Tuesday April 16 2013 PART 1
Ancestral Puebloans built and settled into cliff dwellings at around the year 1200, and departed in about 1300. In the 1880s two cowboys came across the remains of some of these dwellings and archeologists have been studying and restoring some of them in nearest to original condition as possible.
The Puebloans would hunt and and gather, returning with their goods by climbing in footholds they had carved in sheer cliffs.
At first Archeologists referred to the people as Anansasi, but title implies a negative description meaning something like strange foreigner. Ancestral Puebloeans is the accepted name.
The Cliff Palace is the largest of the dwellings at Mesa Verde.
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| Cliff Palace |
We stood at a viewing landing before climbing down and then up the first of four ladders.
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| Climbing our ladder |
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| David was an excellent |
Ranger David was an excellent guide who not only gave us much information but holds true respect and appreciation for the nature, work and craftsmanship of those who developed and lived here 700 years ago.
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| Kiva |
Kivas were big "holes in the ground" that apparently served as ceremonial places, places to pray for rain, luck in hunting, or a good crop. They were gathering places comparable to later churches.
Inside this room, high up the wall, there are two ancient paintings.
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| Had to lean way in backwards for a shot of both paintings |
The hike up from the dwellings involved more ladders, and some nicely stone steps.
From here Lynne and I drove to our next stop -- to be continued in Part 2 of this day.
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