NO. I ARCHITECTURE OF PUEBLO BONITO — JUDD 209 



8 inches deep and apparently built upon a slab at that depth, lies 1 1 

 feet north of the fireplace. It was covered by a thin sandstone slab 

 20 inches in diameter and, like that in nearby Kiva R, was empty. 

 This feature occupies the same relative position of the sipapu in 

 northern kivas, and I should be tempted to regard it as such except 

 that the sipapu is foreign to Chaco Canyon kivas, even those of 

 northern inspiration. 



At 3 feet 9 inches south of the raised fireplace a slightly crescen- 

 tic masonry-lined receptacle 6 feet 5 inches long, 6 inches wide, and 

 25 inches deep marks the position of a former deflector or firescreen. 

 Within were the butts of nine 2-inch posts, tightly packed in shale, 

 the supports of a probable wattlework screen. 



Between this deflector and the south bench, 28 inches from the 

 latter, three decayed poles with an overall width of 37 inches identify 

 a former ladder, slanting toward the middle of the kiva ceiling. Each 

 pole was seated in a hole, depth undetermined. Our Zuiii say that 

 old-time kiva ladders always had three poles (pi. 75, lower). 



Behind this 3-pole ladder and 62 inches above the Kiva Q bench, 

 is a small alcove or antechamber, measuring 6 feet 4 inches on the east, 

 6 feet 5 inches on the west, 8 feet 9 on the south, and 8 feet 7 on 

 the north. Since 18 inches of kiva wall had collapsed at this point, 

 we do not know the size and shape of the connecting opening, if 

 any. There is no trace of a north side to the alcove; no evidence of 

 a stairway beneath. Therefore if the alcove opened into Kiva Q, 

 it opened full width and at its own floor level. At its south end 

 the antechamber has 3 steps 29 inches wide, the lowest 15 inches 

 above floor, leading to the West Court. There may formerly have 

 been other steps to the flight since the surface here is much eroded 

 and slopes toward the kiva. At its inner southeast corner, the alcove 

 masonry now stands only 30 inches high (pi. 75, upper) but a 5-foot 

 ceiling does not seem unreasonable. 



In his description of Great Kiva Q, which he renamed "Pueblo 

 Bonito II" for his own convenience, Gordon Vivian (1960, p. 65) 

 doubts the existence of this south alcove and otherwise complains 

 because the situation as he found it in 1940 did not agree with his 

 preconceived notions. He was especially annoyed with reconstruc- 

 tions at the antechamber, and rightfully so. It is a very incompetent 

 job. But Vivian was too hasty in placing the blame ! Had he troubled 

 to inquire of his Park Service superiors he could have learned which 

 of his colleagues repaired walls at Pueblo Bonito between 1924, when 

 I excavated Kiva Q, and 1940, when he recorded his opinions. Vivian 



