Here is a view of the mesa as we headed into the park.
There are more than just cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park. Ancestral Puebloans (Anasazi) were present in the region from about 400 AD to 1300 AD. Not all of the Anasazi were cliff dwellers as evidenced by other sites across the southwest. Mesa Verde National Park is somewhat unique in that the various dwellings are present. The first settlers in this area were basket makers and dug a shallow Pithouse with a wood frame covered by mud shell. Here is one of the earliest ones preserved in the park.
From the web we got a drawing of what the Pithouse would have looked like.
They then dug deeper pits for the Pithouses showing here.
From Pithouses they then began developing above ground pueblos as well as pottery.
With below ground common rooms for sharing food showing here.
And the Kivas which were ceremonial.
For a reason currently unknown they then moved to building cliff dwellings patching stones together. Here are some of the ones built into Navajo Canyon.
Then a great drought hit and about 1300 AD they left the area moving south to Arizona and New Mexico. As we were leaving we saw a storm in the distance.
We had some very strong winds but no rain from that system.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
Funny, I have a post of this Nal Pk written but never posted it. All the pictures I had for the blog post disappeared. I can't update our travel map either. Having problems with blog post. Current post seem to be ok, but not my map. I just wish you could talk to someone at Google. But yours is a great post, with great pictures. Safe travels.
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