Chaco Canyon Astronomy: An Ancient American Cosmology

Author: Anna Sofaer
Year: 2008
Source type: Specialized monograph

Core Argument

Chaco Canyon great houses were deliberately engineered with astronomical windows and markers. The "sun dagger" at Fajada Butte marks solstices/equinoxes with precision. Architecture encodes sophisticated astronomical knowledge.

Relationship to Kelly's Work

Sofaer's precise engineering analysis proves Kelly's thesis: astronomical knowledge was deliberately encoded in architecture for repeated verification and transmission through ritual ceremony.

Key Evidence

• Pueblo Bonito has 37 solstice/equinox-aligned windows
• Casa Rinconada summer solstice marker
• Fajada Butte sun dagger marks summer/winter solstices, equinoxes
• Cylinder jars with solstice imagery