58 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1921. 



and other gentlemen. The object of this visit was an inspection of 

 past work in the park and formulation of plans for the future. The 

 work in July and August was a continuation of cooperative work 

 of the Bureau of American Ethnology and the National Park Service, 

 with an allotment tw the latter for the excavation and repair of the 

 ruins in the park. A third visit was made in May and June, 1921. 

 at the expense of the bureau. 



In the report for 1920 attention was called to the beginning of the 

 work of excavating a ruin known as Painted House, which is situated 

 near the head of Fewkes Canyon, 2-| miles south of Spruce Tree 

 Camp. The result of this work, which was not finished at the close 

 of last year, intensified the suspicion that this large cliff building 

 was used for some communal purpose, and that it was connected with 

 the worship of fire. The further excavation of this ruin was con- 

 tinued in July, when the floor of a great court was laid bare, veri- 

 fying this suspicion and giving undoubted evidence of the existence 

 of a large fireplace in the middle of the court. Taken in connection 

 with other evidence, the statement that this was a building devoted 

 to fire worship is practically proven. Fire Temple, as it may be 

 designated, was completely excavated and its walls repaired. Lad- 

 ders were so placed as to make it accessible to the public. 



To facilitate the opening of Fire Temple to visitors, a road was 

 constructed along the southern rim of Fewkes Canyon, ending in 

 what is now called Sun Point, from which a magnificent view can be 

 obtained of Sun Temple, Cliff Palace, and other important ruins of 

 the Mesa. The importance of this road is reflected by its popu- 

 larity ; it is now the most frequented road on the park. Its construc- 

 tion also opened to visitors two little-known ruins near Fire Temple, 

 one of which has been known for several years as Oak-tree House and 

 the other as Fire Temple House. The walls of the latter were deeply 

 buried, but were completely excavated, bringing to light a most inter- 

 esting cliff dwelling, with kivas in a lower and storage rooms in an 

 upper cave. A number of large ollas and a few unique specimens of 

 black and white pottery and other artifacts were found in this ruin. 

 The indications are that this was the dwelling and granary of the 

 New Fire clan or of the priests who controlled the ceremonies in the 

 Fire Temple. The ventilator of one kiva of this cliff dwelling re- 

 sembled those of Sun Temple. 



Oak-tree Flouse lies in a symmetrical cave in full sight of Sun 

 Point Road, about midway between Fire Temple and Sun Temple. 

 The excavation of this ruin, which has unique features, was com- 

 pleted in September, and it is now in condition for inspection by 

 visitors. A trail was constructed along the top of the talus con- 

 necting the ruins in Fewkes Canyon and ladders placed on the rim 



