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Letter to Congressman Salazar from Anna Sofaer regarding preservation of Chimney Rock
February 23, 2010
The Honorable John Salazar
326 Cannon HOB
Wahington DC 20515Dear Congressman Salazar,
I am writing to express my strong and enthusiastic support for the designation of Chimney Rock as a National Monument. Through this designation the thousand year old ruin and its environs will be fully protected and archivally preserved. Opportunities for its educational exploration will expand and the cultural resources of the area will continue to provide fascinating challenges to researchers.
The work of my research group the Solstice Project has been primarily a study of the astronomical expressions of the Chaco culture (see our web site: solsticeproject.org). We have documented the solar and lunar light markings of the Sun Dagger site of Chaco Canyon and the astronomical alignments of numerous Chacoan buildings. Among the many buildings that are aligned to the sun or the moon, Chimney Rock stands out as especially compelling for its dramatic display of the moon: the full moon rises between the twin rock towers just at its most northern extreme, reached only once its 19 year cycle. Other alignments to the solstices and equinoxes are also evident at the site.
The relationship of Chimney Rock to Chaco Canyon is evident in artifacts that suggest a trading connection and in the parallel expressions of astronomy in the buildings of both sites. The distance of ninety-five miles between the sites seems not to have daunted the Chacoans: but it bespeaks of their capability and interest to coordinate ritual structures and activities around primary celestial cycles across a vast geography. The specific extent and significance of these relationships merit further study.
We have a great deal to learn from this site, its archaeology and archaeoastronomy and its relationship to Chaco. We deeply appreciate your initiative to so significantly help with its preservation and maintenance.
Sincerely,
Anna Sofaer
Solstice Project President