HOUSES OF THE SIERRA TARASCANS — BEALS, CARRASCO, McCORKLE 



21 



specialists. The situation in other Sierra towiis 

 is similar. In the Lake region as well, nearly 

 every one can make adobes and erect a house of 

 sorts, but good work requires a specialist. 



In the Sierra, a master carpenter is usually em- 



ployed on a contract basis. Often the carpenter 

 employs a helper. In adilition to their pay, the 

 carpenter and helper are given their food. Adol)e 

 or stone structures arc also built under contract, 

 but in this case the workmen are not fed. 



PRELIMINARY NOTES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF TYPES 



No complete survey of construction types has 

 yet been made but some general data are available. 

 It is clear that many fundamental features of the 

 architecture extend through not only large areas 

 of the Tarascan country but also into adjoining 

 regions settled by Mestizos. The type of masonry 

 construction with tile or shake roofs and wide over- 

 hanging eaves extends far beyond the limits of 

 Tarascan settlement, and the wide eaves are 

 characteristic of even such a town as Morelia, the 

 State capitol. In general, the higher, more heavily 

 forested areas from at least as far west as Tin- 

 giiindin to near Morelia show a predominance of 

 wooden construction, usually with shake roofs. 

 The lower and, in some instances, drier regions 

 show a predominance of masom-y-adobe structures 

 with tile roofs and wide eaves. In some cases, 

 shakes replace tile as roofing material. Distribu- 

 tion of the wide-eaved masomy-adobe style ex- 

 tends beyond the present Tarascan boundaries. 

 It ends sharply west of Zamora, and it disappears 

 east of Morelia. 



The following tabulation shows the present 



known distribution of types within Tarascan 

 boundaries: 



Mostly mamury-adobe 

 Cuaiiajo 

 La Canada (all 



towns) 

 Puacuaro ^ 

 Tarecuato 

 Uruapan ' ^ 

 Zac.4pu ' 

 Zamora ' 



Mostly wood 

 Ahuiran 

 Aiigahnan 

 Araiitepakua 

 Aranza 

 Capacuaro 

 C'harapan 

 Cherdn 

 Cocucho 

 Corupo 

 Xaluiat zon 

 Nv!ri6 

 Paracho 

 Parangaricutiro 

 Pan'cufin 

 Pataniban 

 Pomacuardn 

 Quiiiseo 

 San Felipe 

 San Lorenzo 

 Sevina 

 Tucutacato 

 Tingiiindin 

 Urapicho 

 Zirosto 



1 Indicates Mestizo town showing influence of styles. 

 ! Indicates shake roofs commoD. 



Alt mnsonrti-adobe 

 Oiicuehucho 

 Hiiecorio 

 Ihuatzio 

 Janicho 

 JarAcuaro ' 

 Naranja 

 Pareo 



Pdtzcuaro ' 

 Qtiiroga 

 Santa F6 

 Tarejcro 

 Tecuena 

 Tirtndaro 

 Tzentzenhuaro 

 Tzurumutaro 

 Yunudn 



HOUSE FURNISHINGS 



The terms "house," or "troje," and "cocina" as 

 employed in the Sierra refer to the construction 

 of the house rather than to its use. Normally, 

 each family has a house and a kitchen. In the 

 kitchen, the family cooks, eats, and sleeps. The 

 house serves as a storage place for all types of 

 property. In it also is kept the image of the 

 family saint. Sometimes in place of a "troje," a 

 "cocina de torito" is floored and used for storage. 

 Despite this shift in use, the structure is still 

 called a "cocina," or kitchen. 



The "troje" contains a minimum of furnishings. 

 The loft is used purely for crop storage and usually 

 has no furnishings whatever. The lower floor 



generally has a table against the waU opposite the 

 door upon which is placed the image of a saint, 

 if the family owns or is earring for one. If not, 

 a picture of a saint will be found behind the table 

 on the waU. Usually, a variety of religious 

 pictures are tacked or pasted behind or around 

 the pictui-e or image of the saint. Often candles 

 and a pottery incense burner are on the table; in 

 addition, the table may have a varying number 

 of miscellaneous objects placed there temporarily 

 for safekeeping. The ceiling, especiaUy over the 

 altar table, may be decorated in colored tissue 

 paper and strings of miniature household objects. 

 Several wooden chairs with arms are kept in the 



