What was the role of men in Anasazi society?
That is a somewhat difficult question to answer. Based on what we know of the Pueblos, who are the living descendents of the Anasazi, men did most of the heavy labor, such as building houses, preparing and planting fields, and hunting, while women did much of the home maintenance, including plastering and cleaning, they prepared food (which often required several hours a day just grinding the corn), and, of course, they were responsible for child care. Men were also responsible for the ceremonial life of the family and spent a considerable amount of time preparing for or participating in community ritual activities. Women probably did not have as important a role in the ceremonial events, although they did participate in some and often prepared food for participants in community rituals. The important point here is that although the Pueblos have these gender roles today, their Anasazi descendents may have done things a bit differently. Archaeologists are still trying to determine to wh
