Photo Friday: Mesa Verde Cliff Palace
 Ancestral Puebloan City Inhabited from 1100 - 1300AD Mesa Verde National Park — Cortez, Colorado USA |
I spent much of my life in Georgia, in an area that once was part of The Cherokee Nation. My home county, as well as so many of the surrounding towns, rivers and landmarks are even named with Native American words. Yet somehow I never thought about it. I knew that people had lived there before the Europeans founded a colony, but that, I hate to admit, was pretty much the extent of my knowledge.
It wasn't until I moved to the American Southwest that I really opened my eyes to the extent of human history on this continent — When I saw ancient petroglyps and ruins outside of books. The most incredible window into this world I've ever peeked through is in southwestern Colorado at Mesa Verde National Park.
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Cliff Palace was a city — a central business district in the region, if you will. Archaeologists believe as many as 25,000 people lived in this area, while others traveled from far and wide to conduct trade. Turquoise from much farther south, shells from the Pacific and even feathers from birds native to modern-day Mexico have been found here. That must have been quite a journey in the years between 1100 and 1300AD.
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You may have heard these ancient ones referred to as the "Anasazi" — At least, that's what I learned in school. But it turns out that Anasazi is a Navajo word, describing from their perspective an "ancient enemy." This is, as you can imagine, is not a term modern Pueblos prefer, so historians have stopped using it. People of the early southwest civilizations are now called Ancestral Puebloans.
I'm thinking of this today because as an American, I'm getting ready for Thanksgiving — a holiday that symbolizes community and cooperation between English colonists and Native Americans. Obviously the people of Plymouth weren't breaking bread with the Pueblos. But I, personally, am thankful for the perspective that visiting Mesa Verde gave me. As someone who pretty much used to think American history began with the colonies, It's food for thought that Cliff Palace predates the first Thanksgiving by more than 500 years. Still, its thousands of years younger than the oldest known human artifacts found on the continent.
For more travel related photo Friday stories, visit Delicious Baby.
Great pictures and an interesting look at the history of the area! I love looking at these Photo Friday posts because they always give me new places to add to my travel wishlist.
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I know it -- my wish list grows by the day! Thanks for your comment.
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I would so love to go there!
I did not know about the Anazazi meaning "ancient enemy." Quite a label to carry around.
I would love to travel back in time to when it was a bustling city, just to be invisible and observe them. Well, perhaps tonight in my dreams I shall indeed voyage there. I'll come back and update you if I make it there!
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Well, happy travels in dreamland. If you don't make it there while you sleep, you can always go in real life. It's in the four corners area -- closest airport is probably Durango. Thanks for your comment!
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That's an amazing city - it looks a little bare now but once it must have been buzzing with people going about their daily lives
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I knew nothing about this place till now. So old and fascinating. Love the images as well. Thanks for sharing this super city with readers.
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I went out to Colorado about 7 years ago (joining my parents for a few days during their 50th anniversary trip). We drove the scenic drive through Mesa Verde at the time, but I really wished we could have done one of the trips like this one into Cliff Palace--my parents weren't up to it, and Tim wasn't able to join us that year.
I've always hoped to return with Tim so we could do one of these trips...but thanks for the sneak peek!
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I'm sure it was a great trip even if you didn't take a hike to the ruins. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for your comment!
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By the way, if you ever make it back there, the "hike" is not particularly long or strenuous. There are stairs to climb and the trail is steep in places, but the NP service has it well maintained and planned. Just wanted to point that out, in case the word HIKE made anyone think it was miles off the road and required a day's worth of on foot travel to see. If you're like me, that might have scared me away.
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