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Photorealistic view of an ancient circular stone kiva with a fire pit and benches, built into a sandstone cliff under warm sunlight.

Photorealistic view of an ancient circular stone kiva with a fire pit and benches, built into a sandstone cliff under warm sunlight.

Photorealistic high-resolution image of an ancient Ancestral Puebloan kiva, built into a sandstone cliff in Mesa Verde, Colorado. The kiva is circular and partially subterranean, constructed with irregular, weathered sandstone blocks fitted with natural clay mortar. The walls are rough and uneven, showing erosion and age. The floor is compacted earth with a central fire pit made of stone, and a small ventilation shaft (sipapu) nearby. Stone benches line the interior perimeter, built from the same irregular stones. The lighting is warm and natural, late afternoon sun casting soft shadows. No modern elements, no bricks, no reconstruction. The setting is dry and arid, with sparse desert vegetation around the cliff. No text.. 16:9 See more