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The ancient structures of Mesa Verde give historians and tourists a glimpse into a fascinating culture.

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Between A.D. 550 and the late 1300s, this area of southwestern Colorado was busy, but now the ancient buildings contain only memories. 

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Though the Anasazi were well known by other peoples in their own time, today relatively little is known about their way of life.

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For about 750 years, the Anasazi lived and farmed on top of Mesa Verde.

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The ancestors of the Anasazi were called Basket Makers; they perfected the art of making baskets that were both beautiful and useful.

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Around A.D. 550, some Basket Makers moved to Mesa Verde, where they developed a method of building dwellings called pithouses.

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Soon the Anasazi learned to build square rooms with vertical walls, and their round pithouses were used only as ceremonial rooms.

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Anasazi pottery has been found all over Mesa Verde; it is easily recognized by designs that were painted with black paint in intricate lines, squares, and other geometric shapes. 

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Because the plateaus usually received enough rain, the Anasazi managed to grow corn, beans, and squash.

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Thousands of Anasazi lived in cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde until the late 1300s, when they mysteriously abandoned their homes.

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