Cliff Dwellings Mesa Verde, Colorado

 Well Preserved Ancient Architecture By the Ancestral Pueblo People

By Naomi Craig

Imagine with me that you are a rancher in the 1880's near Cortez, Colorado. You are searching for lost cattle among the vast canyons of the Mesa Verde area, only to look up and find this magnificent cliff dwelling, untouched by humans for nearly 700 years. *

Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde Colorado, Photo by Naomi Craig

Can you imagine being the first one to explore this ancient dwelling? 

Or what about being the ones to engineer this type of dwelling?

Navajo Canyon, Mesa Verde Colorado, Picture by Naomi Craig

I mean, who looks at this landscape and says "Let's build communities in the cliffs?"

 There are over 600 cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Parks, and research shows while the Ancestral Pueblo occupied the area from 500 AD, it was only around 1200AD that the cliff dwellings were built and inhabited. For unknown reasons, the cliff dwellings were abandoned around 1300 AD, and the people migrated south into New Mexico and Arizona. 

Spruce Tree House, Mesa Verde Map, National Park Service

The fortitude of these people is undeniable. They would climb the hand-and-toe holds up to the top of the mesa where they would farm and hunt. Thankfully, the Ancestral Pueblo just tossed their trash over the side of the cliff, and archaeologists have been able to learn about their habits and lifestyle.

Mesa Verde Canyons, Picture by Naomi Craig

Just to give a picture of how steep these cliffs are. 🤯🤯🤯Hope the Pueblos weren't afraid of heights!

Did you spot the cliff dwelling?

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Cliff Dwelling, Mesa Verde Colorado, Picture by Naomi Craig

I am so amazed by the ingenuity of people! 

What dreamer could see the village unfolding in the cleft of the rock face? Was the architect employed to oversee construction of the 600 other cliff dwelling in the area, or were multiple people gifted with the ability to plan out an environment that would sustain life and safety for their clan?

Square Tower, Mesa Verde Colorado, Picture by Naomi Craig

While the Cliff Dwellings at Mesa Verde were built much later than the Biblical cities of Upper and Lower Beth Horon, it seems the building techniques didn't change much. Just as the Ancestral Pueblo desired to establish a safe, profitable environment where they could enjoy life, She'erah from 1 Chronicles 7:24 must have wanted the same for her people in the hills north of the Aijalon Valley.

Have you ever visited Mesa Verde? 

Author of Biblical fiction, avid reader, pastor's wife, Naomi loves reading the Bible and imagining how things were at the time. When she’s not serving in various areas at church or trying to stay on top of mountains of dishes, you'll most likely find her enjoying a good book and a cup of coffee. Naomi co-hosts #BehindTheStory on YouTube and helps facilitate Biblical Fiction Aficionados Community on Facebook. When not writing or trying to wrangle social media, Naomi attempts to get her rescue dog to be cute on command for the many pics she takes throughout the day.

*According to the pamphlets/information handed out by Mesa Verde National Park, the credit for finding the cliff dwellings is attributed to two brothers-in-law searching for lost cattle. However if you look online, there is other documentation and timelines of discovery, including possible sightings as far back as 1765.

The find of Cliff Palace is credited to the Richard Wetherill and Charles Mason because Richard was the first one to enter the cliff dwelling even though Richard's brother, Al, had sighted this magnificently preserved cliff dwelling the year prior.

To learn more about Mesa Verde National Park Read

National Park Service Important Events In the Development and Preservation of Mesa Verde