{"product_id":"the-chaco-meridian-9781442246447","title":"The Chaco Meridian","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this return to his lively, provocative reconceptualization of the meaning of Chaco Canyon and its monumental 11th-century structures, Stephen H. Lekson expandsover time and distanceour understanding of the political and economic integration of the American Southwest.Lekson's argument that Chaco did not stand alone, but rather was the first of three capitals in a vast networked region incorporating most of the Pueblo world has gained credence over the past 15 years. Here, he marshals new evidence and new interpretations to further the case for ritual astronomical alignment of monumental structures and cities, great ceremonial roads, and the shift of the regional capital first from Chaco Canyon to the Aztec Ruins site and then to Paquimé, all located on the same longitudinal meridian. Along the line from Aztec to Paquimé, Lekson synthesizes 1000 years of Southwestern prehistoryexplaining phenomena as diverse as the Great North Road, macaw feathers, Pueblo mythology, the recycling of i\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis second edition is a reissue of Lekson's controversial book first published in 1999, now significantly updated with recent bibliography and discussion. He credits an early period in prehistoric Pueblo development, focusing on the architecturally elaborate Chaco Canyon, to the appearance and history of rulers (which he would call kings) shifting north, then south to northern Mexico. His ambitious and hardly widely accepted ideas have led to a rich dialogue between archaeologists involved with Chaco archaeology that continues to shape the understanding of Pueblo culture. In a discipline that claims to be scientific not historical, the author stresses that Chaco deserves a historical narrative. Given the amount of work that has been done, archaeologists must say more now than ‘it is a mystery.’ Writing in an engagingly personal style, Lekson admits his role as a gadfly, deprecatingly indicates where he has been wrong, and advocates passionately for his historical interpretation. This makes the volume one for many readers, not simply those in academic programs of archaeology and anthropology, where it is essential. It also belongs in larger libraries, making it available to the general public. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels\/libraries. * CHOICE *\u003cbr\u003eWhen The Chaco Meridian first appeared 15 years ago, it set off a spirited debate that triggered new thinking about Southwestern archaeology. . . .This new edition brings fresh insights to the debate over the shape and scope of Chaco Canyon and its successor centers. Challenging conventional wisdom, Lekson forces the archaeological community to seek new ways of looking at the American Southwest. * American Archaeology *\u003cbr\u003eIn this second edition of The Chaco Meridian, Lekson doubles down on his theory by pushing the Chaco Meridian hundreds of miles north and south as well as hundreds of years back in time. . . .Lekson lays out his argument as one would a legal case. His lively prose, goofy puns and accessible language present the Chaco Meridian persuasively. . . .Fully two-thirds of this update to the 1999 classic is new material. Unlike many archaeologists working today, Lekson tackles big questions and isn’t afraid to advance a controversial theory. Extensive chapter endnotes expand and riff on the ideas presented. It’s refreshingly free of jargon and a delightful read. * The Surveyor: A Quarterly Publication of the Colorado Archaeological Society *\u003cbr\u003eThe Chaco Meridian is a serious scholarly work, but Lekson’s clear, jargon-free prose laced with silly puns makes it accessible to casual readers. . . .Archaeologists will argue about The Chaco Meridian and students will study it for years to come. For those who want to break out of the visitor’s center and expand their understanding of the ancient Southwest, The Chaco Meridian will be a valuable reference and a delightful read. * Center for Colorado Studies *\u003cbr\u003eNot only does this edition contain considerable new content but the meridian itself is also expanded both geographically and temporally…. [The book is an example of] his humorous and modest, if not self-deprecating, style of writing that makes what could be a very dry treatise a thoroughly enjoyable read…. I dove into the deep end and came back up short of breath. Not so much because of the complexity of his arguments, for his clear writing style makes his positions easy to understand, but because of the sheer volume of data he provides to support them. Drawing upon a large body of published reports, with extensive endnotes accompanying each chapter, he presents his case in a lawyer-like fashion with a preponderance of evidence leading me to agree with him that there must be something more to this meridian thing than mere chance… So even if you have read the first edition, you will come away from reading this second one with a more complete and expanded argument in support of this concept and its underlying meaning. And if you have not read the first edition, fasten your seat belt because you are in for a wild ride. * Southwestern Lore *\u003cbr\u003eThis is vintage Steve Lekson: delightfully entertaining while presenting deeply insightful but highly controversial ideas about the ancient past. If you are fascinated with the iconic masonry ruins of Chaco Canyon and the prehistory of the American Southwest, you will love this book. -- David R. Abbott, Arizona State University\u003cbr\u003eSteve Lekson rocked the archaeological world in 1999 with a general theory for Chaco Canyon that answered most of the problems that have puzzled its explorers for a century. In this new edition, he presents copious new evidence and insights to bolster that theory. This book is certain to set the parameters of the debate on Chaco Canyon for years to come. -- Mark Michel, President of The Archaeological Conservancy\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eList of Figures  Foreword in Three Movements  Ruth M. Van Dyke, Phillip Tuwaletstiwa, and Severin Fowles Acknowledgments, Apologies  Preface to the Second Edition   1. Pourparlers  The Argument in Brief  Plan of the Book  It’s Complicated . . .   2. Mondo Chaco  The Emerald City?  The (Social) Dynamics of Chaco Prehistory  The Regional System  Out on the Edges  Redistribution Revisited  Chaco Hegemony  Prestige Deflated  Pax Chaco: Peace with an Edge and a Bite  Lords of the Great House  Chaco and Mimbres  Life after Mimbres   3. Meridian Nexus  Down the Yellow Brick Road  Uniquity and Mobius Logic  Three Southwestern Cities  Regional Integration  A Millennium on the Meridian   4. A Beautiful Fact Killed by an Ugly Theory  Means: “They Do Things Differently There”  Means (Continued): “Can’t Get There from Here”  Motive (1): “Roads through Time”  Motive (2): Direction and Distance  Opportunity: “How Can You Be in Two Places at Once . . . ?”  Closing Arguments: “High Crimes and Misdemeanors”   5. Conclusions?  The Four-Point Problem, without References  But Wait . . . There’s More!  So What?  New Methods Needed: Apply Within  Chaco Meridian   Appendix A: Chaco as Altepetl  Appendix B: Dating Casas Grandes  Appendix C: Alto, Far View, and Chimney Rock  References  Index  About the Author","brand":"Rowman \u0026 Littlefield","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51039930188119,"sku":"9781442246447","price":86.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781442246447.jpg?v=1750945277","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/the-chaco-meridian-9781442246447","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}