496 PUEBLO POTTERY AND ZUNI CULTURE-GROWTH. 



The traces of little pit-kilns filled with cinders of mineral coal about many 

 of the ruins in the northwestern portion of the Pueblo region, coupled 

 with the semi-fusion and well-preserved condition of most of the, ancient 

 jars found associated with them, certainly give support to this tradition. 

 Bappily 1 have additional confirmation. When, two years ago, I was 

 engaged in making ethnologic collections at Mold for the United 

 States National Museum, some Indians of the Te wa pueblo brought 

 me a quantity of pottery. It had been made with the purpose of de- 

 ceiving me, in careful imitation of ancient types, and was certainly 

 equal to the latter in lightness and the condition of the burning. I 

 paid these enterprising Indians as good a price as they had been 

 accustomed to getting for genuine ancient specimens, but told them 

 that, being a Zufii, I was almost one of themselves, hence they could 

 not deceive me, and asked them how they had so cleverly succeeded in 

 burning the ware. They laughingly replied that they had simply dug 

 some bituminous coal (« a ho) aud used it in little pits. When I further 

 asked them why they did not burn their household utensils thus, they 

 said it was too uncertain ; representing that the pots did not like to be 

 burned in the u a ko, probably because it was so hot, hence they broke 

 more frequently than if fired in the common way with dried sheep- 

 dung; furthermore the latter was less troublesome, requiring only to be 

 dug from the corrals near at hand and dried to make it ready for use. 



This partially explains why the art of water-tight basket -making has 

 here gradually declined since the Spanish conquest, as the ceramic 

 industry has increased with the introduction of the sheep, which fur- 

 nishes fuel for the burning, aud the horse, before unknown, has facilitated 

 transportation, whereby trade for this class of basketry with the dis- 

 tant nomadic tribes who still make it is rendered easy. Withal, how- 

 ever, the quality of pottery has not improved, but has deteriorated ; 

 as sheep-dung is but an inferior fuel for firing. 



