For my "field trip" with my kiddos this week, we visited the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. These are ruins of Anasazi cliff dwellings that were moved up from Cortez, in the Four Corners region, near Mesa Verde. So, while these cliff dwellings did not originally exist up here, they are true ruins, reassembled up here, a pet project of Edgar Lee Hewett and Virginia McClurg from 1904 to 1907.
They were pretty cool! It's astounding how small a living area each family got. A three-story structure (one room/floor per family) created a room that had me stooped over. They appear to have lived communally, with a common refuse, animal and food prep area, as well as shared storage towers and bins. Puts modern day living quarters and demands to shame.
Without further ado, here's the wordless part of [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday:
Three family dwelling structure.
This was some important man's building. I have no idea whose, because I didn't get a chance to read that plaque!
Corn meal, anyone?
A ceremonial kiva. I've always found these fascinating.
A long view from the top.
Petroglyphs. It's conjectured that these talk about the drought that ultimately drove the Anasazi out of their dwelling to intermingle with the Pueblo.
Grain storage tower with the hole blocked up to keep critters out.
Cool fact: They had stones that were perfectly cut to plug up the window and door holes when it was cold.
Now for some helpful links:
Pants on Fire Press is accepting unsolicited submissions on children's fiction and non-fiction. See their website for requirements.
You Know You're a Writer When... from Author Infusion. Any of these ring true for you?
Daisy, of Fresh as a Daisy, is having a giveaway of Colors Like Memories that ends tomorrow.
Fellow blogger Sketcher Girl has opened her own online business. She does artwork and book covers. You can view some of her fabulous book covers on her website; I think you may recognize one, at least. She will read your [undesigned] cover to [undesigned] cover before designing your book cover, in order to insure she has it right. AND she doesn't use stock photos, which is HUGE! Everything is original.
Any links to share? Ever been to any cave dwellings? How would you like to live in that setting?
May you find your Muse.
18 comments:
Those cave houses look insane! I like the idea of more rustic living, but I think that would make me go crazy after a while!
Those are cool! We explored places like that when we lived in Arizona.
How in the world do you move a cliff dwelling? That's amazing!
I didn't know you could reconstruct ruins in a different location. Usually there's a problem with the civic area not wanting to lose their unique sites.
I like your outings, nice discoveries. Thanks for sharing the photos!
Moving to a small stone house soon- but not in a cliff, which is a disappointment until I remember how much I love indoor plumbing. I've nominated you for a Versatile Blogger Award, because you are pretty versatile: lots of interesting and useful stuff on your blog! The badge is on my post about the invisible importance of hats- treat the rules as optional btw :-)
What a place to call home! "Go play outside" would take on a totally different meaning.
great photos, great place. I love to visit ruins. Here in Akumal, there are many Maya ruins nearby. And I bet your friend appreciated your taking the time to be with her.
Those pictures are great. Thanks for sharing them.
What cool photos... I try to imagine what it would be like to live in them... probably a bit scary at night:)
Oh, I just had to comment on this one. I LOVE cliff dwellings. I've been to the ones at Bandelier, and they were so amazing. There's something about the idea of living so intimately with a sheer rock face that feels pretty magical to me. Have you seen the incredible castles carved out of the rock face at Petra? They give me the shivers.
i love the cave houses! I'd sure like to see them for myself one day:)
Nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
Jamie, I think I'd go nuts when the rocks were in the windows and doors and there was no light!
Alex, I was wondering how many places have cliff dwellings. I only really know of the Four Corners area (which, of course, includes Arizona).
Andrew, I'm wondering the same thing. I was actually highly impressed that it took him only three years back in the 1900's.
D.G., I wonder if those sorts of rules were established back then? The information said he was doing it to protect them, because they were being heavily looted down where they originally were.
Lily, thank you! A small stone house? Intriguing.
Susan, no doubt! "Go play outside, but don't forget your parachute."
Em, oh, I would love to visit Maya ruins! Some day!
Susanne, my pleasure!
Tania, true, night would probably be plenty scary. I loved how cool they were with a hot day outside.
Jericha, I've seen photos of those, and they're amazing! I'd certainly feel safe from invaders, living on a cliff.
Schell, Mesa Verde has a bunch down in the Four Corners area. They are phenomenal! However, they're actually still part-way down a rock face, so you have to climb ladders to get down there. Sort of freaky, but worthwhile.
I've visited cliff and cave dwellings. Actually I may have visited those at one time. It must be quite an operation to move ruins like that without them totally disintegrating.
Lee
Wrote By Rote
These are really cool, think of the stories that could reside in them.
Communal living was around for a long time, must have taken a lot of adjustments for some.
Buddhists monks in ancient India created such cave structure but more elaborate with carvings and paintings. I used to frequent such a place in Bombay, a regular tourist-picnic post.
I think the ruins of a few older fort dwelling on cliffs I visited are quite similar in essential structure and layout, just more elaborate since they have a military purpose.
What a dwelling place.
Lee, I can't imagine what it took to move them here. Well, maybe I can, but still...
Rek, it sounds like it would be fascinating to visit those. These weren't at all military and, in fact, the last building added was felt to be a lookout tower, which they think may have been because they were beginning to come under threat, possibly due to the heavy drought conditions.
Haddock, a peaceful one!
Congrats on the Versatile blog award, it's lovely to meet you :).
Unikorna, thank you!
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