BULL. 30] 



CLIFF-DWELLINGS 



307 



Mexico, and in the Verde valley of Ari- 

 zona. Although there are local differ- 

 ences in style of building, construction, 

 plan, and finish, the chief characteristics 

 are much the same everywhere. Corre- 

 sponding differences with general likeness 

 are observed in implements, utensils, and 

 ornaments associated with the ruins — 

 facts which go to show that in early 

 periods, as now, numerous tribal groups 

 were represented in the region, and that 

 then, as now, there was a general commu- 

 nity of culture, if not kinship in blood. 



Owing to differences in the composi- 

 tion of the rocky strata, the natural shel- 

 ters occupied l)y the cliff-dwellings are 

 greatly varied in character. While many 

 are mere horizontal crevices or isolated 

 niches, large enough only for men to 

 crawl into and build small stone lodges, 



two, or more stories in height, or to the 

 rocky roof, where this is low and over- 

 hanging. In the larger shelters the l)uild- 

 ings are much diversified in plan and 

 elevation, owing to irregularities in the 

 conformation of the floor and walls. The 

 first floor was the rock surface, or if that 

 was uneven, of clay or flagstones, and 

 upper floors were constructed of poles set 

 in the masonry, often projecting through 

 the walls and overlaid with smaller poles 

 and willows, flnished above with adobe 

 cement. Some of the rooms in the larger 

 buildings were round, corresponding in 

 appearance and no doubt in purpose to 

 the kivas, or ceremonial chambers, of the 

 ordinary jnieblos. The masonry is ex- 

 cellent, the rather small stones, gathered 

 in many cases from distant sites, being 

 laid in mortar. The stones were rarely 



CLIFF VILLAGE ICLIFF PALACE), MESA VERDE, COLORADO. (.SANTA FE RAILWAY) 



there are extensive chambers, with com- 

 paratively level floors, and with roofs 

 opening outward in great sweeps of solid 

 rock surface, more imposing than any 

 structure built by human hands. These 

 latter are capal)le of accommodating not 

 merely single households, but communi- 

 ties of considerable size. The niches 

 occur at all levels in cliffs rising to the 

 height of nearly a thousand feet, and are 

 often approached with great difflculty 

 from below or, in rare cases, from above. 

 Where the way is very steep, niche stair- 

 ways were cut in the rock face, making 

 approach possible. Ladders of notched 

 logs were also used. In the typical cliff- 

 dwelling of this class, the entire floor of 

 the niche is occupied, the doorway giv- 

 ing entrance through the outer wall, 

 winch is built up vertically from the 

 brink of the rocky shelf and rises one, 



dressed, but were carefully selected, so 

 that the wall surface was even, and in 

 some cases a decorative effect was given 

 by alternating layers of smaller and larger 

 pieces and by chinking the crevices with 

 spalls. The walls were sometimes plas- 

 tered inside and out and finished with 

 clay paint. The doorways were small 

 and squarish, and often did not extend 

 to the floor, except an opening or square 

 notch in the center for the passage of the 

 feet. The lintels were stone slabs or con- 

 sisted of a number of sticks or small tim- 

 bers. Windows, or outlook apertures, 

 were numerous and generally small. 



Cliff-dwellingsto which the term cavate 

 is applied are not built but dug in the 

 cliffs. Where the formations are friable 

 or chalky, natural recesses or openings 

 were enlarged by digging, and this led 

 to the excavation of chambers and groups 



