Mesa Verde

The Ancestral Puebloans began constructing their homes in the cliff alcoves at Mesa Verde, Colorado in about 500 A.D. What remains is what they built during their golden age between A.D. 1100 and 1300. They left this site over a 25 to 50 year period in the 13th century for unknown reasons. I took this picture of the settlement called Cliff Palace. It is the largest and most intricate of the 6oo settlements found in the park. Archaeologists found jars of corn seed at the site, which meant the Puebloans had probably hoped to one day return to this beautiful site but they never did. A group of cowboys looking for lost cattle stumbled upon Cliff Palace in 1888 and the world began to learn of this amazing place. The Puebloan descendants are now mingled with the Navajo, Ute, Hopi, and Pueblo native American tribes of the southwest.

It was a beautiful 20 mile drive into Mesa Verde National Park and once again when you arrive at the cliff dwellings, you cannot quite believe what you are seeing. The park ranger, Adrianne, explained to the group of about 40 that the descent to Cliff Palace would include many steps and ladders to climb so if you were not in the best of shape it was a good idea to re-think your decision to view the site up close. Looks of panic swept over the faces of the mostly older crowd, but no one held back. It was well well worth all the huffing and puffing it took to get to the site and back out.

Adrianne, also gave us an excellent history lesson halfway down the trail as we rested up for the remainder of our journey down. There is also an excellent museum of man-made artifacts which archaeologists have discovered in the park dating back 10,000 years, back to the earliest arrivals. The Pebloans were farmers with domesticated dogs and turkeys, and they made beautiful baskets, rugs and pottery.

Tchatchkis queen that I am, I found the traditional Puebloan black and white pottery particularly beautiful, and of course found a shop where I could buy pieces that are still made today by descendants of these people. Where to display these lovely pieces in my tchatchkis-filled home will be my challenge, but of course this did not stop me.

We are next on our way to Durango to ride the Durango-Silverton narrow gauge steam train.