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5MT 1690, also known as Cougar Cub Alcove, is a Pueblo III (AD 1150-1300) cliff dwelling located in a series of overhanging alcoves along the canyon wall north of Lightning Tree Tower. The site contains 13 masonry rooms, and may have once had as many as 15 or 16 rooms. In addition there is 1 kiva. Cougar Cub may have housed upwards of 22 people when it was inhabited. 5MT 1690 was previously recorded in 1983, and at that time it was noted that the kiva had been recently looted. Colorado College surveyed, mapped and recorded the site on October 6-8, 2005. Interesting features of the site include a largely intact storage room, Room 7, which still has an intact door slab, and the kiva, which appears to have been constructed with two parallel, concentric curving walls. This is probably a structural necessity of building on a steep slope and having to creat a significant amount of fill into which to construct the kiva (the soil was not deep enough to dig into without hitting bedrock quickly). Rock art was also found at the site, consisting of 2 petroglyphs and a pictograph panel. One petroglyph, which we named "bungee-jumping man," is a stick figure with with an attached snaking pattern (see photo below). Click here for a map of the site. Click here for a data table from the site. Photos: |
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| The snaking pattern and stick figure petroglyph, affectionately known as "bungee-jumping man," although its head probably points towards the top of the photo. | Room 7, with an intact door slab, and an originally piece of wood that to hold the slab up. This was probably a storage room, based on its size and location. | Rooms 4 and 5, showing an intact door and lintel, as well as some McElmo style masonry. |