23-year megadrought caused cliff dwelling abandonment around 1270. Dendrochronology shows a 23-year stretch with virtually no precipitation towards end of 1200s Tree ring cutting dates on beams from Mesa Verde cluster tightly between 1260 and 1276 After 1276, almost no new construction or major repairs occurred
Tree rings reveal a devastating megadrought forced Mesa Verde abandonment around 1270. Dendrochronology shows a prior 23-year megadrought (A.D. 1140-1162) with severely reduced precipitation. Tree ring cutting dates on beams from Mesa Verde cluster tightly between 1260 and 1276 — after that, construction stopped. Paleoclimate records from lake sediments confirm the drought was regional in scale across the western half of North America. Maize needs 12-18 inches of rain per season. There was almost none. 🌲
Key Facts
- Dendrochronology shows a 23-year stretch with virtually no precipitation towards end of 1200s
- Tree ring cutting dates on beams from Mesa Verde cluster tightly between 1260 and 1276
- After 1276, almost no new construction or major repairs occurred
- The drought was hemispheric in scale confirmed by paleoclimate records from lakes
- Maize cultivation requires 12-18 inches of rain per growing season
Related site: Villa Romana de Río Verde — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: Why did the Cliff Dwellers Disappear? by Luke Caverns