FEWKES] 



EXCAVATIONS AT CASA GRANDE, ARIZONA 



313 



measurement from north to south. The width from east to west is 

 doubtful. The enclosed buildings of the compound were low, one- 

 storied, and are now quite obscure. This piece of construction, pro- 

 visionally identified as a compound, is supposed to be older than B, 

 and therefore than A, and would well repay excavation. 



OVAL MOUND OR WELL 



About 465 feet north of the northeast corner of Compound A 

 is an oval, hollow mound measuring approximately 164 by 95 feet, 

 the longer axis of which runs southeast and northwest. This 

 mound lies almost equidistant from the three compounds A, B, and 

 C and has not been excavated. The various theories of the use of 

 this depression will be considered in the historical part of a final 

 report and need not be dwelt on at this time. Of all suggestions re- 

 garding its use, that of a visiting Kwahadt 1 from near Vekol seemed 

 to me the best. This Indian said that in his country there is a simi- 

 lar depression, with steps leading into it, which was once used as a 

 well. Other clusters of mounds in the Gila Valley between Florence 

 and Casa Blanca have similar oval depressions, and the probability 

 is that in all cases they served the same purpose, that of furnishing 

 drinking water to the compounds. Excava- 

 tions alone, however, will reveal the true 

 purpose of this much debated mound. 



CLAN HOUSES 



In addition to the great enclosed com- 

 pounds, there is another class of houses in 

 the Casa Grande group of mounds, Class 2, 

 which are called "Clan Houses." These 

 mounds evidently contain houses generally 

 of the shape of a try-square, but are desti- 

 tute of a surrounding wall (figure 118). 

 From a distance they closely resemble some 

 of the enclosed mounds of compounds and 

 have the same bare, gray appearance. 



The pleasure of excavating one of these clan houses is yet to be 

 experienced, but in repairing the walls of these buildings the author 



Fig. 118. — Clan house A 



1 The Kwahadt are Pimas who live south of the Southern Pacific Railroad, 

 between it and the Mexican boundary. They preserve many ancient Pima 

 customs, and their country is full of shrines and holy places connected with 

 Pima and Papago folk-tales. 



