National Parks
Portfolio

Cover

Contents

Foreword

Parks vs Monuments

Acadia

Bryce Canyon

Carlsbad Caverns

Crater Lake

General Grant

Glacier

Grand Canyon

Grand Teton

Hawaii

Hot Springs

Lassen Volcanic

Mesa Verde

Mount McKinley

Mount Rainier

Platt

Rocky Mountain

Seqoia

Wind Cave

Yellowstone

Yosemite

Zion

Monuments

National Parks Portfolio

Mesa Verde

CONSTRUCTIVE DETAIL OF SOUTH WALL, SUN TEMPLE
Photograph by F.C. Jeep

DISCOVERY OF SUN TEMPLE

UNTIL the summer of 1915 no structures had been discovered in the Mesa Verde except those of the cliff-dwelling type. Then the Department of the Interior explored a mound on the top of the mesa opposite Cliff Palace and unearthed Sun Temple. Dr. J. Walter Fewkes who conducted the exploration, believes that this was built about 1300 A. D. and marks the final stage in Mesa Verde development.

Sun Temple was a most important discovery. It marked a long ad vance toward civilization. It occupied a commanding position convenient to many large inhabited cliff dwellings. Its masonry showed growth in the art of construction. Its walls were embellished by geometrical figures carved in rock.

New types of ruins antedating by centuries those of the Cliff Dwellers have been found more recently. The new park museum contains exhibits of the artifacts of all these cultural types.

DRAWING SHOWING CONSTRUCTIVE DETAIL OF SUN TEMPLE

THE SUN TEMPLE, LOOKING NORTHEAST. AT LEFT THE STUMP OF CEDAR TREE WITH 360 ANNULAR RINGS WHICH WAS CUT DOWN DURING EXCAVATION
Photograph by Geo. L. Beam, Denver, Colo.

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Last Modified: Mon, Oct 31, 2002 10:00:00 pm PDT
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