MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK Za = _—_—_
  • . pe Pre tp ee ee igi ac sal ig - ry a aoe < merrePALACE, THE CAMEOMN WHE CLIFF in which they were built. And as the Indians of more recent years were afraid to enter these deserted homes of their ancestors, they stood unharmed for hundreds of years until the arrival of the white men in 1888. Between that date and the creation of the National Park in 1906 many ruins suffered grievously from the hands of “pot hunters” and those who did not appreciate the great historical value of these buildings. The atmosphere of antiquity which emanates from these age-old ruins takes pos- session of all who behold them. The first sight of the Spruce Tree House, from the porch of the Park Community Building, is a wonderful experience. It rests there, in its cave setting, tucked away in a small canyon, with an air of peaceful dignity, a living monu- ment to a forgotten race. At intervals during the summer, Mrs. Nusbaum presents plays of extraordinary beauty. Using Spruce Tree House as a stage, and with the Indian em- ployees of the Park as actors, the ruin again becomes the colorful scene of the ancient pageantry of Indian life, to the delight of the audience across the narrow canyon. THE GUY OE LAE DEAD AeWATGH LOWER ORFTHEVANCIEN TS SPRUCE TREE HOUSE SQUARE TOWER HOUSE THE CLIFF DWELLERS COUNTRY BALCONY HOUSE THE COOKING JAR THE HOUSE OF THE CLIFF DWELLER CEDAR TREES All of the ruins were community dwellings. One family or one clan lived in each of the many smaller ruins, but it is estimated that as many as eight hundred people lived in Cliff Palace. Both types of ruins were built of stone and cemented with adobe clay. The © larger Cliff Dweller ruins contain many rooms and religious or ceremonial chambers called kivas. The kivas are always circular in shape and are built below the ground surface, the roof generally being at that level. The roofs of both kivas and rooms were made of peeled cedar poles over which was a thick layer of cedar bark, then a covering of earth. Besides the kivas there are many rooms which were used for dwelling and storage rooms, while some of the remote rooms were mortuary chambers. In many places the dwellings are two, - sometimes three and even four stories high. The interiors of the rooms were plastered with adobe and in some instances the outer wall surface also. In a few rooms the walls have been decorated with symbolic designs. There are small doorways in all of the rooms open- AN INDIAN FIRE CEREMONY SUNSET FROM THE NORTH RIM ing either into the plazas, or into rooms which lie at the rear, one opening into another. Some of the doorways are T-shaped, others are rectangular, slightly narrowing at the top. A large slab of stone was used for a door. Fire places are found in some of the rooms, but most of the cooking was done in the open plaza. Special rooms have been found which had been set apart for the grinding of the corn. The stone mills consisted of boxes made of slabs of rock. In each of these was an inclined mealstone, a metate. The corn was placed on this and rubbed with a small rounded stone, a mano, until the finely ground meal fell into a receptacle at the bottom of the mill. The cliff dwellers used earthenware pots for cooking utensils as well as for water and food containers. In all of the ruins there are one or more towers, presumably watch towers, though it is believed that they were used for ceremonial purposes also. The round tower of Cliff Palace is a fine example of the skillful masonry of these aboriginal people. THE PRAYER SENDER Each ruin has its own individuality and charm. The locations differ greatly, and the structures are somewhat different in each. Cliff Palace, the largest ruin in the Park, is the most impressive. The majesty of its setting, the beauty of its contours and the interesting play of light and shade, make a visit to this ruin most memorable. But no less picturesque are Balcony House, Square Tower House, Spruce Tree House, and many others. Far View House is a fine example of the Pueblo type of ruin. Sun Temple, also a surface ruin, built on a point overlooking two superb canyons in one of which is Cliff Palace, is unique in its construction and shrouded with mystery. Little is actually known regarding the purpose of this ruin, though it is generally believed to have been a ceremonial building. It is shaped like a huge letter D with a double wall around the outside. In the center are two kivas. There is a legend connected with it told by the Hopi Indians of today. They believe that it was built by their ancestors. These people in their great pride considering them- THE READING ROOM IN THE PARK MUSEUM selves equal to their gods, invited them to occupy one of the kivas, that it might be proven who were superior. The gods in fury destroyed the temple, scattered the people to the ~ south, and changed their languages. Thus Sun Temple, with this legend concerning the _ origin of the various Pueblo Indians of New Mexico and Arizona, is a prototype of att the Biblical Tower of Babel. Weeks may be spent at the Mesa Verde National Park exploring its ruins, its ae e and enjoying the great beauty of the North Rim. There are countless trips to be made, either on horseback or on foot. From the bottom of the canyons there is endless fascination _ in hunting for tiny ruins hidden away in secluded corners high—hundreds of feet high— above the trail. And it must always be with a sense of romance gathered about a forgotten people, as well as with appreciation of the beauty of the country itself, that one remembers the Mesa Verde. ae Sn a. ~ Yo eee a ee. ae " - \ ‘* i rad ie ee ee BS yon es pale Seat A | IN G se dues ET law fot. as. | fab a i iat in Be Dias : a ee ee ed . aa . bu L Pia —- Sp ae ps bs 4