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| Much of Pueblo del Arroyo has been left unexcavated. Excavation destabilizes old structures and increases the cost of maintenance. When the last of the Chacoans left in the middle 12th Century the unattended structures began to collapse as the plaster, sand, and mud mortar crumbled and washed away. Windblown dust and sand also filled in and covered the ruble and remaining artifacts. Many of the Chacoan ruins were excavated early in the 20th Century. Many more have been plundered by artifact collectors (pot hunters). In addition, during the late 19th and 20th Centuries, the landscape throughout the San Juan Basin was heavily grazed by cattle and sheep ranching, and many archeological sites were heavily damaged both by the animals walking on the ruins and by the erosion associated with overgrazing. Today, archeological site like those at Chaco Canyon National Historic Park are protected. Many Native American groups, including the Hopi, Navajo, and Pueblo, consider the archeological sites as sacred places and that they should be left to naturally return to the earth without further disturbance. Many of the artifacts collected at Chaco and in the region are preserved in regional and national museum collections, and as new technology emerges, new methods and information are being drawn from old collections. |
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