my lovely guys. these next few images are from our first new mexico outing to the gila (pronounced HEE-la) cliff dwellings nestled in the canyons of the gila national forest (our proud nation's first designated wilderness area). the dwellings were occupied by the mogollon people whose disappearance, i believe, is somewhat of a mystery (like the mayans). there remains a lot of argument about the true nature of this site -- whether it was used for day-to-day living, ceremonies, or what -- which i take to mean that we really don't know much at all. we do know that they chose very scenic locations and they built to last. the cave ceilings are still black with soot from their fires, and in some of the chambers you can still see desiccated and well-gnawed corn ears. this has as much to do with the natural protection afforded by the caves and the aridity as it does their architectural acumen. if you have any further question, please leave a comment and i will answer/fabricate to the best of my ability. oh, and this is but a fraction of the photos i took, i am dizzy with trying to select. more to come, no doubt.
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