ATG wrote:
ยค
When one views the great cliff dwellings and fortresses of The Old Ones the first question that always comes to mind is, " what happened to the people that made them? What were they protecting themselves against? "
So again, what happened to the Anazasi? Why did they built their homes in fortified and hidden places?
The settlements were abandoned at the same time as a worldwide drought which led to cannibalism for those that stayed behind. According to comparing climate scientists' data with the anthropological relics at the site. As the relics were uncovered and carbon dated, the incidence of cannibalism increased when correlated with the climate data.
Mesa Verde used to be good farming area, an oasis of sorts in a harsh land. "Fortified and hidden" really was a coincidence - it was the best place to "build".
So most of the folks left. The left behind eventually were left to fate.