Cliff Palace - Mesa Verde by bmac62
Close
Hover over top left image to zoom.
Click anywhere to exit.
Members remain the original copyright holder in all their materials here at Renderosity. Use of any of their material inconsistent with the terms and conditions set forth is prohibited and is considered an infringement of the copyrights of the respective holders unless specially stated otherwise.
No AI - This artwork was created entirely by hand or with traditional digital tools.
Description
Taken two weeks ago while visiting Mesa Verde National Park. Near Cortez, Colorado.
Opted for black and white here due to extremely bright sun that day...
From the park's website: Recent studies reveal that Cliff Palace contained 150 rooms and 23 kivas and had a population of approximately 100 people. Out of the nearly 600 cliff dwellings concentrated within the boundaries of the park, 75% contain only 1-5 rooms each, and many are single room storage units. If you visit Cliff Palace you will enter an exceptionally large dwelling which may have had special significance to the original occupants. It is thought that Cliff Palace was a social, administrative site with high ceremonial usage.
Many visitors look at the size of the doorways in Cliff Palace and other cliff dwellings and wonder about the size of the people who once lived here. An average man was about 5'4" to 5'5" (163cm) tall, while an average woman was 5' to 5'1" (152cm). If you compare them with European people of the same time period, they would have been about the same size. Compared with today, the Ancestral Puebloan's average life span was relatively short, due, in part, to the high infant mortality rate. Most people lived an average of 32-34 years, however some people did live into their 50s and 60s. Approximately 50% of the children died before they reached the age of five.
Please zoom for more detail.
Comments (30)
Superb capture Bill. God bless.
Very interesting indeed, Bill. Once again, I wish I was a traveller!
Black and white suits it Bill. Nice shot.
you must of had a long hike from what I read. outstanding capture
Oh so amazing Id love to see this. Though Id probably get vertigo and dizzy I'm not a heights person lol
That is a gorgeous place!
Very cool capture - makes me think of National Geographic photos. interesting information as well
Thanks for the brush-up on my Pueblo history. I recall reading about this in the early 1960s. As for the black/white, it adds an air of mystery to the site. I often wondered why they built in such elevated excavations - easier defence? Protection from the elements? We may never know. Thanks again! My regards to Tara. :-)
Mono was a great choice Bud! I remember Tara's shot of this, also a great image, these images spark a feeling of realization of the great frontiers. Niceeeee!
Very interesting formation. Aloha
Oooohh! You did a great job with that long lens. I forgot to get it from you because I was busy making friends with Mark. LOL! This is outstanding!
beautiful! My daughter moved to Colorado last October and expecting her first child in September so I am excited to get out there and visit her, she has told me so many places she wants to take me. Nice work
Oh I would love to take a look in there, amazing!! x
OHH! Could I just beam myself to that place to see this amazing place in person. Super shot, Bill.
Great looking capture I love caves...........would love to see inside this one... Are you going to venture inside Hugs Susan
Amazing capture... WOnderful picture
marvellous panorama
Very nice and I love the beard mate! The actual house that the famous explorer Captain James Cook lived in still stands near me. When you go inside, the doorways are tiny! I will go down there soon and take some shots for you.
Great B&W presentation of this beautiful cliffhouse Bill!
Terrific panoramic capture and historical information in this posting, Bill. Kind of reminds me of the ancient Hopi apartments in New Mexico. These ruins must be crawling with the ghosts who died prematurely.
Outstanding capture my friend, very impressive work!
Excellent shot Bill!
Beautiful capture.
Excellent capture, Bill; these ruins are so fascinating and eerie; I wonder if they felt there was something hanging over their heads?
Great looking image Bill!
An incredible shot of an extremely fascinating place, Bill! Hope to make it there someday myself.
I think black and white is perfect for this, and if you just let your eyes skim over it, there's an odd sort of liquid effect this image produces. I really like the details and the sense of complexity. This is a really nicely elegant image. I need to travel more!
I'm with Rose on that Bill, not a heights person.. But that said, a very fine shot and great POV.. You caught it well.. Like the new you as well.. Great Avatar! Rob
A bold move with the B & W Bill and I have to tell you that the results are spectacular!!!
Very cool shot, looks like a very interesting place to visit. Nicely done.