THE VILLAGE OF MISHONGNOVI. 



There are seven Hopi villages: Walpi, Sichomovi and Hano on 

 the First or East Mesa; Mishongnovi, Shipaulovi and Shongopavi on 

 the Second or Middle Mesa; and Oraibi on the Third or West Mesa. 

 These mesas lie almost parallel to each other, and are separated by 

 valleys which average six miles in v^^idth. The distance of any one of 

 the villages from the main line of the Santa F6 Railroad is about 

 sixty-five miles. After Oraibi, Mishongnovi is the largest Hopi vil- 

 lage, having, according to the census of 1900, 350 inhabitants. The 

 position of the village is most picturesque, as it is on the summit of 

 a long slender finger which extends out into the plain towards the 

 southeast from the broad and irregular Middle Mesa. On the east 

 from the village the mesa extends to a slight distance, its very point 

 being occupied with two shrines, one being the Sun Shrine, the other 

 the Katcina Shrine. On the western side of the village the mesa 

 terminates rather abruptly, having a level interval of about two 

 hundred yards lying about fifty feet below Mishongnovi. Beyond 

 this the mesa regains its former level, and its pinnacle-like summit is 

 crowned here by Shipaulovi, the smallest of the Hopi pueblos. Near 

 the north and south sides of the village are rather steep declivities 

 which lead to the narrow terrace which has already been mentioned. 

 The walls of this terrace are decidedly abrupt on three sides and lead 

 down to the valleys below, about four hundred feet. 



Mishongnovi as it stands to-day is, according to the researches 

 of Mindeleff,* of long and slow growth, the oldest portion, on the east 

 side, surrounding a fairly regular court, containing a kiva. To this 

 have been made two other additions, surrounding long and somewhat 

 irregular courts which open on the south. The north side of the vil- 

 lage is thus formed by the comparatively regular high wall of the rear 

 sides of houses of three stories, and not as a rule pierced by open- 

 ings. In front of this house row there are the three courts, sur- 

 rounded by the first terrace of the houses, which rise up generally to 

 a height of three stories. The center court is long, narrow and almost 

 rectangular. Near the center and a little towards the east side of this 



♦".■\ study of Pueblo Architecture," by Victor Mindeleff. Annu.nl Report of the Bureau of 

 Ethnology, 1866-1867. p. 66. 



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