 In 1889, Navajo historian Washington Mathews reported that in Navajo mythology the building is referred to as "Kintyél" or "Kintyéli", which means "broad-house".Other Navajo translations include "house in the corner" and "shining house".The first formal excavation of Chetro Ketl was conducted during 1920 and 1921 by Edgar L. Hewett, director of Chaco Canyon's first archeological field school.