See 'The Ancient Ones', Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center, Colorado

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'The Ancient Ones' by Edward J. Fraughton -- Mesa Verde National Park Per the Edward J. Fraughton wevbsite: "The word Anasazi means "ancient ones," or "old people," to the modern Pueblo, Navajo and Zuni apartment dwellers of the American Southwest. An aggrarian society, the Anasazi are the ancient ancestors of these modern people. But unfortunately, not much is known about the Anasazi, even to this day, These great great grandparents "...of the land, and of the people," built elaborate cities throughout the precarious sandstone cliffs they inhabited. They chisled and painted the petrolyphs and pictographs and made elaborate tools and pottery that still survive today. The sophisticated dwellings constructed inside the eroded cliffs and canyon walls provided protection, not only from the weather, but against unknown enemies and other unseen dangers that lurked about at the time. During the warm spring and summer days, the Anasazi tilled land both on top of the cliffs and in the drainage bottom lands. Their crops consisted of corn, grains, nuts, root plants, squash and pumpkins. They were also extremely successful at growing fruit trees, a great accomplishment considering the dry climate. My inspiration for this sculpture was born in my childhood where, at the age of 13, I traveled to Mesa Verde (CO), with a troop of boy scouts. Remnants of the ancient ladders, and many unexplored portions of the ancient ruins, still existed in that day. My curiosity was piqued as to where the Anasazi went, and why, which still remains a great mystery to this day."

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