Chetro Ketl (Chaco Great House and Elevated Kiva Court)
Chetro Ketl · Chetro Kettle · Chaco Chetro Ketl
Pueblo II–III (Chacoan 1010–1130 CE)·Ancestral Puebloan (Chacoan with Colonnade variant)·🇺🇸 New Mexico, San Juan County, Chaco Canyon, Chaco Wash north side, United States
About
About Chetro Ketl (Chaco Great House and Elevated Kiva Court)
Chetro Ketl (Chaco Great House and Elevated Kiva Court) is a multi-period tell/ancient village in New Mexico, San Juan County, Chaco Canyon, Chaco Wash north side, United States — Second-largest Chacoan Great House (500 rooms, 16 kivas) with unique colonnade and elevated kiva court Excavated evidence reveals Ancestral Puebloan (Chacoan with Colonnade variant) cultural horizons with sandstone architecture. 5 m, colonnade 24 columns preserves chacoan masonry types i–iii, timber roofs (chaco pine), colonnade with wooden columns technique.
Position on New Mexico illustrates only chacoan colonnade and talus-window great-house plan — demonstrates mexican architectural influence.
Why it mattersOnly Chacoan colonnade and talus-window great-house plan — demonstrates Mexican architectural influence.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Colonnade — Mexican or independent Chacoan invention?
- 02Elevated kiva court — ritual or integrative?
Theories
- 01Hewett Mexican contact vs. Lekson Chacoan internal innovation model
- 02Chetro Ketl elite vs. communal labour debate
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.1010 CE initial; 1020–1075 CE Great House; 1075 CE colonnade and talus unit; 1130 CE McElmo addition
- Period
- Pueblo II–III (Chacoan 1010–1130 CE)
- Culture
- Ancestral Puebloan (Chacoan with Colonnade variant)
- Builders
- Chacoan Ancestral Puebloan masons, later McElmo builders
- Purpose
- Second-largest Chacoan Great House (500 rooms, 16 kivas) with unique colonnade and elevated kiva court
- Abandoned
- c.1130 CE post-Chacoan abandonment; Navajo visitation after
- Rediscovered
- Excavated 1920–1934 Hewett (School of American Research/UNM), 1947 Vivian (NPS)
- Excavation
- Excavated
1920
Hewett opens Chetro Ketl, colonnade uncovered
1934
500-room great-house plan and kivas published
1987
Vivian NPS stabilisation and masonry typology re-study
On the ground
Structures & features
36.0603° N · 107.9586° W · 1895 m · 3 mapped features
Colonnade and Elevated Kiva Court (Unique Chacoan)
colonnade24-column colonnade fronting elevated kiva court
36.0604° N · 107.9584° WGreat Kiva (16.5 m) and Plazas
kiva16.5 m great kiva with surrounding plaza
36.0602° N · 107.9588° WTalus Unit and McElmo Room Block (Late Addition)
great houseTalus-unit McElmo addition on north talus
36.0605° N · 107.9583° W