Places and Regions
Mesa Verde National Park, located in Southwestern Colorado, is known for its well-preserved Ancestral Puebloan Cliff Dwellings. The cliff dwellings are believed to have been built around 800 years ago. Mesa Verde, which spans roughly 52,485 acres, was designated a National Park in 1906 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The cliff dwellings give us insight into life in pre-Columbian North America, and its legacy continues to live on through Native Americans today.
Physical Geography
The formation of the Mesa Verde landscape began over 100 million years ago when the Western Interior Seaway would rise and recede over the North American landscape, depositing sand that was eventually cemented into sandstone that would form the base of the Montezuma Valley’s erosion-resistant earth known as Dakota Sandstone. After years of washing over the continent and withdrawing once again, the Western Interior Seaway would finally recede for the last time around 70 million years ago exposing the dry land.
With the sea finally retreated, the land began to see the effects of active volcanoes in the area. Following the end of the Cretaceous period, the Laramide Orogeny would begin nearly 65 million years ago, a mountain-building period in which plate subduction would form the modern Rocky Mountains. After back-and-forth periods of uplift and erosion, the landscape would be left with Mesa Verde’s present topography we see today.
Human Geography
The region of the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings was first known to have been inhabited by nomads from around 7500 B.C. until 1000 B.C. when they were replaced by the so-called Basketweavers, a society of people named after their impressive and complicated basket weaving styles. From around 300-750 A.D, this society developed into the Ancestral Puebloan society. The pueblo people originally lived in “pit dwellings,” which were homes built into shallow holes in the earth. The pit walls were usually caked with a layer of mud, and a roof was fashioned using support beams. The Puebloans would begin to shift towards above-ground homes without completely abandoning the “pit” style.
By the 13th century, however, the Ancestral Puebloans had perfected the art of building cliff dwellings. These structures, built into south-facing cliffs, would take advantage of the sun’s warmth and provide protection from the elements and even possible enemies.
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The cliff structures not only provided its inhabitants warmth and safety but also allowed room for agriculture on the fields above the cliffs and sometimes below in the canyons. To get on and off of the cliffs, shallow hand- and foot-holes were carved into the cliff-face as a make-shift ladder.
Each individual mesa-top construction was designed differently, depending on the needs of its inhabitants: “The structures ranged in size from one-room storage units to villages of more than 150 rooms.” One common feature throughout these villages though, is the Great Kiva, a large circular building that could be entered from a ladder on the roof. The structure’s purpose is debated among scholars, with some insisting it was used for sacred rituals reserved only for the tribe’s high-ranking men, while others are convinced it was a public arena for social gatherings and town meetings. Although we still don’t know their exact purpose, both interpretations are plausible.
The cliff dwellings were discovered in December of 1888 by two cowboys who were off searching for missing cattle, they explored the structures and continued to visit them for years before it received outside attention. During this time, many more farmers stumbled upon the ruins and would utilize them as shelters on overnight trips. However, there were no laws protecting the site at the time, so it sustained damage from visiting farmers and sightseers. It wasn’t until 1906 that it was established as the United States’ 7th National Park, and would benefit from the protection of government laws. Today, it is a popular tourist attraction because of its rich history and magnificent ancient architecture. Visitors to the park also have an array of group- and self-guided tours to choose from, as well as designated overnight camping sites.
Environment and Society
Unfortunately, the Mesa Verde region has already begun to see the effects of climate change. “In 2014, the Union of Concerned Scientists published a report noting that Mesa Verde National Park has already suffered the loss of much of its forest due to wildfires. These wildfires, as well as flash flooding caused by the loss of vegetation, have already caused damage to the ruins at Mesa Verde and could get worse in the future.” In fact, scientists predict that within the 21st century, the region may see a “megadrought” that could devastate a region already struggling with water shortages.
