FBWKES] ANTIQUITIES OF MESA VEKDE NATIONAL PARK 9 



There are practically the same number of plazas as of kivas in 

 this ruin. With the exception of C and D, each plaza is occupied by 

 a single kiva, the roof of which constitutes the central part of the 

 floor of the square enclosure (plaza). The plazas commonly contain 

 remnants of small shrines, fireplaces, and corn-grinding bins, and are 

 perforated by mj^sterious holes evidently used in ceremonies. Their 

 floors are hardened hj the tramping of the many feet that passed 

 over them. The best preserved of all the plazas is that which con- 

 tains kiva G. It can hardly be supposed that the roof of kiva A 

 served as a dance place, which is the ordinary office of a plaza, but 

 it may have been used in ceremonies. The largest plaza of the 

 series, in the rear of which are rooms wdiile the front is inclosed by 

 the bounding wall, is that containing kivas C and D. The appear- 

 ance of this plaza before and after clearing out and repairing is 

 shown in plate 3 ; the view was taken from the north end of the ruin. 



From the number of fireplaces and similar evidences it may be 

 concluded that the street already mentioned as dividing the village 

 into two sections served many purposes. Most important of these 

 was its use as the open-air dwellings of the villagers. Its hardened 

 cla}'' floor suggests the constant passage of many feet. Its surface 

 slopes gradually downward from the back of the cave, ending at a 

 step near the round room in the rear of kiva G. This step marks also 

 the eastern boundary of the plaza (G) which contains the best- 

 preserved of all the ceremonial rooms of Spruce-tree House. 



The discovery by excavation of the wall that originally formed the 

 front of the village was important. In this wa,v was revealed a 

 correct ground plan of the ruin (pi. 1) which had never before been 

 traced by archeologists. When the work began, this wall was deeply 

 buried under accumulated debris, its course not being visible to any 

 considerable extent. By removing the fallen stones composing the 

 debris the wall could be readily traced. In the repair work the origi- 

 nal stones were replaced in the structure. As in the first instance 

 this wall was probably about as high as the head, it may have been 

 used for protection. The only openings are small rectangular orifices, 

 the presence of one opposite the external opening of the air flue of 

 each kiva suggesting that formerly these flues opened outside the wall. 

 Two kivas, B and F, are situated west of this wall and therefore 

 outside the village. There are evidences of a walk on top of the 

 talus along the front of the pueblo outside the front wall, and of a 

 retaining wall to prevent the edge of the talus from wearing away. 

 (Pis. 4, 5.) 



CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS 



The walls of Spruce-tree House were built of stones generally laid 

 in mortar but sometimes piled on one another, the joints being pointed 

 later. Sections of walls in which no mortar was used occur on the 

 69392— Bull. 41—09 2 



