They received the Spaniards with gifts and courtesy until the Spaniards violated their trust by raping their women and imprisoning their leaders without cause. However, some southern Pueblo groups apparently were not friendly with those in the northern reaches. There are definite Anasazi connections with the early civilizations of Mexico and Central America. A few rare skulls have been found at Anasazi sites with filed teeth, a decoration which was much more common among the residents of what is now Mexico. Interestingly, many of the pit-houses of the Anasazi appear to have been burned, and there are a number of cases where entire Pueblo villages were burnt.
Many indigenous peoples believe implicitly in witches and ghosts, even today.
After watching the movie at the visitor center, we hiked a short distance to photograph some petroglyphs, then retired to our camp site to wait out the afternoon heat. When the worst of the heat was over, we drove down the road and toured and photographed the Chetro Ketl and Pueblo Bonito sites. At one time, archaeologists estimated that 1,000 or more people lived at Pueblo Bonito, but recent speculation puts the total between 50 and 100, based on a study of the number of rooms that were actually liveable and the number of rooms used for storage and ceremony. Current thought is that Pueblo Bonito was a seasonal gathering place for trade. Estimates for the population of the entire canyon at its height were once between 20,000 and 30,000, but have been revised down to between 4,000 and 5,000.