116 CASA GRANDE, ARIZONA [BTH. ANN. 28 
Mescat Pirs 
Scattered at intervals over the reservation, not far from the com- 
pounds, but never within them, one finds here and there circles of 
blackened soil, the surfaces of most of which are on a level with, or 
slightly depressed below, the surrounding plain. No considerable 
quantity of vegetation of any kind flourishes within these circles, 
and examination of the soil reveals the existence of charcoal and 
other evidences of fire. One of the circular areas was dug inte 
and as excavation progressed the effects of fire became more appar- 
ent, until at a depth of about 5 feet there was found a number of 
stones affected by fire in a marked degree. Below these stones was a 
layer of cinders and charcoal resting on a surface made of clay well 
tramped down. The evidence of the action of fire on this floor is 
unmistakable. The clay walls of these pits also show the effect 
of intense heat. It is evident from excavations that these pits 
are similar to those still constructed by the Quahatika (Kwahadt) 
for roasting the tender leaves of the agave.!. The method of using 
these pits is as follows: Great fires are first kindled in them, after 
which heated stones are thrown in; on these stones are laid 
agave leaves, sometimes to a depth of 2 or 3 feet. Fire is kindled 
over this accumulation and by action of the heat below and above, 
the leaves are roasted without being burnt. The number of these 
large pits found indicates that mescal was a favorite food with the 
people of Casa Grande, each compound seemingly having had its 
own mescal ovens. 
One of these pits was thoroughly dug out and the burnt stones 
were removed; they were then carefully replaced in their former 
position. The broken wall of the depression was made of clay burnt 
in place. This was carefully repaired, showing the type form of 
these structures. One of the best examples of a meseal pit is 
situated close to the road to Casa Grande station, not far from the 
southwest corner of Compound A, and can readily be seen from a 
wagon by one approaching the ruin from the south. Most of the 
mescal pits were found south and east of the compounds. It 
can hardly be possible that the pits were placed so that the smoke 
would give the least trouble to the inhabitants of the houses, as 
that consideration is rarely taken into account by Indians. Prob- 
ably it was more convenient to place them on the sides where they 
were found in greater numbers.” 
1 Similar ancient mescal pits are found at the ruins near Tempe, Mesa, Phoenix, and elsewhere in the 
Salt and Gila Valleys. 
2 It is instructive to note en passant that the greater erosion in the walls of the large blocks of buildings 
of Compound A is on the east side. This side of Font’s room was so worn down that the east wall was 
level with the ground. All the east walls of the southwest building were much eroded and the corre- 
sponding wall of the historic Casa Grande ruin is more eroded than is the northwest or thesouth wall. This 
unequal wearing of the walls is ascribed to the rain beating on theeast side. Possibly the buildings were 
terraced toward the east for priests engaged in sun worship. 
