FEwKns] CASA GRANDE MOUNDS 91 
5. CENTRAL BUILDING 
When work was begun on Compound A the central building was a low, regular 
mound . . . situated near the southeast angle of the main building, occupying 
a somewhat similar relation to that corner that the first of the six ceremonial rooms 
does to the northeast angle. This mound was opened to the base, revealing several 
intersecting walls and rooms (plate xxrv) [here, pl. 6]. When one stands at the 
north wall of the compound and runs his eye along the east side of the six ceremonial 
rooms, it is found that the middle wall of the central building is in the line of the eye, 
which also follows the supposititious retaining wall of the east terrace of the main 
building and the east boundary wall of the southwest plaza. The southeast corner 
of the main building, Casa Grande, is broken in much the same way as the northeast 
angle near the six ceremonial rooms, possibly from the same cause. 
6. FONT’S ROOM 
Mange states that Father Kino said mass in the Casas Grandes, and it is generally 
believed that this ceremony was performed in one of the rooms of Casa Grande. As 
there were at the time of Kino’s visit several other rooms in the group, some of which 
were more commodious, it is interesting to speculate on the possibility of one of these 
being that referred to. 
Just east of Casa Grande was a large building (plate xxrv) [see accompanying pl. 
20], formerly two stories high, which was apparently in a fair state of preservation 
when Father Font visited it in 1775. So accurately has this zealous priest described 
. .. and mapped this room, that it is called after him and is referred to as 
“Tont’s room” in this article. 
Mange states in his diary that ‘‘a crossbow shot farther on 12 other houses are seen 
half tumbled down, also with thick walls and all with roofs burnt except one room 
beneath one house, with round beams, smooth and not thick, which appear to be 
cedar or savin, and over them rush reeds very similar to them and a layer of mortar 
and hard clay, making a ceiling or story of very peculiar character.’’ 
Font, 70 years after, wrote: ‘‘In front of the east door, separated from the Casa, 
there is another building with dimensions from north to south 26 feet and from 
east to west 18, exclusive of the thickness of the walls.’’ .. . 
Although it was possible in 1694 for the observer, standing on the roof of Casa 
Grande, to see the walls of all the buildings which were excavated by the author, 
the best preserved of all, judging from Font’s account, was that named after him. 
At that time this was apparently the only two-storied building in good preservation 
east of the main one, which could be designated as ‘‘one room beneath one house.’’ 
The general appearance of this building last October (1906) is shown in the accom- 
panying plate (xxx1v, a, b,) [here, pl. 21]. The upright wall of this room was 
the only fragment besides the main building above ground, with exception of the 
two walls at the southwest angle. The condition of the base of this wall necessitated 
immediate repair; for, although 3 feet thick, it was so undermined that light was 
visible through holes in the base. The author erected on its east side a buttress 
of adobe bricks to strengthen it, and took other precautionary measures to keep 
what was left from falling. The row of holes in which were formerly inserted the 
ends of the rafters of the upper chamber can still be seen in the east face of the wall. 
Directly west of Font’s room is a passageway communicating with the central 
plaza. The floor of this passageway is hard and very compact, and on one side there 
were excavated an eagle skeleton and bones of several rabbits. 
