{"id":1012,"date":"2015-10-26T21:18:06","date_gmt":"2015-10-26T21:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/isobaresoffit.com\/?p=1012"},"modified":"2015-10-26T21:42:42","modified_gmt":"2015-10-26T21:42:42","slug":"walking-through-ancient-ruins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/isobaresoffit.com\/2015\/10\/26\/walking-through-ancient-ruins\/","title":{"rendered":"Walking Through Ancient Ruins"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whenever we travel places, regardless of where it is, we tend to try to imagine what it was like hundreds or thousands of years ago.\u00a0 Fortunately, there are a few places where you don’t have to use your imagination, but they have been preserved or unearthed\u00a0by archeologists.\u00a0 In the four corners area, where Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona meet at a single point, there are two excellent ancient ruins that you should definitely visit if you’re in the area.\u00a0 There are the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park, which is located near Alamosa, Colorado and the Aztec Ruins National Monument, which is in New Mexico.\u00a0 We visited them several years ago with the kids and it was a great experience.<\/p>\n

\"Mesa<\/a>
Mesa Verde National Park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Aztec<\/a>
Aztec Ruins National Monument<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Cliff<\/a>
Cliff Dwelling<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the great things about Mesa Verde National Park is that you’re able to climb up to and walk through the cliff dwellings located there.\u00a0 The ancient Pueblo people inhabited the dwellings for about 700 years between 600 and 1300 AD.\u00a0 Some of the most interesting buildings are the Kivas, which the Pueblo people used for ceremonies.\u00a0 There is a whole in dug into the center of the floor of the Kivas called a sipapu, which represents their belief that their ancestors came to the surface from the underworld.\u00a0 It is well worth taking a tour while you’re there so that you learn about the ancient Pueblo people as well the current efforts to preserve the ruins.\u00a0 The kids really enjoyed the fact that they were able to walk through the ruins, through the doorways, hallways, into the Kivas, it is a true hands on experience.<\/p>\n

\"Mesa<\/a>
Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Climbing<\/a>
Climbing Ladders to the Cliff Dwellings<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Kiva<\/a>
Kiva with Sipapu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mesa Verde is the most well-known ruin in the area, but take the time to visit the Aztec Ruin National Monument.\u00a0 These aren’t cliff dwellings, but the more typical ruins of the ancient Pueblo people.\u00a0 A smaller version of the ruins found at Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, this not as well-known ruin is another great place to explore the history of the Southwest.\u00a0 You are able to walk through these ruins as well, although not as well-preserved as the ruins at Mesa Verde, it is still a treat to visit.\u00a0 Understanding that there was a civilization building large cities here in the United States over a thousand years ago is often a surprise to people as we always think of Europe and the Middle East as the cradle of civilization.<\/p>\n

\"Pueblo<\/a>
Pueblo Ruins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Aztec<\/a>
Aztec Ruins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"More<\/a>
More Aztec Ruins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Visiting ancient ruins in the United States is truly a special experience.\u00a0\u00a0Obviously going to Greece or Italy to visit ancient ruins is\u00a0a classic experience, but you don’t have to fly overseas to see ancient ruins.\u00a0 It is well worth taking time to visit our own ancient ruins and learn about the people who inhabited North America\u00a0so long ago.\u00a0 Thanks to the hard work of the archeologists, we’re able to step back in time and imagine ourselves in an ancient\u00a0city bustling with hundreds of ancient Pueblo citizens.<\/p>\n

\"Petroglyphs\"<\/a>
Petroglyphs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mesa<\/a>
Mesa Verde<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Cliffs<\/a>
Cliffs of Mesa Verde<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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