^6 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 74 



the various parts will be considered after a detailed description of 

 the site as it now appears has been made (p. 37). 



Eebuilding. — It is well to consider the methods used in filling in 

 the rooms to prepare them for others on higher levels. In most 

 cases loose earth is employed. Sometimes, however, more pains seem 

 to have been taken in filling in the rooms. Practically all of Room I 

 was filled by adobe bricfe up to within 0.5 m. of the present top of 

 the hill. In a few cases ashes were noted between the adobes. Some- 

 times an adobe seems to have been left out and its place filled with 

 earth. Stones are often employed for filling in over the lower floors. 

 Room II at the entrance from Room I and in the southern end was 

 filled by alternate layers of earth and single lines of unworked stones. 



The question of the purpose of such a variety of floor levels and 

 so evident a desire for renovation has never been satisfactorily an- 

 swered. Reference is frequently made by the early Spanish writers 

 to the desire of the natives to renew their temples and their utensils 

 at the end of certain periods of time. This may explain in part, at 

 least, the presence of floors separated from each other by only a few 

 inches. 



DETAILED DESCRIPTION 



The natural order in the description of the site would be, perhaps, 

 a chronological one, beginning with the lowest and earliest examples 

 of construction and working up to the latest. A second possibility 

 would be to work in the opposite direction, beginning with what 

 appears to be the latest. Neither of these methods will be adopted. 

 Leaving out of account for the present tlie probable sequence. I wish 

 to begin Avith the most important unit, that bounded by the terrace 

 and called the Main Structure as it appeared built over the lower- 

 most rooms and before the topmost floor (A) was added. 



Main structure. — Terraces. — The most important building of the 

 site rests upon a step or Terrace which is practically a perfect 

 square, 17.5 m. on each side. The northwestern corner of the Ter- 

 race is covered by the road. The other three corners were uncovered. 

 This step or Terrace is only 0.15 m. high and is faced by a single 

 line of squared stones. The floor of the Terrace is of plaster and is, 

 in most cases, well preserved. The average width on the southern, 

 eastern, and northern sides is 0.5 m. Plate 5, «, shows the Eastern 

 Terrace and plate 7, /^, the Northern Terrace. On the western side 

 the width is 1.6 m. There is a good floor in some places in front of 

 the Terrace (pi. 1, U, U', IT''). At the southeastern corner this 

 floor runs under the higher level Floor B. In two places (pi. 1, 9, 9') 

 a mass of cement was found on this floor and level with the top of 

 the Terrace. Near the center of the Eastern Terrace two crater-like 

 masses of cement (pi. 1, 10, 10') were noted. These were undoubt- 



