140 THE CLIFF RUINS OF CANYON DE CHELLY © [xru. ayy. 16 
There are many favorable sites in the branch canyons, but not many 
of them are occupied, possibly because in the upper parts of these can- 
yons the bottom land is of small area and is sometimes rough, being 
composed of numerous small hil- 
a locks. The flat bottom lands of 
es je bs iy ] the -anyon proper are much easier 
Li: COC aman, § <, to cultivate, brt the sites in the 
iS ¢ ™ side canyons offered much better 
Ge) = facilities for defense. Figure 41 
shows the plan of a ruin which 
= oceurs at the point marked 69 on 
ap ical hire a ora the map, on the western side of 
a branch canyon through which passes the trail to Fort Defiance. Itis 
situated in a shallow cove at the top of the talus and overlooks an 
extensive area of fine bottom land below it. At the eastern end there is 
a single room about 10 feet long; its front wall extends up to the over- 
hanging rock, which forms the roof of the room, A small cist has been 
built against it on the west. 
About 60 feet west, on the same ledge, there are remains of other 
rooms which rested probably on the talus. Several rooms can be made 





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Fic. 41—Ruin No. 69, in a branch canyon. 
out, but only one shows standing walls. This is on the western end, 
and the walis are now about 5 feet high. Four feet from the top of the 
wall there is a clear line of demarcation extending horizontally across 
it. Below this Jine the masonry consists of large flat slabs of rock laid 
in mud mortar, which was used nearly dry and stuffed into the cracks 
to some extent. Above the line the stones were carefully selected and 
the work was well done, the whole being finished by a thin coat of 
plaster. There is no opening in the lower part, but in the upper part 
there is a neatly finished door- 
way 3 feet high and slightly 
tapering. The bottom of this 
opening extends 2 inches below 
the line, and the lintel is com- 
posed of a large slab of stone a 
trifle wider than the thickness 
of the wall, but fitted flush on 
the outside. Fic. 42—Ground plan of a small ruin in Canyon del 
On a bench about 100 feet peat 
higher than the rnin described there are two small rooms, extending 
up to the overhanging rock above them. These rooms, which may be 
of Navaho origin, were reached by means of a narrow ledge extending 

