Mesa Verde is the most incredible Archaeological sites I have seen to date.The scope of the ruins here is profound, and difficult to grasp. There are three major sites that Mary Ann and I visited; Cliff Palace, Spruce Tree House and Balcony House. All of these sites were incredibly beautiful and fascinating (from an Archaeological/Anthropological perspective), and one of them (Balcony House) was the most terrifying to get to (images on page 2).

Nearly 1400 years ago, people known originally as the Anasazi (a Navajo word translated, "Ancient Enemies"), and now known more palatably as Ancestral Puebloans, occupied what is now known as the "four corners" area of the United States. For more than 700 years these people lived here and built these incredible structures. I can easily say they're incredible because I've seen them with my own eyes, and touched them with my hands. I have pondered as to how these people built these incredible structures; but more importantly, how they survived in the high desert, with little water and poor soil for farming. This is a photograph of Cliff Palace I took while on the opposite side of the canyon.

This is the view from an overlook of Cliff Palace where you meet your park ranger guide.

As you hike down the mountainside, the view to Cliff Palace begins to open up and reveal its grandeur.

The structures are composed of sandstone and morter, and upper rooms you see here were used for storing food.

This structure is known as a Kiva, a Hopi word for "Ceremonial Room", were places of worship and ceremony. This Kiva may have been used to conduct healing practices, prayers for good crops or luck in hunting. Most Kivas (like this one), were underground and virtually hidden from sight. Originally, Kivas were covered by a layer wooden posts and dirt, but the wood is no longer here, revealing the sacred inner chamber. The hole in the earth center is known as a "Sipapu" (see-pah-poo), a Native American term for "place of emergence". It is the belief of Native Americans that thier ancestors came from beneath the earth (a lower world) and the original place of emergence is actually located somewhere in the Grand Canyon. The smaller free standing wall you see to the right of the Sipapu diverts the flow of air that is supplied via a ventalation system from the ground above to allow fresh air into the Kiva and prevent it from putting out the fire. A hole in the wooden roof provided ventilation for the smoke and entry to the Kiva via a removable ladder. Kivas are very sacred places to Native American people.

A view looking back towards the entrance to the sight.

Leaving Cliff Palace on the way to Spruce Tree Palace, we are treated to various ruins in Mesa Verde. All in all, there are 600 cliff sites throughout the monument!

Through a beautiful, lush forest you can see the top of Spruce Tree House ruin.

Here I am at the most incredible Spruce Tree House ruin. The mind reels...

Spruce Tree House is one of the better preserved ruins at Mesa Verde, and one that you can get pretty close to as you can see!

Mary Ann at Spruce Tree House

Onward to Balcony House!