FEWKES] THE AWATOBI MISSION. 607 
Awatobi, Shunopovi, Mishoninovi, and Oraibi. Later, Awatobi was 
destroyed, and shortly after 1680 Walpi, the only East Mesa town, 
together with Mishoninovi and Shunopovi, on the Middle Mesa, were 
moved to the elevated sites they now occupy. Oraibi, therefore, is 
probably the only Tusayan pueblo, at present inhabited, which occupies 
practically the same site that it did in 1540. 
In their excavations for the foundations of new iaaees the present 
inhabitants of Oraibi often find, as I am informed by Mr H. R. Voth, 
the missionary at that place, vessels or potsherds of ancient Tusayan 
ware closely resembling that which is found in the ruins of Sikyatki 
and Awatobi. 
The mission building at Awatobi, known in the church history of 
New Mexico and Arizona as San Bernardo or San Bernardino, was 
reputed to be the largest in Tusayan, and its walls are still the best 
preserved of any mission structure in that province. This, however, 
does not imply that the church structures of Tusayan are well pre- 
served, for the mission buildings at Walpi have wholly disappeared, 
while at Oraibi little more than a pile of stones remains. Of the 
Shunopovi mission of San Bernabe there are no standing walls save 
at one end, which are now used as a sheep corral. 
The mission of San Bernardino de Awatobi was built on the southern 
side of the eastern part of the pueblo on the edge of the cliff, and its 
walls are the only ones of Awatobinow standing above ground. From 
the situation of these walls, as compared with the oldest part of Awa- 
tobi—the western mounds—I believe that San Bernardino mission was, 
when erected, beyond the limits of the pueblo proper—a custom almost 
universally followed in erecting pueblo mission churches—necessary in 
this instance, since from the compactness of the village there was no 
other available site. The same was true of the missions of Oraibi and 
Shunopovi, and probably of Old Walpi. As time passed additional 
buildings were erected near it, this eastward extension altering the 
original plan of the town, but in no way affecting the configuration of 
the older portion. 
From its commanding position on the edge of the mesa the mission 
walls must have presented an imposing appearance from the plain 
below, rising as they did almost continuously with the side of the cliff, 
making a conspicuous structure for miles across Antelope valley, from 
which its crumbling walls are still visible (plate cvm1). 
When compared with the masonry of unmodified pueblo ruins the 
walls of the mission may be designated massive, and excavation at 
their foundations was very difficult on account of the great amount of 
débris which had fallen about them. With the limited force of laborers 
at my command the excavations could not be conducted with a great 
degree of thoroughness. 
In the middle of what I supposed to have been the main church 
there was much sand, evidently drift, and in it I sank a trench 10 feet 
