El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-11-06

of Cliff canyon. and is in an enormous
cavern. the roof Of which arches nearly
100 feet above the floor. I cannot bet
ter describe this ruin than to quote
from the 1915 bulletin Of information
on Mesa Verde National park
Floor ABOVE Canyon.
The floor Of this cavern Is elevated
several hundred feet above the bottom
of the CANYON The entrance faces the
west. looking across the canyon 70 the
opposite side. in full view OF great
promontorv. on top of which stands the
ruin of an ancient pueblo. now pile
OF fallen stones, partially concealed by
a thick growth OF cedar trees ne
floor Of the recess IN which Cliff Palace
Is built Is practically covered with
buildings, some Of which espeelaliy
those AZ each end, extend beyond the
shelter of the cave roof. The total
length of the Cliff Palace Is approx
mately 800 feet.
The under side of the roof of rock
arehing over Cliff Palace Is compare
lively smooth. exhibiting horizontal
cleavage and plane surfaces A break
in the cleavage extends approximately
north and south. forming a ledge Few
feet In breadth On its edge the an
clients constructed a long wall. thus
making a passa gewav between 1t and
the solid cliff. Although now lnacees-
sible from the ruin below. IN ancient
times this passageway could have been
entered from the roof OF one of the
houses through a doorway which Is still
visible Similar ledge rooms are com
mon in Mesa Verde ruins.
l., frn---a111---m
"The floor Of the cave in which Cliff
Palace was built had practically one
level. determined no doubt by a layer
of comparatively hard rock. which re-
sisted erosion more successfully than the
softer strata above It. This floor was
strewn with great angular boulders that
In the process of the formation Of the
cave had fallen from the roof. These
were too large to be moved by primitive
man. and must have presented to the
ancient builders uninviting foundations
upon which to erect their structures
The spaces between the rocks were bet
ter suited for their purpose. These were
filled with smaller stones that could
be removed, leaving cavities which could
be utilized for the construction OF sub
terranean rooms.
@The upper surfaces of the large
served as foundations for houses above
ground and determined the levels Of the
Dlazas From the bases of these rocks,
which formed the outer edge of the
level cave floor. a talus extended down
the canyon side to the bottom The
rooms forming the front of the ancient
village were constructed in this talus,
and as their side was sloping, they were
necessarily situated at lower levels ON
terraces bounded by retaining walls.
which are marked features in this part
Of Cliff Palace.
Had Three Terraces.
at least three different terraces. in I
dicating as many levels. are recognized. I
These levels are indicated by the rows
Of kivas, or ceremonial rooms. which
skirt the southern and middle sections
Of the ancient village. At the southern
end, where the talus Is less precipitou7
and where, on account Of the absence [
Of a cave roof, the fallen rocks are /
smaller, the terrace with its subter /
ranean rooms Is on the level of the /
floor of the cave. having the same 1
height as the foundations built thereon. !
At the western extremity the buildings /
were erected on the tops of huge rocks j
fallen from the roof of the cave. Here I
the talus Is narrow or wanting and no d
rooms were constructed in front of these /
rocks. Thus the terrace rooms on the !
lowest level are found along the middle /
section of the cave where the floor Is 4
highest and where the great fallen rocks 4
still remain in sheltered places.
View From Above
Fortunately. the eonfiguration of the Z
cliffs above the ruins makes it pos /
sible to get a fine birdseye view of Cliff /
Palace from the rim of the mesa. Views /
obtained from the heads of the two /
trails are most striking and should BE- I
enjoyed before closer examination and I
detailed study of the rooms In Cliff I
Palace. To obtain the best general view
Of the whole ruin from the front, one /
may cross the CANYON and climb a pro-
m0ntOry whence Cliff Palace appears to /
be set among trees in a rocky frame, the |
lower side being the precipice beneath /
and the roof above
deep under the debris which covered |
the lower terrace of Cliff Palace there /
has been brought TO light by excavation
an ancient way, hitherto unknown,
which leads by a gradual slope to the ,
center of the village. This pathway
extends parallel with the high front
walls Of Kiva o and, passing to a large
rock in which foot rests were cut. ell
tiers Cliff Palace through narrow court :
between high walls. From this court
ascent to the level of the cave floor
was accomplished by means Of a ladder l