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SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 78 



Judging" from the ground plan shown in the accompanying sketch 

 (fig. 207), Elden Pueblo was a massive walled building composed of 

 large chambers used for domiciles or granaries forming a lower story, 

 upon which a second was built, especially evident on the western end, 

 where, although considerably broken down, fragments of a roof 

 rested on top of the lower rooms, with rudiments of upper walls. 

 As will be seen by an examination of figures 206, 208, and 209, Elden 

 Pueblo was a rectangular structure 145 by 125 feet, oriented approxi- 

 mately east-west. A complete wall was missing on the north side. The 

 standing walls varied in height from about two feet at the lowest to 

 seven feet at the highest point (fig. 210). 



Fig. 210. — Recess in the exterior wall on the southwest corner, showing 

 highest point in the wall. (Photograph hy J. W. Fewkes.) 



This latter occurred at the angular inset of the southwest corner, 

 where there are indications of a shrine near a megalith forming the 

 foundation, under which was a recess containing two or three small 

 undecorated clay vessels and a number of rock concretions. From 

 its position at the southwest angle of the building, facing the sunset 

 point at the winter solstice, this shrine may be supposed to represent 

 the winter solstice house of the sun, or the place where offerings to 

 the sky god were placed, in the Elden Pueblo worship. 



The masonry of Elden Pueblo is crude, as would be expected in 

 a ruin of great age. Stone slabs standing on edge and megaliths occur 

 as foundations in several places, and although here and there we find 

 stones laid in courses, this is not a common mural characteristic. Large 

 stones alternating with rubble thrown roughly together and exhibiting 



