Anasazi Life
Anasazi lived in clans made up of groups of families. These clans were led by one of the older members. This older member usually wasn’t very old, though, because the average Anasazi lifespan was 35 years. Anasazi life was centered in nature. They depended on nature to provide for them, and they made sure to respect it in return. In Anasazi religion, there is one Creator, and everything in the world is part of that creator. The Anasazi believed that if they didn’t have proper respect for nature, the Creator would do away with Earth and start over with a new civilization. After all, they believed this was the fourth Earth thus far. The previous three hadn’t lived up to the Creator’s expectations.
At an average of almost five feet tall, the Anasazi were a good deal shorter than us. Children started their lives with fair skin and fine hair, but the skin eventually darkened and the hair coarsened. This probably happened to them because of constant exposure to the elements throughout their lives. They weren’t outside all the time, though. When they came back into their stone dwellings built into cliff walls, they sometimes made art. Most of this art took the form of basketry and pottery, and it almost always served for practical purposes as well as to be decorative. Baskets often had elaborate patterns sewn into them, and pots were usually painted. They were used to carry and prepare food, gather water, and store any surplus resources.
Life wasn’t easy for an Anasazi family. The earliest Anasazi had to hunt and gather for all of their food. They often hunted squirrels, deer, and rabbits using an atlatl, a straight piece of wood that is used to launch a spear through the air. In addition to hunting, the earliest Anasazi gathered fruits, seeds, and nuts to feed themselves. As the Anasazi grew more advanced, they learned about agriculture and began to plant their own crops. Growing food, however, is not easily done in the desert. Eventually, they adopted a style of farming that used the “three sisters,” corn, beans, and squash, which help each other survive when planted together. While the corn provides a structure for the beans to climb, the beans drop leaves and provide nitrogen for the soil that helps the plants grow. The squash grows near the ground and acts like mulch, holding moisture in the soil. Though all three were necessary to provide proper nourishment, corn was by far the most important food in an Anasazi diet.
It was always good for the Anasazi to grow a surplus of food. When this happened, the harvesters would store the extra food in baskets or pots, and then place it in one of several storage rooms, called granaries. The Anasazi had to grow plenty of corn to get them through the hot summers, as well as the cold winters.
It was always good for the Anasazi to grow a surplus of food. When this happened, the harvesters would store the extra food in baskets or pots, and then place it in one of several storage rooms, called granaries. The Anasazi had to grow plenty of corn to get them through the hot summers, as well as the cold winters.
Winters were very severe in the four corners area. The only times Anasazi ventured outside were to collect firewood or hunt. The men did the hunting, and had the privilege of staying in kivas, subterranean rooms that were usually used for religious practices. Kivas were advantageous in the winter because they had a very good ventilating system and a fire could be built inside. The men stayed fairly comfortable throughout the whole winter. Women and children were not so lucky. They had to stay in above-ground dwellings and couldn’t build fires because of the poor ventilation.
As their culture developed, the Anasazi discovered the useful properties of cotton. Soon after discovery, they learned how to create clothing, even though they didn’t usually wear much. They also made blankets, which often had colorful designs painted or woven into them.