Toren in het Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde National Park before 1893

This photograph of the Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde was captured by Gustaf Nordenskiöld, likely in the late 1800s, a period of increasing interest in the pre-Columbian past of the American Southwest. The image transports us to a crucial moment of archaeological exploration and documentation. Nordenskiöld, a Finnish mineralogist and antiquarian, wasn't just recording the physical structures; he was participating in a broader cultural project of defining and understanding America's historical identity through its material remains. Consider the context: the late 19th century was a time of intense colonial expansion and nation-building. Archaeological expeditions were often entangled with the politics of land ownership, cultural appropriation, and the construction of national narratives. The Cliff Palace, an ancestral Pueblo site, was a potent symbol of ancient indigenous civilization, sparking both scientific curiosity and romantic fascination. To fully appreciate Nordenskiöld’s photograph, we must explore its broader socio-political context through historical archives, travel accounts, and anthropological studies of the era.