Aztec Ruins National Monument

It is unclear if the people slowly left the pueblo over time or all at once. Although there is evidence of fire damaged the eastern part the the pueblo complex, there is no evidence of warfare-style conflict at Aztec Ruins. Diseases, impacts of drought, starvation, political, religious, and other cultural changes may have all played a part in the collapse of the Ancient Puebloan communities (Cajete and Nichols, 2004; Stuart, 2000).