The Colorado premiere of the third Solstice Project film, “Written on the Landscape: Mysteries Beyond Chaco Canyon,” will be held in the Fort Lewis College (FLC) Concert Hall at 7 p.m., on June 7, free and open to the public.
The showing, sponsored by the San Juan Basin Archaeological Society, the Durango Public Library, the FLC Center of Southwest Studies and the FLC Concert Hall, will be introduced by the renown Southwest writer Craig Childs.
The film’s national premiere will be on New Mexico PBS on June 20.
In the scorching heat of late June 1977, atop a butte in Chaco Canyon, Anna Sofaer made a discovery that would unravel the enigmatic astronomy of ancient America. What followed over the next four decades was a journey of profound exploration, collaboration, and revelation through the Solstice Project, shedding light on a civilization steeped in complex cosmology.
Sofaer, an esteemed American researcher and educator specializing in the archeoastronomy of the Ancestral Puebloans of the American Southwest, embarked on this journey with the rediscovery of the astronomical marvel known as the Sun Dagger on Fajada Butte in Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
Through meticulous research, Sofaer and the Solstice Project unveiled a celestial calendar etched in the landscape, recording the rhythmic dance of the sun and moon.
Establishing the nonprofit Solstice Project in 1978, Sofaer has since spearheaded groundbreaking endeavors, including producing peer-reviewed research papers, two illuminating documentaries that have aired on PBS, and the upcoming new film on Chaco, “Written on the Landscape: Mysteries Beyond Chaco Canyon.”
“People with extraordinary expertise in astronomy, geology and archaeology have given generously to our studies,” said Sofaer. “Visiting with Puebloan descendants has deepened my knowledge and inspired me through the years. They have encouraged our research into the science of their ancestors and offered sensitive insights into their historical and spiritual connections with Chaco. It is their insights that create the story of our new film.”
The seminal film “The Sun Dagger” (1982) is a testament to Sofaer’s pioneering work, showcasing the intricate celestial architecture of ancient North American Indians. Hailed as an astronomical marvel comparable to the pyramids and Stonehenge, the film unveiled the profound scientific knowledge of the Chacoan culture.
“The Mystery of Chaco Canyon” (1999) delved deeper into the enigmas of Chaco, revealing a civilization that meticulously designed and constructed ceremonial buildings aligned with celestial patterns. Far from a mere trade center, Chaco Canyon emerged as a crucible of astronomy and cosmology, where the landscape itself spoke the language of an ordered universe.
Now, in 2024, “Written on the Landscape” continues the exploration of discovery of the Chaco Canyon world of magnificent architecture that flourished 1,000 years ago, unveiling Sofaer’s and the Solstice Project’s latest revelations.
The film illustrates new groundbreaking research, gathered using aerial imagery, precise surveying techniques, and LiDAR (aerial laser scanning), showing the immense region of the Chaco world extending from the heart of Chaco Canyon across 70,000 square miles of the American Southwest — a vast high desert expanse known as the Four Corners.
Insights offered by Puebloan advisers combined with a new understanding of Mesoamerican parallels for cardinal directions, the interplay of vertical and horizontal axes, ritual “roads,” cacao, shells, spirals, and the sun and moon. As the journey unfolds, the depth of the Chacoan people’s knowledge and ingenuity continues to astonish, reaffirming their legacy as pioneers of scientific observation and spiritual integration. The film also serves as a clarion call to protect this ancient resource from degradations of the landscape through energy extraction and disregard for the environment.
“Every new discovery in the Solstice Project’s research holds immense significance,” emphasized Philip Tuwaletstiwa (Hopi), a pivotal member of The Solstice Project’s team for more than three decades.
As the former deputy director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Geodetic Survey, Tuwaletstiwa spearheaded the Solstice Project’s precise surveys of the major Chaco buildings from 1984 to 1997.
“Our ongoing research not only offers a fresh perspective on Pueblo history but also provides a profound appreciation of Native American scientific prowess. This knowledge is invaluable, especially for younger generations, as it illuminates the remarkable achievements of their ancestors,” he said.
Join us in unlocking the secrets of Chaco Canyon with Anna Sofaer and the Solstice Project, as we illuminate the ancient past to illuminate the present and future.
