Gezicht op een rotswoning, Spruce Tree House, in Mesa Verde National Park before 1893

This is Gustaf Nordenskiöld’s "Gezicht op een rotswoning, Spruce Tree House, in Mesa Verde National Park," made with unknown materials. Nordenskiöld, a Swedish scientist, documented the architecture of the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings in the late 19th century. These structures, built by the Ancestral Puebloans, are striking testaments to indigenous innovation and resilience. Yet, Nordenskiöld's work occurred during a period when scientific exploration often intersected with colonial exploitation. The act of documenting and mapping these sites reflects a complicated dynamic, where the drive to preserve knowledge was intertwined with the appropriation of cultural heritage. It prompts questions about whose stories are told, and who has the authority to tell them. The image serves as a reminder of the complex negotiations between preservation, cultural understanding, and the politics of representation. It invites us to reflect on the histories embedded in the land and the responsibilities we have in honoring them.