University of Virginia Library

Animal:

Fairly numerous remains of bone, horn, hide, hair and feather,
allow the identification of some 20 genera of mammals, and eight
genera of birds that were definitely contemporary with the ancient
inhabitants of the Chaco. Fish bones (species not stated, and source
not known) and the remains of "turtles" (species not given) have been
reported from Pueblo Bonito; and fossil shark teeth have been found
in several sites. No reptilian or batrachian remains have ever been
reported from Chaco excavations. Judging from the evidence of location
and condition of various bones, it may be concluded that various
species of rabbit, the prairie dog, the American antelope, and the mule
deer, along with the turkey, were the favorite animals for food. Implements
and ornaments were most commonly made from the bones of
deer, turkey, and rabbit. Feathers, fur, hair, and skins were all used
in making articles of clothing, and for ceremonial objects. The best

preserved and most complete skeletons recovered have been those of
the turkey, dog, and macaw. This would lead to the assumption that
these animals were either domesticated or kept in captivity, and that
they were not commonly used, if at all, as items of food. The evidence
of bone condition would, however, allow the conclusion that the turkey
was eaten at times. Since the identification of bird remains is more
difficult than that of mammals, the following list of mammls is probably
much closer to the actual number utilized in the Chaco than is the bird
list.

• American antelope (Antilocapra americana americana)—Various
  bones.

• Badger (Taxidea taxus)—A few limb bones found at Tseh So.

• Bear (species not given)—Claws, skin, jaw and other bones found at
  Pueblo Bonito and Chetro Ketl.

• Beaver (Castor sp.)—Jaw found at Pueblo Bonito.

• Bison (Bison bison)—A few bones reported from Chetro Ketl. This is
  far west of the former range, which extended only as far west as
  the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northern
  New Mexico.

• Coyote (Canis latrans)—Various bones. Possibly of dog, in some cases.

• Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)—Numerous bones, skins, and antlers of
  the mule deer.

• Dog (Canis familiaris)—Numerous bones, and several whole skeletons.

• Elk (Cervus canadensis)—A fair number of bones from three sites.

• Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus scottii)—Bones of the gray fox from
  two sites.

• Gopher (Thomomys perpallidus aureus)—A few bones of the golden
  pocket gopher. Possibly intrusive.

• Lynx (Lynx rufus baileyi)—Bones from Tseh So.

• Mountain lion (Felis concolor)—Claws reported from Pueblo Bonito.

• Mountain sheep (Ovis canadensis)—Horns, jaw, teeth, etc., from two
  sites.

• Mouse (various species)—Possibly intrusive in some cases. Tawny
  deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus rufinus) definitely identified.

• Porcupine (Erethizon sp.)—A porcupine jaw reported from Pueblo
  Bonito.

• Prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni zuniensis)—Bones quite common.
  Some possibly intrusive.

• Rabbit—Numerous bones, and pieces of skin, representing the Texas
  jack rabbit (Lepus californicus texianus), Colorado cottontail
  

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  (Sylvilagus auduboni warreni), and Rocky Mountain cottontail
  (S. nuttalli pinetus.)

• Rat (several species)—Bones from the wood rat (Neotoma mexicana
  fallax) have been definitely identified from two sites.

• Squirrel (Citellus sp.)—Bones of at least one species of ground squirrel.

Birds:

• Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)—Bones and feathers of the golden eagle.
  Less common only than remains of the turkey.

• Flicker (Coleptes caffer collaris)—Feathers of the red-shafted flicker.

• Hawk (Buteo sp.)—Bones and feathers from two sites.

• Macaw (Ara militaris)—Complete skeletons of more than a dozen
  green macaws were found in Room 38 of Pueblo Bonito. These
  macaws were evidently kept in captivity. Various macaw bones
  and feathers were found elsewhere in Pueblo Bonito. Probably
  traded up from the mountains of southern New Mexico, where
  they are still found occasionally.

• Magpie (Pica pica hudsonia)—Bones from Leyit Kin.

• Piñon birds (Cyanocephalus cyanocephalus)—Bones reported from
  Pueblo Bonito.

• Quail (Callipepla squamata pallida)—Bones of the scaled quail reported
  from Leyit Kin.

• Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)—Bones, complete skeletons, egg shells,
  and feathers commonly found in Chaco sites. Possibly domesticated,
  certainly kept in captivity, and hunted in the wild state.

Fig. 1. East-west Section at Room 11, Mound 50