The Gasco archaeological site, located south of the iconic Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, has revealed a fascinating network of parallel ceremonial roads that, far from being mere functional infrastructure, embody deep ritual connections with geography and the cosmos.

A recent study led by Robert S. Weiner and other researchers, published in Antiquity, explores how these monumental structures align with the winter solstice sunrise over Mount Taylor, a sacred site for the Indigenous peoples of the region. The findings highlight how the ancient civilizations of the southwestern United States used the landscape as a ceremonial and political space that integrated natural and cosmic elements.

Chaco Canyon, occupied between 850 and 1140 CE, was the epicenter of a complex civilization known for its monumental architecture and an elaborate network of roads. Beyond their functional utility, these roads symbolized a “sacred geography” structuring ritual practices and reinforcing the religious and political authority of elites. In this context, the Gasco site emerges as a key piece demonstrating how ancient peoples used space to connect with the cosmos and solidify their cultural identity.

Parallel roads new mexico
Lidar digital elevation model of the Gasco Site. Credit: Robert S. Weiner

The Gasco site is located about 70 kilometers south of Chaco, in the Mesa Roja Valley. For decades, this location has been an archaeological enigma, characterized by a large horseshoe-shaped structure (the Gasco Horseshoe) and ceremonial roads. Using LiDAR technology and recent field surveys, researchers documented two parallel roads extending up to six kilometers, along with a second, previously unknown horseshoe structure.

The site’s design appears to have been influenced by preexisting geographical features, such as nearby water sources and the prominence of Mount Taylor on the horizon. These structures not only facilitated ritual organization but also incorporated symbolic aspects of dualism, water, and astronomy, fundamental to the cosmological beliefs of Indigenous peoples.

A central aspect of the study is the alignment of the Gasco roads with the winter solstice sunrise over Mount Taylor, a mountain revered by Pueblo, Navajo, and other Indigenous cultures. In December 2022, researchers confirmed this alignment by observing the dramatic sunrise from the site. Such astronomical precision suggests that the roads were not mere transportation routes but ceremonial corridors designed for rituals related to the sun’s cyclical renewal.

Parallel roads new mexico
Ground view of the Gasco Herradura. Credit: Robert S. Weiner

The winter solstice, marked by the longest night of the year, symbolized the balance between opposites such as day and night, cold and heat. The construction of two parallel roads and their respective horseshoes may have represented this dualism. Researchers suggest that these roads may have been used for ritual races, a common practice among Pueblo peoples intended to revitalize the “weak” winter sun.

Water, a vital resource in the arid Southwest, also played a crucial role in the symbolism of the Gasco site. The roads visually and possibly physically connect with nearby springs, highlighting their relationship with sacred aquatic sites. In many Pueblo and Navajo traditions, springs and mountains like Mount Taylor are seen as sources of life and places inhabited by ancestral beings.

Artifacts found at the site, including painted pottery, polished stones, and a tiny piece of turquoise, were likely offerings to these natural forces, reinforcing the idea that the Gasco site was a point of convergence between water, the landscape, and the sky, creating a setting conducive to communal rituals.

Parallel roads new mexico
The newly identified line of stones (arrows) across the Gasco South Parallel Road. Note the road’s alignment towards Mount Taylor on the horizon. Credit: Robert S. Weiner

The study of the Gasco site also places these discoveries in a global context, comparing them with other ritual complexes such as the Avenue at Stonehenge in Britain and the Emerald Acropolis in Cahokia, Illinois. In all these cases, ancient communities monumentalized landscapes with cosmic alignments and connections to water sources, demonstrating similar patterns of interaction between natural elements and human structures.

SOURCES

Weiner RS, Friedman RA, Stein JR. Parallel roads, solstice and sacred geography at the Gasco Site: a Chacoan ritual landscape. Antiquity. Published online 2025:1-17. doi:10.15184/aqy.2025.4

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