Mesa Verde July 2001
The Mesa Verde is a wide plateau located in the Colorado state, between 2100 and 2600 meters elevation having an area of 210 km2. Guniper trees and pinyons pines are everywhere. 1400 years ago, Anasazis stopped here to live. Around 1200, their descendants built many dwellings in the cliffs. They stayed there for 100 years, before suddenly leaving the area for an unknown reason, still not understood today. These dwellings are protected from the desert sun during the summer, but they are terribly cold during winter. The Anasazi food was composed from corn, beans, watermelons they had to grow during a very short period of the year that lasted only 140 days (corn needs 120 days). They also raised turkeys. (glou-glou!! Asterix was right!! ) They were remarkable potters and basket makers.
Balcony House was a town really safe from ennemies.
Inside a high cliff, the only point of entry was a very narrow window that still existing today and you will see us going through,crouched, later in this page.
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The visit needs many efforts! |
Here is a kiva |
Inside of the same kiva |
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     Some very old plaster |
are still inside Notice the stones |
to break down the food Looking through a window |
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The kiva, was a ceremony room as well as a meeting room for the clan. One could access it through a hole in the roof(made from logs and clay), which is not showing up these days : they usually didn't resist time and careless tourist many years ago. At the bottom of the Kiva, was a hole, symbol of the underworld & heaven named Sipapu. Some Kivas would sometimes have tunnels to allow people to reach other rooms in the dwelling     |
The only path |
many years ago |
The last ladder. |
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Each clan owned a Kiva. One can estimate that more than 18 clans were here at Cliff Palace, and around 216 rooms. To know more about it:Cliff Palace     |
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During a hike,we discovered |
manypetroglyphs    Hat mandatory |
The hole yucca was used |
for its fruits... fibers,potions,... |
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