“The round room was a kiva, a ceremonial chamber.”
The round room looks more like a cistern. Look at the water downspouts. At this elevation, water must have been a precious commodity.
“The round room looks more like a cistern.” Maybe it was a ceremonial hot tub!
Pueblo Bonito, one of the largest of the Chaco Canyon pueblos, is a good example of how the Hisatsinom lived.
Pueblo Bonito rose four to five stories high — an astounding achievement for the time. Rooms surrounded a central plaza, and throughout the settlement were a number of kivas, meeting places that served a ceremonial purpose.
The total population of Pueblo Bonito was probably around 1,200 people at its height. Surrounding the pueblo were a number of smaller dwellings and structures. Numerous communities looked to Chaco Canyon for political and religious guidance.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/chaco/