The Sun Dagger(1983)

The Story of America's Stonehenge

The Sun Dagger is a documentary exploring one of the Southwest's most remarkable astronomical achievements. High atop a butte in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, artist Anna Soafer discovered an intricate celestial calendar built by the Anasazi over a thousand years ago. The site uses natural rock formations and carefully positioned petroglyphs to track the sun's movement throughout the year, marking solstices and equinoxes with striking precision. Soafer's rediscovery reveals how an ancient civilization engineered a sophisticated timekeeping system without written records or modern instruments. The film examines the ingenious design, the cultural significance of this astronomical knowledge, and what the Sun Dagger tells us about Anasazi cosmology and engineering prowess. It's a compelling look at indigenous innovation and humanity's enduring relationship with the cosmos.