MINDELEFF. } ROOF DRAINS. 153 
The rapid and destructive erosion of the earthen roof covering must 
have early stimulated the pueblo architect to devise means for promptly 
distributing where it would do the least harm the water which came 
upon his house. This necessity must have led to the early use of roof 
drains, for in no other way could the ancient builders have provided 
for the effectual removal of the water from the roofs and at the same 
time have preserved intact the masonry of the walls. Unfortunately 
we have no examples of such features in the ruined pueblos, for in the 
destruction or decay of the houses they are among the first details to 
be lost. The roof drain in the modern architecture becomes a very 
prominent feature, particularly at Zuni. 
These drains are formed by piercing an opening through the thick- 
ness of the coping wall, at a point where the drainage from the roof 
would collect, the opening being made with a decided pitch and fur- 
nished with a spout or device of some kind to insure the discharge of 
the water beyond the face of the wall. These spouts assume a variety of 
forms. Perhaps the most common is that of a single long, narrow slab 
of stone, set at a suitable angle and of sufficient projection to throw the 
discharge clear of the wall. Fig. 39 illustrates drains of this type, No. 
VG. 39. Single stone roof drains. 
1 being a Tusayan example and No. 2 from Zuni. It will be noted that 
the surrounding masonry of the former, as well as the stone itself, are 
much ruder than the Zuni example. Another type of drain, not differ- 
upae 
Fic, 40. ‘Trough roof drains of stone. 
ing greatly from the preceding, is illustrated in Fig. 40. This form is a 
slight improvement on the single stone drain, as it is provided with side 
