PIII Mesa Verde 1200-1300 Mesa Verde B/w, indented corrugated (rock & sherd) Major re-population

PIII McElmo 1140-1200 McElmo, indented corrugated (rock/sherd/sand) Major depopulation/severe drought

Early PIII Late Bonito 1090-1140 Chaco-McElmo/Gallup B/w, indented corrugated (sand) Major greathouse constr. north of San Juan River Major population increase, then decrease

Late PII Classic Bonito 1040-1100 Gallup B/w, indented corrugated (sand & trachyte) Major greathouse constr. Major depopulation. Varied climate:drought, major surplus

PII Early/Classic Bonito 1000-1100 Kivas appear.

Early PII Early Bonito 900-1040 Red Mesa B/w, narrow neckbanded (sand). Small-house aggregation & sharp number increase. Greathouses appear in numbers in San Juan Basin Major population rise, rise of turquoise industry/crafts, corn ubiquitous in sites. Water control systems appear.

Late PI-Early PII Early Bonito 875-925 Kiatuthlanna & Red Mesa B/w, Lino Gray & Kana'a Neckbanded Above ground slab house sites; small to moderate size? Shift from dry to wet period.

PI White Mound 800-875 Whitemound B/w, Lino Gray Classic above ground slab row house sites; small to moderate size.1st greathouses appear. Major increase in storage facilities

Early PI White Mound 700-800 Whitemound B/w, Lino Gray Deep pithouses, dispersed. Sparse storage facilities?

Late BMIII La Plata 600-700 La Plata B/w, Lino & Obelisk Grays Shallow pithouses, dispersed. Moderate storage facilities (surface cists)

BMIII La Plata 500-600 La Plata B/w, Lino & Obelisk Grays Shallow pithouses. Two aggregated great communities with great kivas appear. Moderate storage facilities (surface cists)

Late BMII brownware 400-500 Obelisk Gray & brownware Unknown. Unknown.

Archaic -- pre 1AD none Unknown. Unknown.

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CONFLUENCE CREATIONS

Pecos Class	Chaco Project Phases	Period A.D.	Ceramic Assemblage (dominant types)	Major Architectural events	Other events

Late PIII	Mesa Verde	1200-1300	Mesa Verde B/w, indented corrugated (rock & sherd)		Major re-population
PIII	McElmo	1140-1200	McElmo, indented corrugated (rock/sherd/sand)		Major depopulation/severe drought
Early PIII	Late Bonito	1090-1140	Chaco-McElmo/Gallup B/w, indented corrugated (sand)	Major greathouse constr. north of San Juan River	Major population increase, then decrease
Late PII	Classic Bonito	1040-1100	Gallup B/w, indented corrugated (sand & trachyte)	Major greathouse constr.	Major depopulation. Varied climate:drought, major surplus
PII	Early/Classic Bonito	1000-1100		Kivas appear.
Early PII	Early Bonito	900-1040	Red Mesa B/w, narrow neckbanded (sand).	Small-house aggregation & sharp number increase. Greathouses appear in numbers in San Juan Basin	Major population rise, rise of turquoise industry/crafts, corn ubiquitous in sites. Water control systems appear.
Late PI-Early PII	Early Bonito	875-925	Kiatuthlanna & Red Mesa B/w, Lino Gray & Kana'a Neckbanded	Above ground slab house sites; small to moderate size?	Shift from dry to wet period.
PI	White Mound	800-875	Whitemound B/w, Lino Gray	Classic above ground slab row house sites; small to moderate size.1st greathouses appear.	Major increase in storage facilities
Early PI	White Mound	700-800	Whitemound B/w, Lino Gray	Deep pithouses, dispersed.	Sparse storage facilities?
Late BMIII	La Plata	600-700	La Plata B/w, Lino & Obelisk Grays	Shallow pithouses, dispersed.	Moderate storage facilities (surface cists)
BMIII	La Plata	500-600	La Plata B/w, Lino & Obelisk Grays	Shallow pithouses. Two aggregated great communities with great kivas appear.	Moderate storage facilities (surface cists)
Late BMII	brownware	400-500	Obelisk Gray & brownware	Unknown.	Unknown.
Archaic	--	pre 1AD	none	Unknown.	Unknown.