Anasazi Indian religion was pantheistic, meaning they
worshipped many Gods. They were a very spiritual people, and they
were also very socially structured, they were a matrilineal society
(their lineage being determined by the mother's side of the family), and
were also an egalitarian society in which each tribe member had the same
rights. The families inhabiting each Pueblo were divided into
various clans, e.g. "the Corn Clan" or "Turquoise
Clan", each of these clans was allotted equal space for farming,
and dwelling, and each member would be on rotation for making important
decisions concerning the Pueblo government. While the Pueblos were
separate, there were communal places such as kivas, which were
underground chambers where all clans came to engage in rituals of
worship.
From studying mummified bodies found in the ruins of
the Pueblos, anthropologists were able to determine the physical
appearance of the Anasazi. They were somewhat short in stature,
the men on average measuring 5'5", and the women measuring
5'. They were mostly heavy-set individuals, and had peculiar
shaped heads, in that the back of their skulls were flattened.
This mystery was later solved when it was determined that their skulls
took on this unusual shape from infancy, as the Anasazi newborns were
carried on flat boards strapped to their mother's backs; since a baby's
skull is still soft for weeks following its birth, it is quite possible
this method of carrying the child would have been the cause of this
developmental trait. Another unusual trait which was also found on
people of Asian descent was that of flattened, shovel-like incisors,
raising many questions about the possible origins of the Anasazi, who
were believed to have been the descendents of Aztec colonizers of the
region.
Most Anasazi Indians did not live past the age of
forty, and there was an extremely high mortality rate amongst infants,
reaching up to fifty percent of children under the age of three; perhaps
this was due to the hot and arid climate of the area, disease or perhaps
many other, still unexplained factors.
Although theirs seemed to be a most efficiently run
society, the 14th century saw the rapid decline of the Anasazi
empire. The real cause for the decline of this enigmatic and
impressive civilization is still the subject of debate amongst
archaeologists and anthropologists, who have brought forth a multitude
of theories ranging from warfare with other tribes, to a mass exodus
brought on by a new religion Kachina, which was being practiced in the
south. Perhaps the most widely accepted
theory is that of a great drought, which brought on famine, a theory
which would be consistent with archaeological findings of
skeletons showing signs of malnutrition, and the abundance of infant and
children's bones. ear in mind that most of the theories on
offer are based on analysis of Anasazi pottery and other
archaeological finds, so most are based on speculation.
A highly controversial issue which has been brought on
by recent findings, is the possibility that there may have been
incidents of cannibalism amongst the Anasazi. While scientists aren't
certain as to the cause of such behavior, whether it be from famine or
ritual, many remains were found which featured marks left by tools which
may have been used to cut flesh and break bones, and many of the bones
found showed signs of scorching, or boiling. However grisly this
may seem, there have been several historically documented cases of
cannibalism due to starvation, and since it is believed that a major
drought may have been the main factor behind the near extinction of the Anasazi,
and that most of the settlements where the evidence was found showed
signs of having been abandoned soon thereafter, this theory may not be
so far fetched.
