Traveling To The Four Corners USA // Lowry Pueblo, Canyon Of The Ancients
During this past summer I inadvertently found myself in the four corners and adventuring to find my ancients. If you would like to know how I ended up here and the posts that I wrote up to this point take a look at the following:
Come Along With Me ---> To The Southern Ute Tribe North Native American Museum!
Exploring The Four Corners ---> Hovenweep Castle, Canyon Of The Ancients!
This isn't a series per say, but my own personal journal if you will -- that will become a part of my book someday soon. As I continued on my journey to find my ancients in an area of the USA called the four corners I came upon an area called the Canyon of the Ancients.
The time was right and it was time to do some exploring. What else is there in this life but to explore, right? I hadn't known there were other archeological sites other than Chimney Rock and Mesa Verde, which I had visited over the past two years so to find this area was a pleasant surprise.
The second site I decided to visit was Lowry Ruins and I will try not to get too sensitive over who "discovered" this area and just present the information, since I was very joyous at the time to have found a connection to my people. Walking the land of your ancients is a special gift indeed.
For me, it was slightly sad to know what this area must have looked like in it's original build, but I was very appreciative that what was left was there for me to see and touch. These past few months have been very tactile and I seem to just want to touch everything that holds a special meaning.
As I walked around the remains of the Lowry Pueblo I found these lovely signs posted around giving some history, and it didn't matter if the history was true or not at that moment, it was a moment in my life that I felt a calm peace envelop all of my senses.
The day was extremely hot and dry, so plenty of water was needed. This area didn't have a bathroom so good thing I went before this short hike. If you are ever in this area bathrooms are few and far between. Bring gallons of water if you have the capability and remember that this is an area where you may not realize dehydration sits in fast. Human sweat is dry and can be very deceiving. Be prepared.
The feelings I can use to describe this area are the stone sang to me. I literally heard them calling me to touch them and feel their vibration. I'm not sure if anyone else has ever felt a land and area call to them, and if you have I'd love to hear your experience in the comment section.
According to Trail Of The Ancients website this is some of the facts related to this site:
Lowry Pueblo had a total of about 40 rooms and 8 kivas at its peak in the early 11th century, and was home to approximately 100 people. The pueblo was arranged in a roughly rectangular block, with some portions reaching as high as three stories. A great kiva, constructed outside the eastern limits of the village, is nearly 50 feet in diameter.
Going inside the structure itself was fascinating and on a hot day it was as cool as a spring morning. There was a fresh smell of sage and the ancient fire-pit was still alive and well.
Some of the work being done over the past 40 years as stated by Colorado Encyclopedia has been the following:
In 1974–75 the BLM again contracted with the University of Colorado–Boulder to perform excavation and stabilization work at the ruin. The team, led by David A. Breternitz and the field directors Al Lancaster and Larry V. Nordby, included students from Boulder, Fort Lewis College, and Northern Arizona University.
They re-excavated many areas Martin had backfilled in the 1930s, including the Great Kiva, and performed dozens of structural repairs throughout the room block. They also added a roof over some parts of the ruin for protection. More stabilization and repairs were necessary in the late 1970s, early 1980s, and early 1990s.Today, the area is a learning center for archeology students.
As some of you may know, I get these spiritual messages that tell me to go certain places and most times I have no idea where the whispers will lead me. Well, it led me to a magnificent place this time, a Great Kiva. There are quite a few arguments between how many Great Kiva's are still in existence and what makes a kiva great.
The best explanation I could find was from a four corners expert, Crow Canyon's website:
A great kiva is a large, circular, usually subterranean or semisubterranean structure that was used by Pueblo Indians for important events such as ceremonies or political gatherings. Great kivas are one of the earliest examples of what archaeologists refer to as "public architecture." They are distinguished from ordinary kivas by their large size (more than 100 square meters in area), distinctive floor features (such as foot drums), and artifacts (for example, large serving bowls) that reflect communal feasting as opposed to everyday food preparation and consumption by the members of a household.
Great kivas continued to be built and used in the Mesa Verde region throughout the subsequent Pueblo I, II, and III periods, until the Pueblo people left the area in the late A.D. 1200s. Archaeologists have documented a few great kivas dating from the early A.D. 1300s in areas farther south, but, for the most part, this architectural form was discontinued after the massive population movements of the late thirteenth century.
One of the coolest things I found was the original documents submitted to the U.S. federal government government and schematics from the site. Serious deterioration occurred since then, but it must have been a fascinating structure to come upon in 1962.
Hopefully, you've stuck with me until the end and one thing I did submit to a contest regarding extraterrestrials was my perspective on the Ant People and their relation to my Hopi lineage. Some of the photos within the Great Kiva looked to me like these creatures, if you look closely you can see antennas and a tail. This stonework within a Great Kiva I had never seen before, other than here.
If you'd like to read my thoughts about ETs check out that blog here. As always I love community engagement so please leave a comment and I will be sure to respond.
Yours,
Thank you for stopping by to read my blog. I’m a Certified Indian Blood member of the Hopi & Apache Native American tribes, Reiki Master-Teacher, Medicine woman in-training, paralegal, researcher, and writer based in the mountains of Colorado, USA. I work closely with fellow planktons and minnows in a few groups by helping them adjust to Steemit and curate quality content. I’m especially interested in finding others who love natural medicine originating from ancient practices, gold and silver, and energy work. Additionally, I'm the creator of #MedicineCardMonday and #FreedomFriday, so if you are interested in receiving Native American Medicine stop by my blog every Monday to say hello!
A'OO, Eagle Spirit
Cool! Yeah, it would be interesting to see what it would have been in its original form, these ruins look fun to explore. I especially like the common ground layout. That seems like it would have looked much the same as it did back then?
i know right? a true beauty for sure for sure ... wished it wasn't gated off too and there was ceremony there. typically only dancers can enter and i need to learn some of the dances before i can go in. ho hum. cool stuff and thank you for coming by to take a look see. :)
i will.....be going here....to feel them sing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! gosh...heart moved from just the images and your words alone......!
no kidding? cant wait to see if you have the same experience?
awww love your response ... you feel it? wow
totally feel it! FELT!
i just love your capitalized felt"s" they bring me smiles :)
lol....thanks so much!!!! you made me smile too!!! FELT!
aww that's mah brO!!! xoxo
my sister!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
my brothahhh!!!!!!
my goodness sister. best post i've ever read on this blockchain! so so felt!!!!!!!!! "the stones sang to me." mmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
awww tears of joy, thank you so much for you lovely comment ... you bring me true soul joy. thank you my dear brother.
much love,
eagle spirit
WOW! That is amazing.... I had no idea these buildings were so meticulous and intricate. Unfortunately I never got to the southern parts when I visited the US years ago, seeing these photos, I wish I had taken up the invitations I had at the time.....
hey, yes they are ... a ton of them ... there is always next time. :)
Don't you just love those places where you feel welcomed by the rock you are standing on. I have one of those in the Arbuckle mountains in southern Oklahoma. It's a bit of a walk to get to, there is a natural ledge to sit on, it covered on shards of Flint and quartz, and of you're lucky enough and open your self up to it, you'll be blessed and find an arrow head or a spear tip with it's feathered razor sharp edges. Yes, I've left blood there slicing my thumb on the edge, checking the sharpness. Yes, I've left tears there, captivated in the majesty overlooking the Washita river valley, basking in the smell of red cedar and pine. So yes, I get your drift and know the feeling all to well how a spot of land can call to you in a voice beckoning you to come, to sit, to inhale. I suppose it's evidence of a higher power or the blood of royalty coursing through our veins. Either way it is a real, tangible, blessing.
xo
Yes and thank you for such a beautiful comment and what makes me more than happier is that you know what i'm feeling and seeing. i thank you above all else for that, much love to you spoz. that feeling of just touching the stones and sitting in the dirt was healing for me. strange i know, but i have no shame in doing that. :)
Marvelous photographs! The stone work is gorgeous! What a wonderful thing to see these sights in-person, up close and personal! 💙
aww thank you mah kitty, so happy you were able to pass through .. much love, eagle
Woh they were singing? What a great gift..
I love touching anything old that's all.
Sitting in the dirt is fine...one reason for inventing denims and leather.
What's that rectangle shape @eaglespirit? a burial ground??
singing? i don't remember saying that ... LOL
yay touching old things and sitting in dirt is great :)
what rectangle thing? inside the kiva? i explain that sorta .. but to really see it how it was is to sort of reconstruct it and if you can image huge wood totem like poles and thatches of huge leaves from the trees, sweet smelling then that is whta was there, with a huge fire in the middle and tons of dancing, praying, meditating. speaking to many different spiritual beings, etc. i would say all that but it spooks people lol
That rectangle where you had your pic taken...there's a separate pic of it. Yes inside the kiva.
How much freedom do you have to post about spooky stuff? I don't mind reading those.
thats the firepit i mentioned in my writing 👀
Oops sorry i kinda missed the firepit..need to go back to it.
no worries at all ... baha only a few photos and video .. no probs
Got yah bout the firepit plus the stone singing to you is there too😍🤣😗
ahh ok, got it! :)
This is fascinating! Thanks for your comprehensive posts and losts of pictures too. I totally get that getting 'called' to country - here in Australia 'country' has a spiritual feel, going to 'country' as different from going 'to' the countryside. Aboriginal Australia, as you must know, has a deep spiritual connection to land and place, and whilst I am not of this descent, I'm still 'called' to country in a similiar way. Visiting the Flinders Rangers, where we've just been, allowed me to connect to two cultures - the European settlers who worked the land (and largely ruined it) and who have a stake here too - sixth generation pastoralists feel a deep connection to place too. This makes 'ownership' of place quite fraught - reconcilation involves recognising on both sides emotional, spiritual and ancestral connection to place.
I love the way the kiva was a meeting place. This was something I've been reading a lot about lately as Australia was divided into many many tribal Aboriginal groups yet they'd had big meeting 'corroborees' and gatherings for trade and sharing of information and knowledge (can't help but think of all our tribes here on steemit like that!!) which were so important for culture and how sad that the coming of the Europeans ruined that (in fact the meetings were one of the ways smallpox were spread and caused the death of many people). When you're born and raised in a place you have a tie to it too, which is why land rights is so fraught here as I'm sure they are there. WE could do well to recognise that we all feel similiarly - deep connections to land and place are part of who we essentially are and to share that experience together would make for a better world. Hm. Feel like I"m not making sense here, been a long drive home from spirit lands!
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Wow, this is a fantastic comment, like a huge booklet !! love it seriously ...
I would love to see the indigenous side of australia, not that it is a dream but it used to be.
my true desire is to see NZ and tibet.
land is important to many cultures across the world, thats why so many people fight over it LOL
sad to say.
yes i love the kivas, especially the great kivas they are certainly a spectacular place to visit and just sit for awhile if allowed in during ceremonies.
yeah you mighta lost it somewhere in there but thats okay, i really appreciate your words.
much love,
eagle spirit
each placement of every single stone speaks to me. i have dry stacked stone for many years...and this is just soooo INSPIRING and FELT! geez louis!
hehe, you crack me up ... they sing to you too? woo hooo inspiring kewl ... :)
Holy Cow. Another place on my 'gotta go' list. I can tell that I need to feel this place.
It reminds me of a place relatively near here, Tuzigoot. Lemme see if I can find a photo.
As you can see, the stonework is entirely different, like completely different culture different. But the construction....
Thanks for showing me another place that I need to see. I really do appreciate it.
I am scheduled to go back to Tuzigoot in the next couple of weeks.
OK so this is in AZ and i find that cool, i could have sworn you said you are in Montana? i keep forgetting tho bc i talk to a lot of ppl so forgive me. i know you talk about the Nez Perez a lot too. anyhoo, the group who built this is the Sinagua, which i will totally do some reseach on. this is a beautiful site you posted. since my apache lineage and hopi are in AZ its going to be nice to see any info. thanks!
I grew up in E Washington and have lived in AZ the last 19 years. Yuma, in fact.
I go to Washington at least once a year to see family and friends. A couple of my friends are Salish (Kalispel and Spokane). I've spent some serious time up the Snake river in Nez Perce country. I have spent a lot of my life in Inland Salish country, and have always had a 'feel' about it. As if that might make any sense.
I may make a swing into Apache country yet this year, but it'll have to be soon or wait until spring. That area tends to be high and winter comes fairly quickly. I need to go to Oak Flat and see it for myself.
cool that you are in AZ i do not know AZ other than phoenix, flagstaff, and sedona. i also went to the grand canyon from there. drove through the entire state on ROUTE 66. my tribes are there so i will be back. :)