ANTIQUITIES OF THE MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK 



CLIFF PALACE 



By Jesse Walter Fewkes 



INTRODUCTION 



In the summer of 1909 the Avriter was detailed by the Secretary of 

 the Smithsonian Institution, at the request of the Secretary of the 

 Interior, to continue the excavation and repair of ruins in the 

 Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado. This work was placed under 

 his sole charge and continued through the months May to Au- 

 gust, inclusive. In that time the w^riter was able to repair completely 

 this great ruin and to leave it in such condition that tourists and 

 students visiting it maj^ learn much more about cliff-dwellings than 

 was possible liefore the work Avas undertaken. 



The force of laborers, numbering on an average 15 workmen, was 

 from Mancos, Colorado. Maiiy of them had worked on Spruce-tree 

 House during the previous year and had become expert in repairing 

 ruins. By their aid it was possible to accomplish more and at less 

 expense than was expected.' It has fallen to the writer to prepare 

 the report on the work which he had the honor to direct, and he is 

 conscious how diificult it is to put it into a form that Avill adequately 

 express the devotion Avith Avhich those under him have accomplished 

 their respective tasks. 



A report on the general results accomplished at Cliff Palace was 

 published by the Secretary of the Interior in 1909 ; the following 

 account considers in a more detailed Avay the various scientific phases. 

 The purpose of the present paper is to present a more accurate ac- 

 count of Cliff Palace than Avas possible before the excavation and 

 repair Avork was done, and to increase existing knoAvledge by direct- 

 ing attention to the scientific data revealed by excavations of this 

 largest, most picturesque, and most typical cliff-dwelling in the South- 

 west. In order to give this account a monographic form there have 

 been introduced the most important descriptions of Cliff Palace previ- 

 ously ])ublished. There is also included a description of the few minor 

 antiquities brought to light in the progress of the Avork. These speci- 

 mens are now in the United States National Museum, Avhere they 



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