Mesa VerdeMesa Verde (spanish for 'Green Table') is in South Western Colorado, in the Four Corners area.The area was inhabited by the Anasazi Indians from around 500 AD onwards. They originally lived in pit houses on the mesa tops, however from around 1200 AD, they started building cliff dwellings, the most famous and well preserved being Cliff Palace, shown below. This period of Cliff Dwelling lasted less than 100 years, the last dwellings were built in the 1270s and the entire area was deserted by 1300 AD.
The National Park has ranger led tours, taking smallish groups around the Cliff Palace. The tour takes around an hour and you get to see close up the buildings - mostly made of mud bricks.
The buildings can go up to 5 stories high. Every last space available was made available.
On to: Mesa Verde - Balcony House. |
