Ayami, PHS: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 8:56AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Who were the first settlers to find the cliff houses? What did they think they were seeing ?

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 8:57AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hi. My name is Kathy McKay. I am a Park Ranger at Mesa Verde National Park in SW Colorado. This is the 6th park I have worked in. Before Mesa Verde, I worked at Colonial National Historical Park(Jamestown and Yorktown), Congaree Swamp National Monument, Everglades National Park, Olympic National Park and Glacier National Park. I am from South Carolina. I went to college in Connecticut and majored in History. I now work at Mesa Verde. It was the first National Park in the world created to preserve the works of humans. The coolest part is that it belongs to you. The park contains 4000 prehistoric sites including 600 cliff dwellings. The largest, Cliff Palace, is the biggest cliff dwelling in the world.

Morgana, PHS: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 8:57AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Are you a ranger ? How did you get to do your job ? did you study for it in college ?

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 8:58AM PST (-0800 GMT)
We heard in a chat with a Trial Guide during the summer that the fire had revealed new sites - what type of evidence was found at the new sites ?

Laura: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 8:59AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Were there pit houses in the canyon before they built the cliff houses ?

Sammy James: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 8:59AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Where did the people come from who lived there ?

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:01AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Please tell us about the trade networks that linked Mesa Verde to other peoples .. what has been found in the canyon sites that came from far away ?

Esmeralda Garcia: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:01AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Where did they get the rock from to build the cliff houses - in the same cave or did they carry it in there ?

Ricky T: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:02AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did they keep parrots like other Anasazi ?

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:02AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Ayami, the first settlers to find the cliff dwellings were cowboys, Richard and John Wetherill. In December 1888, They were on Ute tribal land chasing stray cattle in a snowstorm. They wandered into a canyon and found what is now known as Cliff Palace. they spent the rest of their lives exploring pre-historic SW sites. That is the romantic story. The Utes and Navajo knew these sights were here for long time, but avoided them. Like we might consider something haunted. We think the Wetherills had heard about this before they "found" Cliff Palace, so they knew what they were seeing.

Lucy ramos: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:03AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What about pottery - how is theirs the same or different from other Anasazi pots ?

Sammy : . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:04AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What tools did they use to cut the rocks to make their houses ?

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:06AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What time period were the cliff houses built ? How does this compare to other Anasazi architecture, such as at Chaco Canyon ? And did they appear to have astronomical observatories ?

Jenny and Tazzie: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:06AM PST (-0800 GMT)
hi, what materials were used for the baskets???

Jenny and Tazzie: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:08AM PST (-0800 GMT)
hello!

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:08AM PST (-0800 GMT)
I think I can get a couple of these in one answer. Anthropologists believe that these people migrated from Asia along the Bering Land Strait. Over hundreds of years they made their way south to this area. From 1AD to 550 people used the area seasonally for hunting and gathering. AD550 - AD750, a number of people settled on the mesa top. We call these people the Basketmakers because of their incredible skill in making baskets. They lived in pithouses and began to farm the meas top.

Twiggy & Figgy & Ziggy @ LAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:08AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What type of "wild Plants" did they find to eat? If any.

Victoria3: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:09AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hi Victoria Elementary in Riverside is here. Mr. Kraemer's sixth grade class.

Twiggy & Figgy & Ziggy @ LAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:10AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hello we are Twiggy and Figgy and Ziggy and we have some questions for you.

Jakeh and Liz: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:10AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hi! We are Jakeh and Liz at L.A.E. from Mrs. Ross' class!

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Their baskets were made of yucca fibers. They could coat the inside with pinion pine sap to make it waterproof. To boil water and cook food, they would put the ingredients and heated rocks inside the basket.

Jakeh and Liz: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How did the basketmakers get their name?

Victoria3: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Does ancient cave art have different meanings? What kind of things do they represent? Ryan

Twiggy & Figgy & Ziggy @ LAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What type of "wild Plants" did the basketmakers find for food? If any.

L.A.E coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:11AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hey Marcy, we're Zech,Steven,and Cody

Jenny and Tazzie@LAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:12AM PST (-0800 GMT)
what is the prettiest basket you ever seen ?

Victoria3: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:12AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Have you ever personally found any artifacts? Brandi

Jakeh and Liz: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:12AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Where did they live?

Jakeh and Liz: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:14AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What were their homes made of? How big were they (homes)?

Twiggy & Figgy & Ziggy @ LAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:14AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How long did the baskets last?

Victoria3: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:14AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Why do you think the ancient people built their homes in the cliffs? Rachel

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:14AM PST (-0800 GMT)
They used lots of wild plants. Pinion pine was used for building houses. Pinion nuts were roasted and eaten. You can still buy them everywhere here. Utah Juniper was also used for houses and firewood. The shaggy bark is very absorbent, so mothers used it for diapers. Juniper berries were used to flavor food. We still use the berries to flavor gin.

Jenny and Tazzie@LAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:14AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How did they get the pinion pine sap?

L.A.E coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:14AM PST (-0800 GMT)
have you ever seen a pueblo house and what does it look like?

Victoria3: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:15AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What other kinds of food did they eat besides corn? Samantha

Jakeh and Liz: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:16AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How did they prepare for the winter?

Twiggy & Figgy & Ziggy @ LAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:16AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What type of " wild plants" did they find for food? If any.

Victoria3: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:18AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Why do you think the Anasazi dissapeared? Alex

Twiggy & Figgy & Ziggy @ LAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:18AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did the baskets that the basketmakers made tend to be plain or colorful?

Jakeh and Liz: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:18AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Are there any indians now that follow the basketmaker life or are relatives to them?

Victoria3: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:19AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did the Anasazi have contact with other native americans? Kirsten

Jenny and Tazzie@LAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:19AM PST (-0800 GMT)

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:19AM PST (-0800 GMT)
We still find their baskets today. I have only seen pottery sherds along trails and corn cobs in some of the more remote sites. In between the Wetherill's discovery in 1888 and the park being established in 1906, most of the sites in Mesa Verde were looted and artifacts were taken and sold nationally and internationally.

Timothy - Camp: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:19AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Take a moment today to visit the new Ancient Southwest Ruins photo gallery - goto: button

Jakeh and Liz: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:20AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Do you know where and why the ancient basketmakers died out? Did they?

Twiggy & Figgy & Ziggy @ LAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:20AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How long did the baskets last?

L.A.E coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:20AM PST (-0800 GMT)
have you ever found any valueble things in a pueblo home? zech steven cody

Jenny and Tazzie@LAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:20AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What did they use to weave the baskets ?

Jakeh and Liz: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:22AM PST (-0800 GMT)
In which areas in the U.S. were they located?

Victoria3: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:23AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What did they trade for their baskets? Stacey and Danielle

Soccer, Boarder, & Skater, L.A.E. coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:23AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Dear Kathy, Have you seen a Pueblo city ruins? What does it look like?

batman&robbinLAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:27AM PST (-0800 GMT)
how long did they live

tomdrew: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:27AM PST (-0800 GMT)
where do you find canyon de chelly

Victoria3: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:28AM PST (-0800 GMT)
I like your new Ancient Southwest Ruins photo gallery. Very Nice. Mr. Kraemer

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:29AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hello Lake Arrowhead and Victoria students - glad you could come in today and post interesting questions .. let's see what we can learn together today .....

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:29AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Again, I'll try to answer many questions at once. Pictures of the pithouses can be found on our website button The next time period archeologists label the Pueblo period. Corn, beans, and squash grew well on the mesa top and the population grew. Soon families started to add rooms to their houses. This period of bigger houses, (one or two storey with square rooms added on continually at each end), is called the Pueblo period. People lived in these pueblos(the spanish word for village) on the mesa top from AD750 until AD1300. We don't know why, but between AD1100 and AD1300 some people moved into the cliffs below the mesa top. They may have needed more land for farming or wanted to be closer to their water source, they may have feared some unseen enemy or they may have moved just for the beautiful views of the canyons. Between AD1275 - AD1320, these people migrated from Mesa Verde to the Rio Grande River in New Mexico and Arizona. Today they are known as the 20 pueblo tribes, Zuni,Acoma, Hopi, Taos, Santa Clara, etc.

Victoria3: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:31AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hi Kathy McKay I just wanted to say thank-you. We have to sign off as our lab time is over. Thank-you very much. Mr. Kraemer

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:31AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Kahy - I would like to know about the restoration process .. in looking at late 1800s photos it looks like the front kivas in Cliff Palace were crumbled heaps of rock ... but by the 1930s pictures they had been rebuilt. Who did this work and how accurate is it ? And have there been very many painted murals / walls found ?

batman&robbinLAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:31AM PST (-0800 GMT)
how long are you going to do your research

L.A.E coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:32AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hi this is feasheybear and Saysay we want to know what was it like in that time for people?

L.A.E.Coyote: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:32AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What supplies Did they use?

Tweety&cat\L.A.E.: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:33AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Were tha Basketmakers alive at 700 AD?

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:33AM PST (-0800 GMT)
The average man was 5ft 4-6inches. The average woman 5ft to 5ft 2 inches. For a man, the average life expectancy was 35-40years. For a woman, it was 25-30 years (childbirth was very dangerous). Half of the children didn't live to be 5 years old. This is similar to people in Europe at the time.

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:34AM PST (-0800 GMT)
In looking at Anasazi pottery styles, there are many subtle differences attributed to different locations. Is there a specific style associate with Mesa Verde in the Pueblo period ?

Jessica/Jessica L.A.E: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:35AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What supplies did they use?

Jessica/Jessica L.A.E: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:35AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What supplies did they use?

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:35AM PST (-0800 GMT)
The Basketmakers became the pueblo people and the cliff dwellers. Over time, people became more interested in pottery and basketmaking wasn't as important.

batman&robbinLAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:35AM PST (-0800 GMT)
who is tweetee ad cat

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:36AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What supplies did they use for .....?

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:37AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Here are some example of Anasazi tools ..... ...... .... What were they used for ?

Jessica/Jessica L.A.E: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:37AM PST (-0800 GMT)
what did tey eat?

tomdrew lae: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:37AM PST (-0800 GMT)
how long have you research this

liz&pedro\L.A.E.: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:38AM PST (-0800 GMT)
WERE DID THE BASKETMAKERS LIVE?

L.A.E coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:38AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Did it seem hard to the people?From feasheybear and Say say

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:39AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Kathy - we have been considering the life span of these people and also learning that their teeth were worn down very young. Was it from the stone particles in the food that was ground on the metate ? And what game did they catch with their arrows ?

Jessica/Jessica L.A.E: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:39AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How did the Basketmaaakers live?

liz&pedro\L.A.E.: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:39AM PST (-0800 GMT)
WHAT DID THE BASKETMAKERS EAT?

batman&robbinLAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:40AM PST (-0800 GMT)
how old is a arrowhead that the basketmakers made

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:40AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Early archeologists saw they cliff swellings as a wonderful opportunity to use as outdoor museums. Walls were stabilized with concrete and where damage had occured areas were repaired. There is also a lot of original colored (pink and white) plaster that has been preserved. Over time, we have come to use materials that mimic what the Ancestral Puebloans used (sand, clay with a pinch of ash from the fire. The park policy is only to stabilize what is there, not rebuild it like we think it might have looked.

Ayami, PHS: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:41AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Camp is showing us how the prehistoric people shifted from the spear and atlatl to the finer arrows as game grew smaller. What types of hunting weapons have been found at Mesa Verde ? And what types of farming techniques did they use ?

Jessica/Jessica L.A.E: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:41AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Where did the Basketmakerslive?

Morgana, PHS: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:42AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Have archeologists found any baskets, sandals, clothes or jewelry at Mesa Verde ? or just stone ?

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:43AM PST (-0800 GMT)
STUDENTS - be sure to use the scroll back box to go back up and see answers our guest has already given - many of you are asking questions she has answered earlier in the chat - check above to see the answers.

liz&pedro\L.A.E.: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:43AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How did the Basketmakers prepare for winter?

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:43AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Basketmakers ate corn, beans, squash, wild game and other wild plants. There is some debate about why their teeth were so bad. Obviously, they didn't brush their teeth like we do today. There was a lot of sand in their food. Also, the corn, beans, and sqush are starches that turn into sugar and would rot their teeth quickly.

Jessica/Jessica L.A.E: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:44AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How long have you been a Park Rangers?

batman&robbinLAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:44AM PST (-0800 GMT)
do you now how old the basketma

liz&pedro\L.A.E.: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:45AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What were the Basketmakers like?

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:45AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Is there any establihsed trade route down to the Casa Grande area of Mexico where the parrots and shell goods have been found in such abundance ? What is it thought the people at Mesa Verde had to trade with ? And what unusual goods - if any - have been found there to show who they traded with ? Perhaps the early 1990s looting ruined any chance of knowing these things ?

L.A.E coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:45AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What kind of clothing did they where? What was it made of? From Feasheybear and Say say.

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:45AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Archeologists have found atlatls and bows/arrows. The bow/arrow must have been much more accurate because they soon stopped using the atlatl.

liz&pedro\L.A.E.: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:47AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What were the baskets made of,that the Basketmakers made?

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:47AM PST (-0800 GMT)
We also would all ike to understand the differences between the Basketmaker life on the mesa top and the Pueblo life as it moved into the cliffs .... what changes came about during these different times ? Climate ? Food ? Culture ?

batman&robbinLAE: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:47AM PST (-0800 GMT)
do you like doing your job ? is it fun ?

tomdrew lae: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:48AM PST (-0800 GMT)
whats the biggest ancient village you have seen?

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:48AM PST (-0800 GMT)
This is Neivy at Cypress... What types of wild plants did they use for medicine?

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:48AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Kathy - it looks like your name is not in the Your Handle box anymore - take a look and re enter it if you would please .... thanks

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:48AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hello Cypress students - welcome !!

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:50AM PST (-0800 GMT)
We have found cotton fibers, yucca sandals, and turkey feather blankets. We have also found parrot feathers, seashells, turquoise and other trade goods. They probably were part of a vast trade network that stretched to the Pacific Ocean and down to modern-day Mexico. We have found a road between Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon that was built around AD1000.

LAE coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:50AM PST (-0800 GMT)
have you seen lots of interesting things

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:53AM PST (-0800 GMT)
When the Ancestral Puebloans (Anasazi) moved into the cliffs. The area was getting colder, so solar heat for the south-facing dwellings might have been a factor. Scientists also think that natural resources (wood, game, farming space) may have been dwindling.

LAE coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:54AM PST (-0800 GMT)
`what do you work for ?

corydrew....../lae: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:56AM PST (-0800 GMT)
kjhgyhtrfhtfnhy5rfytgrhddutgn65f5sdcsibhiujfutybuyjmub5ytn higfvbutvgvfvryyt f5j6t gujy5rg4yt5

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:56AM PST (-0800 GMT)
The wild game found here was mule deer, black bears, mountain lion, elk, rabbits, wild turkeys and bighorn sheep. Unfortunately the sheep are no longer found in this area.

LAE coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:56AM PST (-0800 GMT)
what is your favorit villiage that you've been to

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 9:58AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Yes, I like being a Park Ranger. I have worked for the National Park Service as a Ranger for 8 years. The parks I worked for are listed in my introduction. I always loved being outdoors and learning new things, so this job is perfect for me.

LAE coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:00AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hi , i'm Zech from L.A.E

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:01AM PST (-0800 GMT)
My favorite cliff dwelling in the park is Long House on Wetherill Mesa. The top of the alcove frames the view of the canyon below and the seep spring in the back in covered in bright green moss. It is the 2nd largest dwelling in the park. I also like the mesa top pueblos at Far View Archeological sites. It is quiet and peaceful. I love the smell of the sagebrush there.

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:01AM PST (-0800 GMT)
what do you work for?

corytom /lae: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:02AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What is the largest ancent building you have seen?

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:03AM PST (-0800 GMT)
A couple of questions from above. Pottery from Mesa Verde has a distinctive blck on white pattern. You can find examples on our website. Many of the artifacts we find are 1000 to 1500 years old.

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:04AM PST (-0800 GMT)
The largest ancient building I've seen is Pueblo Benito at Chaco Canyon. I think you will be talking to them in December. It is HUGE.

LAE coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:05AM PST (-0800 GMT)
what do you do there

LAE coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:05AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Have you ever seen a live Grizzly bear in the villiages?

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:05AM PST (-0800 GMT)
About the fire - please mention how it has changed the park and any finds that have been made .....

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:07AM PST (-0800 GMT)
And rock art - has there been any found ? it is so prevalent in Utah a few miles away .... next week we have the American Rock Art Research Assoc online for a rock art chat .... we need to prepare for that by understanding Anasazi rock art ...

corytom /lae: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:08AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How many canyons have you seen?

LAE coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:08AM PST (-0800 GMT)
how many things do you do a day

LAE coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:09AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Have you ever seen a grizly bear roaming around and geting into stuff?

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:10AM PST (-0800 GMT)
There are sites in the park where we find petroglyphs (stone etchings) and pictographs(paintings on stone). Other sites in the SW have these in more abundance. The sandstone here erodes and breaks easly, so there aren't a lot here. The Pueblo tribes have asked us not to call it rock art, but by the names above. It seems to be located at trail junctions/prominent outcrops of rocks. The pictures seem to be mostly clan symbols or hunting information.

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:12AM PST (-0800 GMT)
I saw lots of grizzly bears when I worked at Glacier National Park in Montana, but they are no longer found in Colorado. I think the last one was killed by a hunter in Central Colorado at least 30 years ago/ I have seen black bears here. During the fires, a mother and cub enjoyed the acorns on the oaks around Spruce Tree House.

LAE coyotes: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:14AM PST (-0800 GMT)
have you see a black bear get into stuff

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:16AM PST (-0800 GMT)
We had two big fires here this summer. The Bircher Fire in July and the Pony Fire in August. 23,000 acres of the 52,000 acres that make up Mesa Verde National Park burned. Teams of archeologists are now doing surveys in the burned areas to map/document any sites that will soon be destroyed by erosion. Where possible they are reseeding and doing everything we can to slow down the erosion.

tom lae: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:16AM PST (-0800 GMT)
how long have been stuying this

oscar julio: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:16AM PST (-0800 GMT)
HOW LONG WERE THE BASKET PERSON WERE ALIVE

Morgana, PHS: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:17AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Where did the stone come from for the cliff houses - in the caves or did they cut it and carry it in from somewhere else ?

Ayami, PHS: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:19AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What tools did they use to cut the stone ?

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:20AM PST (-0800 GMT)
We sometimes have a problem in the campground during the summer if people leave their food out. Once a bear has human food, they don;t want to go back to nuts and berries. Unfortunately, they will do anything to get our food and that makes them dangerous. We try moving a bear like this to another area, but they usually come back and become a problem again. The we have to shoot them so they don't hurt someone. NEVER FEED A WILD BEAR. This is the worst thing about my job. A fed bear, is a dead bear.

Morgana, PHS: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:20AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Was there enough water inside the caves from springs ? Or did they have to haul the water in ?

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:21AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Hi, Kathy! We are also from Vicoria along with Kraemer's class. We are just finding out info about the Anasazi Indians. We are enjoying the chat among our fellow peers.

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:22AM PST (-0800 GMT)
We have a question. What inspired you to become so interested in the Ancient Southwest? Chipper, Natalie, Tim, Brittany, and Bailee.

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:22AM PST (-0800 GMT)
The sandstone that the cliff dwellings are built from generally is the sandstone from the alcove. They recycled wood from mesa top dwellings. The sandstone is very soft and can be shaped into blocks by shaping and pecking it with a harder rock. Most often the harder rocks were gathered from the Mancos River about 3 miles form here.

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:23AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Could you please tell us more about the textiles found - how were they made ? A turkey cape ? Was it feathers woven onto twine or turkey skins sewn together ? (The famous Lone Woman on San Nicolas ie Isl of Blue Dolphins - made hers from sewn cormorant skins, not woven feathers we learned ) The sandals - from yucca ? Any woven fabrics of cotton found ?

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:23AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Why were the Anasazi's teeth so worn away? Michael

Morgana, PHS: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:25AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What about jewelry - was it carved turquioise or inlaid ? Sea shells ? any copper ? Do you have any on display in your museum ?

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:26AM PST (-0800 GMT)
When visitors come to the Park, what resources are there for them to enjoy - a museum ? trails ? tours ? It would be good to let the students know what a Park like Mesa Verde offers the public as a history lesson .... and what do you recommend ?

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:26AM PST (-0800 GMT)
There are now rivers in the park. Mostly the Ancestral Puebloans gathered rainwater and snow. Also there are natural springs in the back of many of the alcoves. The sandstone is very permeable (like a sponge). Water flows through it until is hits a thin layer of shale (clay). Since the water can't get through the shale it comes to the surface. The seep springs not only provided water for the people, they also (over thousands of years) formed tha alcoves that the cliff dwellings were buildt in.

Ayami, PHS: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:27AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Was there a drought at Mesa Verde like there was at Chaco canyon ?

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:28AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Sorry, I meant to say no rivers in the last message.

Sarah and Lannie, PHS: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:30AM PST (-0800 GMT)
It looks like there were a lot of kivas at Cliff House - compared to the number of houses - is that true ? or are the houses just crumbled way ? Do you think the women lived in the houses and the men in the kivas ? Were they matrilineal ?

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:31AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Is Mesa Veda green?

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:32AM PST (-0800 GMT)
There are lots of things to do at Mesa Verde. We have a driving tour of the Mesa Top where you can see pithouses, pueblos, and cliff dwellings. You can take a tour of one of the large cliff dwelling. The most fun is Balcony House. to get in and out, you climb a 32foot ladder (3 storeys), crawl through a 13ft tunnel (at its narrowest only 18 inches) and exit a series of stairs cut into the cliff face. We have a cool museum that was built in the 1930's. There are dioramas (you can see them on our website)that depict life in each of the time periods we've talked about.

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:34AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Yes, they were matrilineal. That is one of my favorite parts about this place. Women controlled the family and property.

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:34AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Why is Mesa Verde called Mesa Verda? Tim and Isaias

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:34AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What happened to the Anasazi Indians when they disappeared? Michael & Chris

Tsunami, PHS: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:37AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Where are bones and burials found ? Is this how scientists estimate the average life span ? Were there people who lived to be over 50 and some only 20 so they average out the age ? Or is 35 the oldest any of them ever lived ?

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:37AM PST (-0800 GMT)
What kind of artifacts have you found? Isaias and Tim

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:40AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Victoria2 What is the average height of the Anasazi people? Andrew

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:42AM PST (-0800 GMT)
We have to go now. Thank you for listening. Answer us soon. The class.

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:42AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How many people lived in a single cliff dwelling? Chip, Dan, and Chris

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:43AM PST (-0800 GMT)
IN doing new research at Cliff Palace, we no longer dig for treasures, instead we map the architecture. The Chief Archeologist, Larry Nordby, found that instead of the earlier count of 210-250 rooms, there were actually only 150. Of these, only 25 were living spaces(those having hearths, and/or T-shaped doorways). There are 21 kivas. Usually a kiva is considered a ceremonial room (or winter sleeping room) used by one family or clan. Since there are so many kivas and so few living spaces, Nordby thinks that Cliff Palace was used as a gathering place. Many of the rooms were used for food and water storage. Maybe think of it as a library where a caretaker population (librarian) who looks after important things (library books), in this case stored grain and water, and their family gathering places.

: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:43AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Now we have to sign off. Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you.

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:44AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Students - check above as many of your good questions have been answered earlier in the chat - then post some new questions she has not yet been asked .... type a big number in the scroll back box - click chat button - and back up you go ....

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:46AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Do today's Pueblo people visit the Park and hold ceremonies their to keep their link to their ancestors alive ?

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:47AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Mesa Verde is Spanish for "green table." Since we are on the edge of the desert, it does seem very green up here. Also since the mesa (table) slopes downward to the south, the growing season is longer than in the nearby mountains. And since we are about 2000-3000 feet higher than the desert around us, we get more snow (about 100 inches a year total). So it makes sense, that the Ancestral Puebloans farmed here.

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:47AM PST (-0800 GMT)
And please do explain about the newer name, Ancestral Puebloans .... why this is important to today's Pueblo peoples .. and politically significant .....

victoria1: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:48AM PST (-0800 GMT)
hello

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:49AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Yes, many modern Pueblo people hold private ceremonies in the park. Two kivas in Spruce Tree House have been rebuilt for that purpose. The pueblos also provide information and guidance about the people here and their oral traditions. We also ask tribes to share knowledge of their culture with the public through lectures and dances. We also have some Native American Park Rangers who help us tell the park stories.

victoria1: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:52AM PST (-0800 GMT)
How do you know where to look for the artifacts?

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:54AM PST (-0800 GMT)
For years, the public and anthropologists, called these people the Anasazi. It is a Navajo word meaning "Ancient Ones." However, we have formed a closer relationship with the modern pueblo people. They pointed out that Anasazi also means "Ancient Enemy," so they have asked us to instead call the people who lived here the Ancestral Puebloans. This also shows us that the people here didn't disappear, but are the pueblo tribes of today.

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:54AM PST (-0800 GMT)
In 1986, the Camp Directors has a chance to visit Frijoles Canyon at Bandelier National Monutment in New Mexico .... and happened upon an evening storytelling that was a walking tour with out any lights. The fireflies were flickering, the stars were brillina overhead .... the storytelling was wonderful .. and then ... in the caves in the cliff walls fires were lit and drumming and chanting filled the canyons .. all we could see were the shadows of the people in the caves being cast against the walls by the fire light .. we were trasnported back hundreds of years instantly ..... it was magical........... I recently had a chance to read The Delight Makers by Bandelier - it was his effort to describe their life in a novel format and captures so many detials about life in the Anasazi / Ancestral Puebloan period ... including an example of why they may have moved to the riverside pueblos ....

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:56AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Kathy - What books do you recommend for student reading about the Ancestral Puebloans ? we are providing our school librarians with suggested reading lists and would appreciate any suggestions ....

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:57AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Archeologists consider a site to be evidence of man. It can be a place where they made arrows, built a fire and camped overnight, skinned and processed an animal, or it can be huge and glamorous like the 150 room Cliff Palace. Ofter places where we like to rest on a hike (nice view, good stopping place) are places the Ancestral Puebloans used for the same thing.

victoria1: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 10:59AM PST (-0800 GMT)
It didnt say in the text, how they entered the kivas; can you tell us?

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 11:02AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Students - we have just a few more minutes of Ranger Kathy McKay's time today .. please post any final questions ............. Kathy - it has been an excellent learning experience for the students AND teachers - we all thank you for sharing your insights and recent developments at Mesa Verde with us ... and hope to have you back again next year. We will soon move this chat into the linked archive off the main Camp page if you would like to revisit the chat again later .... thanks everyone !!

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 11:03AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Our website is linked to the Mesa Verde Museum Association. button They publish and produce most of the books on Mesa Verde. The entire "Story of Mesa Verde" by Gil Wenger is on the website (lots of great pictures - especially the dioramas). "The Coming of Gray Owl" by Hobbs is a good fictional book. For the more advanced, Linda Cordell's "Ancient Pueblo Peoples."

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 11:06AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Kivas were entered via a ladder from the top. Thanks for all of the great questions. I am impressed by how intelligent and thoughtful they were. I enjoyed doing this. Hopefully, you will all come visit Mesa Verde. I wasn't kidding. I does belong to you. We are just the caretakers to make sure your children also get to see it. Help us to take care of it.

Kathy McKay, Park Ranger, Mesa Verde National Park: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 11:07AM PST (-0800 GMT)
If you want to learn more, there are lots of neat classroom activities on our website. All of our teacher materials can be found there. Signing off.

Marcy, Camp Internet: . . . . Thu, Nov 9, 11:10AM PST (-0800 GMT)
Thanks to Ranger Kathy McKay and our students at Camp Internet today !!! signing off until next time ....

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