CASAS GBANDES, (HIIHUAHUA. 201 



sfream arc many moiihds in which have been found earthen 

 vessels, painted white, bhie, and violet ; also weapons of stone, 

 but none of iron. The following particulars arc from Bartlett's 

 personal narrative :— " The ruins of Casas Grandes face the 

 cardmal points, and consist of fallen and erect walls, the 

 latter varying in height from 5 to 30 feet, projcctmg 

 above the heaps of ruins which have crumbled to decay. 

 Vere the height estimated from the foundations, it would be 

 much greater, particularly of those of the centre part of the 

 building, where the fallen walls and rubbish form a moimd 



L 



20 feet above the ground. If, therefore, the highest walls 

 now standing have their foundations on the lowest level, 

 theh probable height was from 40 to 50 feet. I conclude 

 that the outer portions of the building were the lowest, 

 about one story high, while the central ones, judging from 

 the height of the walls now standing, and the accumulation of 

 I'ubbish, were probably from thi'ee to six stories. Every 

 ■ portion of the building is made of adobe, which differs fi-om 

 that now made by the Mexicans in that the blocks are very 

 much larger, being 14 or 16 inches long, 12 inches wide, 

 and 3 or 4 thick ; the others are usually 22 inches in thick- 

 ness, and 3 feet or more in length. Gravel was mixed 

 ^'ith these large adobes, which greatly increased their hard- 

 ness, but no straw was used. The building consists of tlu-ee 

 masses, united by walls, of probably but one story, forming 

 perhaps only coui-tyards ; they are now weather-beaten down 

 to long lines of mounds. 



" The entii-e edifice extends from north to south 800 feet, 

 and from east to west 250. The general character is very 

 similar to Casas Grandes near the Pima villages and the 

 mins on the Salinas. Kot a fragment of wood remains ; 

 many doorways are to be seen, but the lintels have gone, and 

 the top has in most cases crimibled away and fallen m. 



