Casa Rinconada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Casa Rinconada
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Casa Rinconada (1998)
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| Part of | Chaco Culture National Historical Park (ID66000895) |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
Casa Rinconada is an amazing ancient building site. It was built by the Ancestral Puebloans, who were early Native American people. This special place is located on a ridge in Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico. It sits across from another famous site called Pueblo Bonito.
Casa Rinconada is a very large, isolated kiva. A kiva is a round room used by the Ancestral Puebloans for important community gatherings and ceremonies. This one is the biggest great kiva in all of Chaco Canyon.
What is a Great Kiva?
A great kiva like Casa Rinconada has many cool features. Inside, you would find a stone fire pit in the center. There's also a low bench around the edge where people could sit. Four large pits supported the roof of the kiva.
The walls have 34 small spaces called niches. These niches are different sizes and go all the way around the kiva. They might have held special items or offerings.
The Secret Passage
One unique part of Casa Rinconada is a long underground tunnel. This passage is about 39 feet (12 meters) long. It was dug right into the rock of the ridge.
Experts think this tunnel might have been used during ceremonies. Performers could have entered through it suddenly. This would have surprised the audience and made the ceremonies even more dramatic.
Exploring Casa Rinconada
Archaeologists are like history detectives. They study old sites to learn about the past. Casa Rinconada was first explored in 1930 and 1931. Archaeologists Vivian and Reiter led these early digs.
Later, parts of the kiva were rebuilt to help preserve it. Vivian worked on this in 1933. In 1955, Richter from the National Park Service helped protect the outer walls.
Today, you can visit Casa Rinconada. It's part of the Canyon Loop Drive in Chaco Culture National Historical Park. There's a short trail, about half a mile (800 meters) round trip, that leads to the kiva. It's a great way to see this impressive ancient structure up close.
