Today, October 14, is Indigenous Peoples’ Day. I want to highlight one area we visited at Mesa Verde NP in 2007 to celebrate this day. We were dismayed at the fire devastation we witnessed when we entered the park. Luckily, none affected the historic cliff dwellings in the park, such as Spruce Tree House and Cliff Palace.
Pictured above is the overlook view of Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde NP. The National Park Service (NPS) states, “recent studies reveal that Cliff Palace contained 150 rooms and 23 kivas and had a population of approximately 100 people. Out of the nearly 600 cliff dwellings concentrated within the boundaries of the park, 75% contain only 1-5 rooms each, and many are single room storage units.” Furthermore, “it is thought that Cliff Palace was a social, administrative site with high ceremonial usage.” That can be evidenced by the number of kivas, as stated above.
The photo immediately above shows a group touring the ruins. This gives you a sense of the size of Cliff Palace. You can also see the reconstruction efforts done to restore some of the rooms in the area.
When we did this tour, we were amazed at the large area these rooms covered. Also, it is noticeable that people who lived here were shorter than the average North American. Again, according to NPS, “an average man was about 5’4″ to 5’5″ (163 cm) tall, while an average woman was 5′ to 5’1″ (152 cm).” It must also be noted that Ancestral Pueblo in Cliff Palace had a shorter life span. NPS says that this was “due, in part, to the high infant mortality rate. Most people lived an average of 32-34 years, however some people did live into their 50s and 60s. Approximately 50% of the children died before they reached the age of five.“
According to Wikipedia, “Cliff Palace was constructed primarily out of sandstone, mortar, and wooden beams. The sandstone was shaped using harder stones, and a mortar of soil, water, and ash was used to hold everything together. “Chinking” stones were placed within the mortar to fill gaps and provide stability.” Chinking stones are small stones that fill the gaps between the beams and larger stones.
The Cliff Palace tour is a fascinating walk through history. However, the NPS warns that this “one-hour, ranger-guided tour involves 120 uneven stone steps and climbing five, 8-10 foot (2.6-3m) ladders on a 100 foot (30m) vertical climb. Total walking distance is about 1/4-mile (400m), round-trip.“
Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day! Celebrate our ancestors and protect our history.
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Anne Sandler
WOW Egidio, we’ve seen cliff dwellings, but none as extensive as this. Amazing!
Egidio Leitao
We were also surprised. We had also seen some cliff dwellings prior to Mesa Verde, but Cliff Palace and others in the area left us speechless. Thanks for writing.
I. J. Khanewala
It is amazing to see the difference in scale between mountains and buildings.
Egidio Leitao
You’re right. It is good to see that scale. Thanks for pointing that out.
Aletta - nowathome
It must have been amazing to see these cliff dwellings ! I’ve never seen something like this before. So fascinating 😮
Egidio Leitao
They are amazing indeed. We have traveled extensively through the US southwest visiting several of those sites. Thanks for your comment.
Aletta - nowathome
Fantastic 😊
nesfelicio
Amazing, indeed! What a sight!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you.
margaret21
What an extraordinary set of dwellings – beautifully constructed for the long term, it seems. Thanks for taking us on this visit to a community I knew nothing about.
Egidio Leitao
You are welcome, Margaret. Thank you for the feedback. Those cliff dwelling fascinate me. We have visited a number of them in the US Southwest.
margaret21
Marvellous! I’d never heard of them before.
solaner
Wow. What an incredible place 👍👍👍
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, André. It is indeed remarkable.
solaner
You‘re welcome 😊
carabeinsplash
Wow! So cool! Including the group of people really brought the reality of scale to me. Thanks for all of the information to go with your awesome photos!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you for the feedback. Yes, we got down there and could feel how immense those structures were.
Toonsarah
This is somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit! Thank you for the tour and interesting information 😀
Egidio Leitao
The US Southwest is full of those cliff dwellings. We have traveled extensively visiting them. Thank you for the feedback. I hope you come to see them.
Toonsarah
We have visited the Gila Cliff Dwellings in NM which were fascinating. I’d love to see more!
Egidio Leitao
The Gila Cliff Dwellings were the first we ever visited. That sparked a desire to see others — and the rest is history. 🙂
Travtrails
Amazing place
Egidio Leitao
It really is.
Amy
Wow… What a historical site! Remarkable photos of this special place, Egidio!!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Amy.