Aztec West Audio Tour: Stop #8

The eighth numbered stop on the Aztec West self-guided audio tour.

NPS

The trail through the Aztec West great house is 0.5 mile in length and requires about 40 minutes to complete using the audio tour. Most of the trail is paved and accessible to wheelchairs, with some steps and low doorways. Wheelchairs are available at the visitor center to borrow upon request.

• Stop #8

  
  

  The eighth numbered stop along the Aztec West self-guided trail.
  Audio Transcript

  The plaza was a community space where a wide variety of public activities took place. Social gatherings and traditional dances are held in the plazas of pueblos today and are often open to visitors. Excavation of the plaza revealed a long history of occupation at Aztec West throughout most of the 1100s and 1200s. These excavations uncovered thick deposits of broken pottery and all sorts of other items. The pottery pieces found in the lower layers are the oldest. Their designs resemble those found in Chaco Canyon from the late 1000s and early 1100s. The pottery found in the upper layers is more recent. This pottery, dating from the 1200s, was similar to that found throughout the region, including at Mesa Verde. This discovery indicates that people migrated to and from Aztec throughout the site's history--bringing, sharing, and taking cultural influences.