I usually have mixed feelings about reconstructions at archaeological sites, they can either be super kitschy, or overly sterile. The kiva reconstruction in the Pueblo Great House at Aztec Ruins National Monument is by far the best I’ve seen in our National Park Service. When I was there it was a bit too cold, but that’s just because all the windows were open and letting in a ton of natural light with a breeze.
The interior feels very alive, like, in just a few minutes a group of people could come in, light a fire, and start preparations for the days activities. Walking down the stairs to the floor of the kiva feels like being the first person into a civic building or church early in the morning. I came to the kiva knowing that it was a piece of monumental architecture, having read about Pueblo Great Houses, and I left with a much better understanding for the feeling of occupying the space, all that was missing was a nice fire with the sounds and smells of activities.
The rest of the walking tour through the 400 room Pueblo Great House that thrived here for a while was very good at contextualizing the room types, centrality of the kivas, and building styles present in this structure versus the others at this National Monument. The beginning of the walking tour starts with entering the kiva reconstruction and the end allowed me to walk into and through a series of rooms that still have their ceilings and portions of their windows and doors intact. After exiting the great house, I walked along the exterior wall, with a greater appreciation for the construction of the great houses and the feeling of being inside without the sky as a ceiling.
Timothy Dahlum 