Among the Ruins

Travel Journal Entry #7

Some of the traveler’s staying at the Hermitage tell stories of ancient ruins. I have one of my own to share.

Among the Ruins

When I think of ancient ruins, I think of those in other parts of the world, not the American Southwest; however, I was astonished one day, a number of years ago, when, on a lonely stretch of road in northern Arizona, we stumbled across the Wupatki ruins, a series of apartment-like dwellings estimated to be about 900 years old. Constructed of sandstone masonry on a plateau about fifty miles from the Grand Canyon, these dwellings may have sheltered as many as 30,000 people at one time. These buildings were probably inhabited by the Anasazi and Sinagua peoples, though no one really knows for sure. Similarly, no one is sure why these communities were abandoned, but it is hypothesized that an eruption of the nearby Sunset Crater volcano around 1100 c.e. drove the inhabits out of the area.

On the day we came across the ruins, it was bright, sunny, and such a glorious morning that we decided to stretch our legs and take a look around. The older folks in our party decided to just sit and view the ruins; I decided to go hiking among them (at the time there was no prohibitions about entering the structures).

After a while, the sun got the better of me and I decided to duck into one of the rooms inside the structure. As I stood inside the cool darkness, I chanced to look up through a window near the top of the room. I could see brilliant blue with tuffs of white clouds through the opening.

As I savored the moment, a strange and sudden feeling overcame me. I felt that I wasn’t alone any longer. I didn’t hear anything and as I swung around to look about the small room, all I could see was a barren dirt floor and nothing more. I continued to stand there, the feeling getting stronger with each passing moment. I stepped outside the doorway of the room to see if there was anyone else nearby. The closest tourists were way down the path, too far away to be the source of the sensation. I took one more look around the room and quickly left.

The feeling of being watch left me as soon as I found my group and headed back to the parking area. I didn’t mention my experience to anyone, but I pondered this odd sensation. I honestly felt as if, not one, but many people, were watching me in that room. Not given to much belief in the paranormal, I chalked it up a flight of imagination brought on by being in such an old and mysterious place.

However, in a country where sometimes historical edifices are knocked down in the name of progress, perhaps I WAS feeling the presence of the Ancient Ones. If so, I hope they were pleased that I stopped by to pay homage to their memory.

Text and photo: Lori Gloyd © May 6, 2006