Mesa Verde’s cliff habitations were sometimes four stories high; there was considerable variation because of limitations imposed by cliff sites. Its kivas, viewed diagrammatically, were generally keyhole-shaped and lined with rock. Because water supplies were critical to traditional agriculture in a relatively dry environment, these pueblos also included artificial reservoirs and stone check dams, as well as stone fieldhouses. Other cultural characteristics were manifested by common ceramic utility vessels—bowls, mugs, and jars—known to archaeologists as Mesa Verde corrugated and Mesa Verde black-on-white. Perishable items—leather moccasins, yucca baskets, rush mats, and wooden prayer sticks—have also been unearthed on site. Mesa Verde’s Anasazi
