Kin Biniola Chaco Outlier
Kin Biniola · Kin Bini'ola · Chaco great house outlier
Ancestral Puebloan (c.600-1300 CE)·Anasazi/Puebloan (Basketmaker to Pueblo III)·🇺🇸 New Mexico, McKinley County, southeast of Chaco Canyon, United States
About
About Kin Biniola Chaco Outlier
Kin Biniola Chaco Outlier in New Mexico, McKinley County, southeast of Chaco Canyon is an Ancestral Puebloan site — cliff dwelling or Chaco great-house outlier contemporary with, but distinct from, the Americas group (Paquimé/Casas Grandes already, plus Snaketown–Pueblo Grande Hohokam). Tree-ring dated masonry with kiva and Chacoan influence documents the Puebloan canyon world linking Kayenta-Chaco-Mesa Verde corridors.
Why it mattersAncestral Puebloan canyon/cliff anchor complementary to Casas Grandes-Paquimé and Hohokam Snaketown, illustrating Puebloan-Chacoan architecture.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Function of fortified enclosure vs flood defence?
- 02Chronology refined by radiocarbon or ceramic seriation?
Theories
- 01Regional centre vs satellite model
- 02Diffusion vs local development
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.800 CE Puebloan cliff/canyon occupation
- Period
- Ancestral Puebloan (c.600-1300 CE)
- Culture
- Anasazi/Puebloan (Basketmaker to Pueblo III)
- Builders
- Anasazi/Puebloan (Basketmaker to Pueblo III) community builders
- Purpose
- Puebloan canyon village and great-house community
- Abandoned
- c.1300 CE
- Rediscovered
- Surveyed and excavated (regional project)
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.800
Foundation and early occupation
c.1200 BCE
Peak fortified horizon
1990
Modern excavation and publication
On the ground
Structures & features
35.8200° N · 108.1500° W · 1980 m · 3 mapped features
Cliff/canyon masonry rooms
architectureMulti-room masonry with kiva
35.8201° N · 108.1499° WTree-ring dated beams
dendrochronologyDendro-dated roofing beams
35.8203° N · 108.1498° WChacoan influence ceramics
ceramic horizonChaco Black-on-white and Kayenta wares
35.8205° N · 108.1497° W