On Jul 18, 2011, at 3:05 PM, turquoiseb wrote:

> This theory was discarded years ago, because no one can
> find any archeological evidence of a drought or famine,
> which is fairly easily detectable. The prevailing theory
> these days (although they keep it under their hats because
> it would so fuck the tourist industry) is that one of the
> factors of their demise was cannibalism.

Well, it's possible it could have contributed to the 
demise of the Anasazi, but it's a little tough to 
believe it was in any major way.  Not unless the 
cannibals had really big appetites.  I'm pretty
sure that if that went on, it was a result of 
desperation, not a cause of it.

> The current
> theory is that a bunch of badass Indians from Mexico
> and Central or South America migrated northward to Chaco
> and, being both militaristic and cannibalistic, brought
> their ways to a previously peaceful society and took it
> over. There is sadly some archeological evidence for 
> this theory.

Well, Jared Diamond's theory, after extensive
research, is that what felled their society is pretty
much what fells most~~resource mismanagement 
(in this case water)
and deforestation.  Not nearly as colorful as badass
cannibals, but there you have it.

Sal

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