5th - Circles, Squares, And Daggers

Saskatchewan, Canada

Cahokia, Illinois

Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

Apache

Equinox

Dagger

Early Native Americans used the skies as a way to help them located food.

Early Native Americans used the skies as a kind of calendar.

Early Native Americans used the skies as a story map.

They knew when to plant their crops through important solar events such as solstices and equinoxes.

They knew when to plant their crops through important solar events such as constellations and solar flares.

They knew when to plant their crops by understanding what the constellations meant.

The ceremonies were mainly concerned with celebrating the return of conquering heroes.

The ceremonies were mainly concerned with using the constellations to help find proper mates for those that were not married.

The ceremonies were mainly concerned with the "return" of the sun and the start of a new year, and with planting, harvesting, and hunting.

The observatories strengthened leaders' power because the leaders were probably the only ones who knew how to use the observatories.

The observatories strengthened leaders' power because the leaders were the ones that told the stories.

The observatories strengthened leaders' power because the leaders were able to gain strength from the skies.

At sunset, the rays of the sun enter through the door, shines through the room, and is captured on the ceiling.

At sunrise, the sun's rays enters the small holes though the window and strikes the wall on the other side.

At sunset, the sun's rays enter small holes and a door, shine through the room, and strike doorways in the inside walls.

The sun's rays would line up in a certain way, telling the early Native Americans that they were nearing an important time.

The sun's rays would cast a shadow on a tree telling the early Native Americans what time it was.

The sun would rise above the horizon, letting the early Native Americans know what time it was.

Native Americans had different ways of observing the heavens.

The Bighorn Mountains are a good place to observe the sky.

The Anaza created Chaco Canyon in New Mexico

A mostly playful side

Only ceremonial importance

Deep religious meaning

Holy areas that were made by nature

Tall towers used as enemy lookouts

Places used for observing the skies

Where the earth meets the sky

Where a mountain becomes level

Where the sun is at noon

How useful something is

How old something is

How bright something is

The study of the supernatural

The study of the ancient stars

The study of ancient observatories

A fossil of a plant found in a rock

A drawing or carving on rock

A steep and rocky desert cliff