Anazazi Structures

The primary defenses of the Anasazi towns were stockades. The stockade was a wall of logs with platforms which warriors could stand on and throw things at whoever was attacking. The cracks in the logs might have mud packed into them. The mud might have sharp branches stuck into it to keep people from trying to climb up the logs. Even the sturdiest stockades couldn't keep out the most powerful force, weather.

By Sam 2

The structures of the cliff dwellings tell us a lot about the Anasazi’s daily life. When the Anasazi people moved of the mesa, they still had to have a way to get back up to the top of the mesa to tend their crops. In the cliffs there are stone staircases and series of toe and hand holds that they used to get up and down the cliffs. The way they got from level to level within the cliff dwellings is by using ladders. They may have built the cliff dwellings to protect themselves in case of an attack, to protect them from bad weather, or it could have been another reason. The cliff dwellings tell us a lot about how the Anasazi people lived and how they managed to do things that were essential to them.

By Jack 1

The Anasazi pit houses changes in some ways. First, you should know that pit houses were basically holes in the ground that were used as houses. They used branches, brush, and grass to make the "outer skin" of the house. The insides were lined with clay or stone. There were holes on the top and side vents on the sides of the houses to get fresh air and vent out the smoke. Eventually, the pit houses started to rise above ground, and they also started to be made of finer materials. The above structures were made of jacal or adobe and stone. In some regions, the transition wasn't immediate, as it took time to get used to the new culture. In some regions, the transition was immediate. And in other regions, they didn't even make the transition.

By Julian

One huge example of Anasazi Architecture are kivas. Not all kivas were the same. Some were round, some square, some built above ground and some below ground. There were other differences in them, too. But, they were all used for the same purpose. They were all used for religious ceremonies or assemblies by the Pueblo people. Kivas were a huge part of Anasazi culture and structure.

By Cole

Works Cited
"Anasazi Kivas." A. Brockway's Ancient Southwest—Report #2. <http://home.tampabay.rr.com/abrockw1/interimreports/kivas/kivas.html>.
"Anasazi." Manitou Cliff Dwelings. <http://www.cliffdwellingsmuseum.com/arch1.htm>.
Goettel, Diane. "What is a Kiva?" WiseGeek. <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-kiva.htm>.
Weiser, Kathy. "NATIVE AMERICAN LEGENDS." Legends of America. <http://www.legendsofamerica.com/na-anasazi.html>.