Mesa Verde # 7, Cortez,CO. Aug. 17, 2013

As I move on around the Rim Road in Wetherill Mesa there are many more overlooks and sites to see and things to learn about these early ancient people called Anasazi or Pueblo People.

Life In A Tough Environment

Lay Of The Land

Hard Dangerous Work Using A Stone To Make Foot/Hand Holds In The Face Of A Cliff High Above The Valley. Everyone Had To Access Their Home Using These Hand Carved Hand/Foot Holds. Imagine Carrying Your Supplies Or Your Child Up And Down. I Guess When You Got Too Old To Climb You Stayed Home.

Looking Down One Of These Canyons

Shear Face Of A Cliff. Look at The Perfect Square Of Rock That Has Fallen Out Of The Face Of This Cliff

 Alcove Dwellers Site Being Rebuilt

 Alcove Dwellers

Alcove Site Ruins 

Four Story High Square Structure Being Rebuilt In One Of The Photograph Below

Rebuilding A Tower

Part Of The Alcove Dwelling Near The Tower

Roughed Cliffs And Valley

  

Part Of Tower Alcove Dwelling Place

Another View Of Alcove Dwelling Tower House

The name of this dwelling comes from the  striking four-story high structure standing against the back wall. There are round free standing towers in Mesa Verde but this one is different in that it is square and a part of the overall plan of the house. It also has windows, doorways and flooring and the inner walls had been plastered. Artifacts found during excavation was a reed mat, some feathered cloth, a pottery rest and a human like figurine. Below the alcove was a spring that provided water for the residents but getting to the Tower House was not an easy feat because you had to use the toe and hand holds which had been make into the face of the cliff. Imagine climbing up and down the face of the cliff carry a jar of water or wood for your fire or bringing in corn from the field and more than likely for the women carrying a baby at the same time. Several photos above shows an artist rendition of an Indian using a rock to carve out toe and hand holes. People lived here between A. D, 1200 and A. D. 1300 and this was the last phase of cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde.

Next posting will be more about the Pit Houses and some improvements they made.

Amid all this blogging there is a wedding being prepared for here. Guest are starting to fly in from all over the United States and here at my daughter's house many details and crafty items are being made and prepared and yours truly is right in the middle of it all. They always said about me " have glue gun will travel ". Also, I am  playing the part of the mule pushing the shopping cart and carrying in goodies from the car. Two more days!

The Yesterday Afternoon I Was Taking My Nap And Was Awaken By Just Constant Airplane Motors Close By. This Is Rare So I Got Up to Find That A Ridge Close To My Daughters House Was On Fire And One Of These Aircraft Was A News Craft And The Other Was A Helicopter Dropping Water On The Grass Fire. There Was A lot Of Smoke But No Danger To Her House Or Housing Development.



Fire Trucks

Helicopter Used To Drop Water On Grass Fire

Smoke

Heavy Duty Crafting Going On But Still Time To Smile.

As always it is late and I am still on east coast time which is even later so I am going to turn in for the night. Tomorrow will be an even busier day. In spite of the busy time remember that God loves you and so do I.

Grandpa Bill