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N0KFQ > TODAY 18.12.11 22:09l 58 Lines 2702 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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Subj: Today in History - Dec 18
Path: IZ3LSV<I0OJJ<VE3UIL<N0KFQ<KB0WSA
Sent: 111218/1951Z 15254@KB0WSA.MO.USA.NA BPQ1.0.4
Dec 18, 1888:
Wetherill and Mason discover Mesa Verde
While searching for stray cattle in the isolated canyons of
southwest Colorado, Richard Wetherill and his brother-in-law
stumble upon the magnificent ancient Indians ruins of Mesa Verde.
The Wetherill family started ranching in the rugged southwest
lands of Colorado in 1881, and Richard and his brothers often
explored the canyons and mesas for Indian ruins. Once, while
looking up the mouth of Cliff Canyon, Wetherill was approached by
a Ute Indian named Acowitz who reportedly told him, "Deep in that
canyon and near its head are many houses of the old people-the
Ancient Ones. One of those houses, high, high in the rocks, is
bigger than all the others. Utes never go there, it is a sacred
place." Wetherill was intrigued, but his ranching duties kept him
from exploring the canyon further.
On December 18, 1888, Wetherill and his brother-in-law, Charles
Mason, were searching for stray cattle on top of a broad mesa
when a heavy snow began to fall. Fearing they might ride over a
cliff in the blinding snow, they dismounted and were moving ahead
on foot when they came to an overlook point. From across the
canyon they saw a snow-blurred image of a magnificent stone city
three stories high and perched high up a cliff wall under a
massive rock overhang. Fascinated, Wetherill and Mason abandoned
their search for the stray cattle and, after considerable effort,
managed to climb up and explore the ruins for several hours.
Wetherill and Mason had stumbled across the "houses, high, high
in the rocks" that Acowitz had told them about. The ruins were
once the home of the Anasazi (the Indian term for "ancient ones")
people. Subsequent archaeological studies showed that the Cliff
Palace, as it became known, was built during the 13th century,
when the Anasazi moved from the top of the mesas onto ledges and
caves along the canyon walls, presumably to better defend
themselves against invaders. Eventually a prolonged drought that
started around 1275 forced the Anasazi to abandon their
magnificent cliff dwellings.
In the years following the discovery, Wetherill collected
thousands of artifacts from the Cliff Palace and other area
ruins. Most of Wetherill's artifacts ended up in museums, where
they could be studied by professional archaeologists and viewed
by the public. The same cannot be said of the many other
priceless artifacts that were stolen by visitors over the years.
In order to protect the site from further looting and
degradation, the Congress created Mesa Verde National Park in
1906.
73, K.O. n0kfq
Another old retired guy
E-mail: n0kfq@winlink.org
N0KFQ@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA
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