One cannot view these small ruins without wondering about their intended
use. In some cases, of course, they were dwellings. Often they contained
from three to five well-built rooms which, even though high on the
cliffs would have housed a few people. Life in such villages may have
been a bit nerve-wracking but at least the people enjoyed a defensive
advantage. Usually these tiny structures did not contain kivas. Often
several of the small villages were close together and they may have
shared a kiva that was somewhere along the base of the cliff.
Most of these very small ruins contained only one or two rooms and they
were often incredibly high on sheer canyon walls. Usually the rooms were
small; sometimes there was scarcely room enough for a man to crowd
inside. Certainly these were not living rooms for families. And it is
doubtful if they were storage rooms for they were often located some
distance from other villages. Surely food would not have been stored
where it could have been reached by anyone with monkey-like climbing
ability and no fear of heights.
Many suggestions have been made about the small high cliff dwellings but
each ends with a question mark. Were they homes? Did they serve as
storage rooms? Did antisocial individuals live in them? Were they
hideouts that resulted from excessive enemy activity? Did daring
youngsters build them “just for fun?” Or were they simply the result of
a fad—was it considered quite clever to build in breath-taking places?
[Illustration: This cliff dwelling was simply a wall built across
the opening of a tiny cave. The space thus enclosed was divided into
two small rooms, each with its own door. In spite of the fact that
there is little protection from rain and wind the smooth plaster on
the front wall is in excellent condition.]
[Illustration: This is typical of the innumerable single room
structures that are to be found in the nooks and crannies in the
cliffs. The ruin pictured is less than three feet high and the
longest dimension is about four feet.]
[Illustration: Containing five small but well-built rooms this
structure was without doubt a dwelling. There was little space for
the activities of the people but the location provided excellent
security. With small amounts of food and water in the village the
residents probably had little fear of raiders.]