Intending to preserve as many achievements of the Old World as possible, the scientists began painting and carving electronic schematics into the walls of their new settlement and insisted that mathematics should be emphasized when educating the village children so that their descendants would be able to understand the schematics. Over the years the villagers heavily integrated mathematics in their culture and even speech. Their confusing, cryptic way of speaking, permeated by math terms, has caused them to be dubbed "Ciphers" by educated wasteland dwellers who thought they might be speaking in some type of code. The Ciphers assign an almost mystical significance to specific numbers - it is the closest thing to a religion they have.
Nearly a century after the refugees' arrival at Mesa Verde, the descendants of the original settlers had outgrown the space and resources available. Many families chose to adopt a nomadic lifestyle to avoid the perpetual thirst and hunger. Only families with very young children or Ciphers too old to travel remain full-time in the village.read more...