Mesa Verde and the Ancient Anasazi By Brett

Mesa Verde and the Ancient Anasazi By Brett Kohout

Mesa Verde • National park in Colorado • Spanish for “Green Table” • Naturally created through millions of years as area transformed from ocean to dry land • Home to the Anasazi, or “Ancient Ones” from 6 th to 13 th century AD

A Favorable Climate • A long, frost-free growing season • Moderately hot summer temperatures for crop growth • Reasonably dependable summer rains from mid. July through August • Moderately high daily temperatures in winter • Few severe cold periods in winter • Soils Suitable for growing crops • Springs for water

The Basketmakers AD 1 -AD 550 • Collected seeds, nuts, fruits, and berries • Competent hunters • Baskets were most important to people • Baskets were coated with pitch and could carry water

The Modified Basketmakers AD 550 - AD 750 • Increasing dependence on agriculture stops semi-nomadic lifestyle • Building of pithouses • Started planting beans • Pottery aloud food to be cooked more thoroughly • Larger use of Clothing

The Developmental Pueblo AD 750 AD 1100 • Subterranean pitrooms which were used for secret societies and meetings • Traditional Kivas were created from the pithouses • Began to construct towers for defense • Created reservoirs

The Classic or Great Pueblo Period AD 1100 - AD 1300 • Large cliff dwellings constructed • Advanced farming techniques • Burning trees to open up cropland • Intricate pottery • Stone tools • Bone tools

Similarities between Anasazi and European Lives • Majority of people in society peasants and serfs • Both used superstitions to interpret scientific occurences • Similar life expectances of 30 -40 years • Similar average heights of 5 feet to 5 feet 5 inches • Sanitation major problem for each city • High infant Mortality rate • Poor nutrition • Poor clothing for winter months • Wood shortages

Trade, the California Connection • Many Trade routes to New Mexico, Arizona, and California • Turqoise from New Mexico • Shells from California • Also salt, argillite(red material for pots), and even some cotton

What Happened to the Anasazi • The prevailing theory is that a long drought along with previous deforestation made it near to impossible to live in Mesa Verde anymore • Residents leave for better climates • Acoma people of New Mexico and the Hopi in Arizona feel they are descendents of the Anasazi

Bibliography • Wenger, G. (1980). The Story of Mesa Verde. Colorado: Mesa Verde Museum Association • Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado (1997) Website found at http: //www. nps. gov/meve/