Pithouses and Pueblos ~ Mesa Verde National Park

The Pithouses and Pueblos area is located on the Mesa Top Loop​, which is a showcase of a wide variety of ancient native architectural styles. Mesa Verde was not always occupied by the builders of the great house cliff dwelling pueblos and this place once was a basket weaver culture village long ago. Simple earthen structures were constructed first and as time moved on the architectural designs became more complex. There were periods of design transition and periodic architectural styles were hybridized. The Pithouses and Pueblos is one such transitional period exhibit and hours can be spent pondering over the significance of this archaeological site.

Because the foundation of a pithouse is earthen it is subject to erosion, so this site is protected by a tin building, which provides some welcome shade on a hot sunny day. Inside the building a transitional period structure can be seen that is a combination pithouse and pueblo with a masterfully crafted earthen kiva. An earthen kiva truly is a rare sight to see, because most that have survived the ages tend to be built with stone block and mortar. This indicates the structures were from an early age in Mesa Verde history, so be sure to check it out when doing the grand tour!