Our first group field trip (06/13/15) was to the Gila Cliff Dwellings in the Gila National Forest. The ancient puebloans of the Mogollon area of the North American Southwest. Dendrochronological dates collected from wall wooden posts from this site places occupation to approximately 1275 AD.
View of the dwellings after short climb up a hill, and right before you can explore within the rooms
A view of various rooms from within the dwellings.
A few of the group checking out a room that actually has remnants of paint on the wall, as well as hand prints in the wall mortar where the original inhabitants constructed specific sections of the wall. (In picture from left to right: Overton Lesley, David Barron, Mary Whisenhunt, Kimberly Martin, Robert Gardner, NPS volunteer, and Kristina Solis)
The Graduate Students: (from left to right in back row: Lori Barkwill- Love, Kristina Solis, Ashley Jones. In front row: Mary Whisenhunt and Andrea Thomas)
Dr. Robert Hard discussing the site with a National Park Service volunteer
Students taking a breather and admiring the site. (In front: Stephanie Dooley. In back from left to right: David Barron, Lori Barkwill-Love, Mary Whisenhunt, Overton Lesley, Rosa Compean-Molina, Haley Fishbeck, Gabriella Zaragosa, and Megan Brown)
Another fascinating aspect of the Gila Cliff Dwellings tour was the rock art in different areas of the park. The group explored different areas surrounding the main dwellings and located various rock art drawings created with a red organic paint.
Robert Hard 