The short version is the Anasazi did the "Donner Party" thing in the face of a drought induced famine. I doubt not being an Anasazi was any protection if a hungry band of the same showed up at your residence.
A more likely explanation, however, is that the local theater production of "Ravenous" went out of control after the director got eaten and there was nobody left to yell "Cut!"
Mystery at Chaco Canyon ... According to Christy G. Turner II, an anthropologist and regents professor at Arizona State University, invaders from Mexico practised cannabalism at Chaco.
During the period of 900-1200 AD, invaders from what is now central Mexico indulged in mass-murder “feeding sessions” of several days. At least 300 Hisatsinom were eaten, some of them children.
Distinctive teeth marks on the bones of the victims offer proof of the identity of the attackers, who commonly practiced implanting jewels such as jade and turquoise in their teeth.
http://www.ausbcomp.com/redman/hisatsinom.htm
Thank you for these most interesting links and this particular story.
Researchers aren’t really divided. There are two opinions, however; one opinion comes from archaeologists whom are hired by the indians and the other is from other archaeologists. Indians purportedly descended from those groups where cannibalism was practiced are understandably sensitive about the idea.
I wish I had the text at hand, but Dr. Tim White did a brilliant study of the subject ca 1990. His conclusions were derived from data that looked about as ironclad as possible that prehistoric cannibalism in that area of NM did occur. Dr. White’s book makes fascinating reading and it’s not so doused in archy lingo that most people couldn’t understand it. I believe it is entitled “Prehistoric Cannibalism...”. You can probably get a copy through one of the internet suppliers.
Anasazis are interesting. It’s a Navajo word that means “Stranger” or “Not one of us”. Anasazi artifacts look like Celtic artifacts.