Basketmaker III period

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The Basketmaker III period (about 500–750 CE), also called the Modified Basketmaker period, was the third phase of Pueblo life when people farmed more, started making pottery, and lived in larger groups of pit-houses.

Housing and villages: People still lived in pit-houses, but they were bigger and better organized. They had separate spaces, a large central hearth, vestibules, and walls lined with stone. Most pit-houses stood on tops of mesas. They were a few feet deep and 8–20 feet (2.4–6.1 m) in diameter. A log frame supported a roof of woven reeds, grass, and mud, with a central opening for ventilation and entry. Some sites included a storage room.

Sites and people: From about 450–700 CE, more than 200 Basketmaker sites sat on Chaco Canyon mesas, ridges, and canyon floors. Shabik’eschee, dated to about 550–700 CE, is the type site for this period. It had 18 pit-houses for about 77 people, more than 50 storage pits, and a large pit-house used for celebrations and rituals—likely a great kiva. Most villages were small (5–15 people), but Shabik’eschee shows that larger groups existed. The area around Pleasant View, Colorado, has 11 sites with stockades dated 600–700 CE, suggesting concerns for safety.

Society: The social and political structure was probably informal, with heads of households making decisions by consensus. Petroglyphs of people and animals appear at places like Petrified Forest National Park.

Food and farming: People grew beans, squash, and maize and raised turkeys. Food was stored in underground pits lined with stones. They hunted, trapped, and gathered wild foods as well.

Pottery and weaving: Pottery was introduced, reducing the number of baskets and replacing some woven bags. Gray pottery was used for cooking, storage, and carrying water, while Adamana Brown pottery is among the earliest on the Colorado Plateau. Weaving improved, producing bags, baskets, sandals, sashes, and other items. Pitch-lined baskets could hold water, and hot stones were used to cook food.

Other goods: Turkey feathers were woven into blankets and robes, and babies were carried in cradle boards. This period shows growing agriculture, more pottery, and more complex daily life.