MYER] THE FEWKES GROUP 597 
applied to the body or to buckskin or similar materials. This 
mucilaginous juice spread over the paint causes it to adhere where 
otherwise it would quickly fall away when it had become dry. The 
prickly pear is plentiful on the hills around the Fewkes group. 
UnusuaL Depression aT 12 
Especial attention is called to the depression, No. 12, shown on 
the map of Fewkes group, Plate 124. It has an unusual shape and 
probably is not of Indian origin. It will require excavating to 
determine. 
HOMES OF THE FLEXED-BURIAL PEOPLE 
_ It is reasonably certain that traces of ancient habitations of the 
flexed-burial people will be found in all those areas on the map which 
are included within the dotted lines. This conclusion was reached 
from observation and from some faint evidences struck by the men 
who have tilled the cultivated portion of the site. 
CrrcLte No. 17 
Local tradition says ashes and other evidences of wigwams have 
been struck by the plow all along the dotted line area west of mound 
No. 2. This is partially confirmed by exploration in that area. Ex- 
cayation brought to light house circle No. 17 in the cultivated land 
where all traces of house circles had long since been destroyed by the 
plow. The floor of this building was at a depth of from 6 to 17 
inches below the present surface of the soil. A small portion of this 
floor, on the north and west, had already been destroyed by culti- 
vation. The remainder would soon have been reached by the plow. 
On removing the soil a hard-packed, moderately smooth earthen 
floor was found. It was not made of clay and had not been hardened 
by fire. What remained was 21 feet in diameter east and west and 
18 feet north and south. The building had probably originally been 
circular. The floor was level and did not follow the slight natural 
slope of the surface soil. A diagram and vertical section are shown 
in Figure 200. 
To the north of and immediately adjoining what was probably the 
original center of the floor was a fire bowl. A child had been buried 
by the side of the upright stone slab, with its head resting within the 
edge of the fire bowl. Two other graves of children could be seen. 
The edges of their stone-slab coffins rose an inch above the floor. On 
the west portion of the floor there was a small, irregular pile of stones. 
Two postholes, one 5 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep, the 
other 3 inches in diameter and 6 inches deep, could be seen on the 
eastern edge of the circle. 
The woman who lived in this dwelling was frugal. She was also 
the neatest housekeeper found in the village. When she abandoned 
her home she removed all her belongings, including her domestic 
pottery. She then swept the floor. It was not a very smooth floor, 
