Cultural | Russ Bishop Photography | Nature Photo Blog

March 11, 2021March 11, 2021

Chaco Canyon

Interior doorways at Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Culture National Historic Park, New Mexico

Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico is the largest concentration of ancient pueblos in the southwest. At its center, Chaco Canyon was a major cultural center of the Anasazi or Ancient Pueblo People between AD 900 and 1150, and contains the most impressive ancient ruins north of Mexico.

Situated high on the Colorado Plateau at over 6,000 feet, the Anasazi were skilled masons and built fifteen major structures at Chaco. Called Great Houses, they included the impressive 650 room Pueblo Bonito (a world heritage site) using stone and timber brought in on a network of roads from up to 15 miles away. They also practiced astronomy and experts believe their buildings were aligned to capture the solar and lunar cycles. Many of them remained the largest buildings in North America until the 19th century.

No one knows exactly why this powerful culture suddenly disappeared in the late 12th century, but they left behind a lasting legacy in stone.

October 14, 2020November 1, 2021

The Ancient Ones

The Native American cliff dwellings of the southwest are the most spectacular ruins north of Mexico. The Ancestral Puebloan Indians (or “The Ancient Ones”) were the prehistoric pueblo culture that thrived in the Four Corners region of the United States between 900 and 1200 A.D. before their mysterious disappearance.

Many of their elaborate structures are well-preserved in national parks such as Mesa Verde in southwestern Colorado, Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, and Canyon de Chelly in Arizona. From three-story citadels perched precariously on canyon ledges like Square Tower House shown here, to the 500 room Great Houses of Chaco Canyon, these skilled masons left a legacy to rival the ruins of ancient Greece.

Once referred to as the Anasazi, Archaeologists and scholars still debate what caused their sudden demise toward the end of the 12th century. But the stone handiwork of the Ancestral Puebloans remains a fascinating testament to the vision and tenacity of these ancient pueblo people.

December 8, 2015March 8, 2018

Mont Saint-Michel

Mont Saint-Michel is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of France’s most recognizable landmarks. Known as the “Wonder of the Western World”, this island fortress was built in ancient times and since the 8th century has been the seat of the monastery for which it is named.

Perched on a rocky islet at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches, the island is just 600 meters from shore. This unique location made it accessible at low tide to the many pilgrims to its abbey, but also provided an excellent defense against invasion. Through the ages, the Mont remained unconquered even during the Hundred Years’ War.

During the French Revolution the abbey was closed and converted into a prison, but influential figures including Victor Hugo launched a campaign to restore this national architectural treasure to its former glory. The prison was finally closed in 1863, and the mount was declared a national historic monument in 1874.

Throughout the centuries, the abbey became a renowned centre of learning and attracted some of the greatest minds in Europe. Today Mont Saint-Michel has a population of just 44 permanent residents, but is visited by over 3 million tourists each year.

The winding cobblestone streets and fascinating architecture of this medieval town still lead to the Gothic-style Benedictine abbey dedicated to the archangel St Michael at the islands apex, But the pilgrims now come to enjoy the fine dining and spectacular views of the surrounding countryside, and ponder the rich history within these walls.