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| The remains of Escalante Pueblo overlook the surrounding area. |
This four frame panorama of Escalante Pueblo helps show what made this hill top location a perfect location for a village. The hill itself isn't large enough to be self contained (no arable land or water source) but both are readily available nearby. The reservoir visible in the distance (upper left, just below the horizon) is a modern construction, however it would not have been built where there wasn't already a sizable water source. If you look closely, there are modern buildings in the distance (to the right of the reservoir). Many of these are farms and ranches, indicating good arable land.
Additionally, many scholars theorize that the downfall of the Ancestral Puebloan civilization was accompanied with violent warfare between neighbors fighting over dwindling resources in a drought. A hill top location would have made it much easier to defend and detect incoming threats.
And let's not discount the view. It's easy to imagine that even eight hundred years ago, people would have appreciated a view as amazing as this one.
Additionally, many scholars theorize that the downfall of the Ancestral Puebloan civilization was accompanied with violent warfare between neighbors fighting over dwindling resources in a drought. A hill top location would have made it much easier to defend and detect incoming threats.
And let's not discount the view. It's easy to imagine that even eight hundred years ago, people would have appreciated a view as amazing as this one.
