Study of the cliff dwellings of the Mesa Verde has revealed a surprising
similarity of architecture throughout the area. The structures were the
work of a single tribal group and a definite pattern was followed by all
the members. Some cliff dwellings were small, others very large, the
size depending entirely on the size of the cave. The area covered by the
tribe embraced the Four Corners sections of the present states of
Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. But in all the cliff dwellings
constructed by the members of this far-reaching tribe certain
architectural features are commonly found.
Below are shown some of the details that characterize Mesa Verde
architecture.
[Illustration: No. 1.
Most of the doors were small rectangular openings, usually two or three
feet above the floor. The average dimensions of forty doors measured in
Cliff Palace were: height, 25 inches; width, 16 inches.]
[Illustration: No. 2.
T-shaped doors are less common than the rectangular openings, some ruins
having many, others very few. The T-door is simply a standard door with
the added notch at the bottom. It is a much more convenient door for if
the hands are placed on the two ledges it is quite easy to fold the legs
and swing through the opening.]
[Illustration: No. 3.
Windows are not common in Mesa Verde ruins. When present they are small,
often little more than peepholes. Note the door slab leaning against the
wall.]
[Illustration: No. 4.
Doors were closed with thin sandstone slabs. A small stick set into the
masonry under the lintel kept the door slab from falling through.]
[Illustration: No. 1.
These small built-in shelves are very common on the inside walls of the
rooms. Evidently they were for the storage of household articles.]
[Illustration: No. 2.
Plastered walls are extremely common, the plaster being made of clay of
various colors. The wall shown here has orange-red designs on a white
background. The three-triangle design is found more often than any other
design element, being especially common in kiva paintings.]
[Illustration: No. 3.
Typical Mesa Verde masonry is made of rather large, well shaped stones,
set in thick layers of adobe mortar. Small stones, or spalls, were
forced into the mortar to compact it in the joint.]
[Illustration: No. 4.
Masonry in the cliff dwellings often exhibits surprisingly smooth
surfaces and clean sharp lines. The stonework in this wall is of the
highest quality.]
[Illustration: No. 1.
Roofs of the rooms in the cliff dwellings were constructed of poles and
adobe. The covering layer of packed adobe was from three to five inches
thick and was smooth and hard.]
[Illustration: No. 1.
Logs, poles and withes of various sizes were used in constructing the
support structure for the roofs. Usually one or two heavy timbers
spanned the room. Smaller poles were placed at right angles to the heavy
joists and were in turn covered with a solid layer of slender withes or
split poles. Addition of the layer of packed adobe completed the roof.]
[Illustration: No. 2.
Square towers, two to four stories in height, were common in the cliff
dwellings. The builders, however, were not actually constructing
“towers,” as we think of them. They were simply building living rooms
one on top of another in order that additional families might enjoy the
security offered by the caves. Sometimes these tall structures appear as
towers merely because adjacent high structures have fallen.]
[Illustration: No. 3.
Tapered, round towers are not common in the cliff dwellings. Round rooms
are occasionally encountered, but of these carefully constructed,
tapering round towers there are only a few. No special use can be
suggested as nothing unusual has been found in them. The round tower
pictured is in Cliff Palace. The faces of all the stones are curved to
fit the circular shape.]
[Illustration: No. 2.
These narrow platforms, or balconies, were often constructed under
second, third and fourth story doors. Sometimes they were merely small
platforms but often they were long walks connecting upstairs rooms.]
[Illustration: No. 3.
Masonry columns are not at all common in the cliff dwellings. Possibly
this construction feature was just coming into use for only three have
been found. The column pictured is in Spruce Tree House. It rests on a
first-floor wall and supports a third-story room.]