~Mesa Verde
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~Mesa Verde |
A
t the Mesa Verde National Monument in Southwestern Colorado, there are some
fascinating remnants of ancient cliff
 dwellings.
They were designed and built by the industrious and resourceful Anasazi
Indians. Although these Indians had lived in that region for centuries before, the Great Pueblo Period, which was the "golden age"
at Mesa Verde, was from 1100
to1300 AD. Their ingenuity
was demonstrated by innovative agricultural skills that improved their crops,
by their craftsmanship in basket
weaving and pottery and jewelry making, and especially in the construction
of beautiful cliff dwellings.
These dwellings are
architectural phenomena. By careful calculations, the Anasazi strategically
placed their earth sheltered "condominiums" on
the mountainsides both vertically
and horizontally. In this way, they ingeniously maximized the combined advantages
of their adobe structures
and solar energy for heating and cooling.
This mountainside community was once teeming with life. There were
the sounds of men constructing and repairing homes, women chattering to
one another as they prepared their wild
game
and vegetables over open flames, and the laughter of children playing. At
the present time, however, except for the soft
conversation
of a few tourists as they make their way along the paths,
there is silence. As I stood looking at the
same view enjoyed
by the original inhabitants, I pondered both the accomplishments of these
amazing people and the brevity of life.
I thought of the importance we place on a myriad of unimportant issues,
while brushing aside those having to do with our
eternal destiny. Too busy
are we to consider that someday, our world too will be silent.
"You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." James 4:14b
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