Plaster and paint are integral parts of archeological research at Mesa Verde. In this lesson, students use soil to create their own plaster artwork. They also act as archeologists and use the scientific method to explain how the Ancestral Pueblo people used soil to make plaster and paint. By the end of the lesson, they will be able to answer the question: What can archeologists learn from studying plasters about the Ancestral Puebloan people and their artwork? Background “ Painted plaster surfaces have been amazingly preserved at many of Mesa Verde National Park’s signature cliff dwelling site Duration: 60 Minutes.