# The centre of a populous regional polity that expanded rapidly after 1040, with roads, shrines and outliers…

> Most likely: The centre of a populous regional polity that expanded rapidly after 1040, with roads, shrines and outliers as its infrastructure.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon/answers/ANS0D9KTXRR2HK7/the-centre-of-a-populous-regional-polity-that-expanded  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[Great houses of Chaco Canyon](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon)[What was Chaco Canyon?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon/questions/QST0D9KTSC476X2/what-was-chaco-canyon)Answer

Answer · Great houses of Chaco Canyon

# The centre of a populous regional polity that expanded rapidly after 1040, with roads, shrines and outliers…

The centre of a populous regional polity that expanded rapidly after 1040, with roads, shrines and outliers as its infrastructure.

**Most likely** Answers **1** questionPublished0

## Where it stands

**Most likely** Its tests partly supported it: two pieces of evidence for, none against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- Regional population at the peak exceeds earlier estimates.
- Outliers share architecture and appear in a short burst after 1040.
- Imports to the canyon come from the outlier regions.

## What would rule it out

- Regional household counts showing the system's population was too small to support colonial-style expansion.

## Evidence 2 for · none against

[An Ideal Free Distribution model puts the regional population above even the highest earlier estimates.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon/evidence/EVD0D9KTY0J65D7/an-ideal-free-distribution-model-puts-the-regional)

Suggestive

FOR

[Timber came first from the Zunis and then, from about 1060, from the Chuskas, where Chuskan tools and pottery…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon/evidence/EVD0D9KTY8C3JZY/timber-came-first-from-the-zunis-and-then-from-about-1060)

Supported

FOR

## The questions it answers

[What was Chaco Canyon?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon/questions/QST0D9KTSC476X2/what-was-chaco-canyon)

Most likelyThe seat of a hereditary elite whose house at Pueblo Bonito controlled ritual and long-distance exchange

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). The centre of a populous regional polity that expanded rapidly after 1040, with roads, shrines and outliers… [Answer ANS0D9KTXRR2HK7]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D9KTXRR2HK7
```

Key

**ANS** 0D9KTXRR2HK7

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Published

Version

1

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