preview

Ancestral Novo National Park Essay

Decent Essays

Mesa Verde National Park Located in the southwestern part of Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park was the home of Ancestral Puebloans from AD 600 to 1300. Located within the park are thousands of archaeological sites and hundreds of cliff dwellings. Whether you have half of a day or a week at the park, there are many opportunities to see not only the cliff homes that were built so long ago, but also to enjoying some truly amazing geographically features in and around the park. When the Ancestral Pueblo first inhabited this area, they lived on the mesa tops, close to their farmlands, but during the 1190s, they “began living in pueblos they built beneath the overhanging cliffs” (Cliff Dwelling). Numerous cliff dwellings have their own names and can be visited while at the park, along with hiking, and sites on the top of the mesas. The geology of the Mesa Verde is what made it possible for the Ancestral Pueblo to build their magnificent cliff dwellings in the first place. While this area has been named Mesa Verde, the correct term for the “mesas” is cuesta. A cuesta “gently dips in one direction” …show more content…

It is the largest cliff dwelling in North America and includes 150 rooms, 75 constructed open areas, and 21 kivas and 2 kiva-like structures (Houk), housing around 100 people. This area is considered to be social/ritual area for the Ancestral Pueblo. Also located on Chapin Mesa is the Balcony House, found in 1884 by S.E. Osborn. This site also requires a ticket for a ranger led tour, and is labeled as one of the best-preserved areas at the park. This tour is also one of the more adventurous tours of cliff houses in the park. It has a tunnel to pass through and a large ladder to ascend. This dwelling area considered of medium size, having only 38 rooms and 2 kivas

Get Access