Final answer:
The Mesa Verde cliff dwellings were constructed by the Ancestral Puebloan peoples and are built into cliffs using stone, mortar, and plaster. They include over 600 structures, such as Cliff Palace, featuring rooms and storage areas designed with ancient architectural ingenuity. These were abandoned around 1300 CE due to environmental and social challenges.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, created by the Ancestral Puebloan peoples, are a remarkable form of ancient architecture that incorporated both practicality and defensive features. These structures were built into the sides of cliffs utilizing materials such as sandstone, mortar, and plaster, chosen for their availability and durability. The largest cliff dwelling, known as Cliff Palace, protected its inhabitants from harsh weather conditions and had features like kivas, specialized rooms built for ritual purposes that highlighted the advanced societal structures of the time.
More than 600 structures composed this community, with Cliff Palace being the most prominent with approximately 150 rooms. These dwellings illustrate the Ancestral Puebloan people's ingenuity in adapting to their environment. The use of storage areas accessible only by ladder exemplified the resourcefulness and security measures of the people who built and lived in these cliffside structures.