As this photograph loads, there will appear the world famous archeologist who has spent a lifetime living in the most desolate parts of the planet and carefully unearthing the artifacts and traces of the most ancient human civilizations in the Gobi Desert. At times, he has lived for weeks on nothing but desert lizards and hot beer, but his dedication is unwavering to the study and understanding of ancient peoples.
Now, if you believe that ...
You do believe me, don't you? You don't !?
Well, Paul did look the part. In reality, this is part of Chaco Canyon, and Paul has come to these parts primarily because ancient Native American cultures interest me, not him.
The Chaco Canyon ruins are very extensive. What is left now of this city are just the foundations of buildings that were multi-story and with hundreds of rooms. Apparently, for centuries it was the centralized administrative center, ritual center, and economic center for a culturally cohesive region of many 100's of square miles. It probably also served as a central storage and distribution area for foodstuffs and other items of value. This would have been an important contribution to the survival and stability of a large, widely dispersed population in an arid climate.
Personal Notes - Travel: Chaco Canyon