AFtEr thEAnAsAzi ABAnDonED southwEstErnColorADo in thE lAtE 1200s or EArly 1300s, history’s pAgEs ArE BlAnk. thEAnAsAzi wErE mAsons AnD ApArtmEnt BuilDErs who oCCupiED thE DEsErts, rivEr vAllEys, AnD mEsAs oF this rEgion For ovEr A thousAnD yEArs, BuilDing struCturEs thAt hAvE wEAthErED thE tEst oF timE.
thE FirstEuropEAns to visit southwEstErnColorADo wErE thE EvEr- rEstlEss, AmBitious spAnish, who sought golD, pElts, AnD slAvEs. in1765, unDEr orDErs From thE spAnish govErnor in sAntA FE, juAn mAriAAntonio rivErA lED A prospECting AnD trADing pArty into thE rEgion. nEAr thEDolorEs rivEr in southwEstErnColorADo, hE FounD somE insigniFiCAnt silvEr-BEAring roCks, AnD it is thought thAt it wAs hE who nAmED thE mountAins nEArBy thE siErrA DE lA plAtA or thE silvEr mountAins. rivErA FounD littlE oF CommErCiAl vAluE thAt woulD intErEst his supEriors in sAntA FE, But hE DiD opEn up A routE thAt woulD soon lEAD to thE EstABlishmEnt oF thE olD spAnish trAil. this ExpEDition AnD othErs to Follow lEFt nAmEs on thE lAnD whiCh ArE thE only rEminDErs wE hAvE toDAy thE spAnish onCE ExplorED this rEgion.
in 1776, onE oF thE mEn who hAD ACCompAniED rivErA,AnDrE muniz, ACtED As guiDE For AnothEr ExpEDition. thAt pArty EntErED southwEstErnColorADo in sEArCh oF A routE wEst toCAliForniA, trAvEling nEAr toDAy’s towns oFDurAngo AnDDolorEs.Along thE wAy, thEy CAmpED At thE BAsE oF A lArgE grEEn mEsA whiCh toDAy CArriEs thE nAmE mEsA vErDE. thEy wErE thE FirstEuropEAns to rECorD thE DisCovEry oF AnAnAsAzi ArChAEologiCAl sitE m southwEstErnColorADo.
By thE EArly 1800s,AmEriCAn mountAin mEn AnD trAppErs wErE Exploring thE ArEA in thEir quEst For BEAvEr pElts. mEn likE pEg-lEg smith wErE outFittED with suppliEs in thE CrossroADs trApping town oF tAos, nEw mExiCo. thEsE ADvEnturousAmEriCAn trAppErs wErE A tough BunCh. thEy, possiBly morE thAn Any othEr nEwComErs, pEnEtrAtED DEEply into thE mountAin FAstnEss oF southwEstErnColorADo, Bringing BACk vAluABlE inFormAtion ABout thE ArEA AnD DisCovEring nEw routEs through thE mountAins. onE oF thE trAppErs, williAmBECknEll, thE FAthEr oF thE sAntA FE trAil, CAmpED in thE ArEA oF mEsA vErDE, whErE hE FounD pottEry shArDs, stonE housEs, AnD othErAnAsAzi rEmAins.
thE mAsons AnD ApArtmEnt BuilDings Built By thEAnAsAzi
A、show strong AEsthEtiC vAluE.
B、show high stAnDArD oF CulturE DEvElopmEnt.
C、withstAnD thE wEAr oF thE CEnturiEs.
D、wErE lAtEr DEstroyED By thE spAnish.