TEWKES] EXCAVATIONS AT CASA GRANDE, ARIZONA 303 



isted, and that they were probably united to a solid terrace which we 

 must suppose existed on the north, east, and south sides of the main 

 building. 



Before excavations were begun, the row of ceremonial rooms was 

 indicated only by a ridge 1 of earth extending from the northeast 

 corner of the main building northward. It is evident that the roof 

 of these rooms was on a level with the floor of the lowest rooms of 

 Casa Grande, 2 which communicated with the roofs of these cere- 

 monial rooms on the north, east, and south by means of the basal 

 terrace, of which mention has been made. In this way one could 

 pass directly into these rooms through the doorways in the middle 

 of the sides of the main building. 



The form, size, and general appearance of the walls of these six 

 rooms are shown in the accompanying plan (plate xxiv) and in 

 plate xxx, a and b. All these rooms were excavated to their floors, 

 the soil from them being removed beyond the surrounding wall of 

 the compound. Earth was likewise taken from the west side, open- 

 ing the east portion of the northwest plaza, so that the walls on that 

 side now average five feet in height. 



5. Central Building 



When work was begun on Compound A the central building was 

 a low, regular mound 3 situated near the southeast angle of the main 

 building, occupying a somewhat similar relation to that corner that 

 the first of the six ceremonial rooms does to the northeast angle. 

 This mound was opened to the base, revealing several intersecting 

 walls and rooms (plate xxiv). When one stands at the north wall 

 of the compound and runs his eye along the east side of the six cere- 

 monial rooms, it is found that the middle wall of the central building 

 is in the line of the eye, which also follows the supposititious retain- 

 ing wall of the east terrace of the main building and the east 



1 This was a favorite camping place of visitors, being in the shade of the 

 old building. 



2 It is much to be regretted that the union of the buildings around Casa 

 Grande and the main house was cut away by contractors without tracing these 

 connections, for it is now impossible to find out the exact relationship. 



3 When Casa Grande was first repaired the section of wall forming the east 

 end of the south room fell to the ground near this mound. This unfortunate 

 accident was the first radical change in the outer walls of the building since 

 1847. The author removed the fallen material and placed it in the south 

 room, which had been excavated too deep below its floor. 



