78 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. US 



of observation. In the center of this altar was a firepit, elliptical in 

 shape, 28 inches by 14 inches and 12 inches deep. This pit was filled 

 with fine wood ashes and charcoal. At this stage of the excavation 

 a long-continued rainy season, with intermittent freezing of the 

 soil at night, interfered with the careful and critical study of the 

 actual floor surface of this secondary structure, which study would 

 have been made had conditions permitted. It was found impossible, 

 after work was resumed, even by the most careful and painstaking 

 effort, to sweep off the actual floor. Frost action and excessive rain 

 had destroyed the records sought. 



MOUND 2 

 FEATURE 7 



FlGUEE 33. 



Primary Floor 



After the secondary floor had been cleared as carefully as possible 

 and the features photographed, it was decided that the central con- 

 tent of the structure should be removed to allow a vertical slicing of 

 the post molds from the inside, so that the method of construction of 

 the building might be investigated. It was proposed to leave the 

 seat and the altar in place and attempt to show them in relation to 

 the longitudinal section of the post molds below the floor level. At 

 once a lower and primary level of occupation was discovered. This 

 was first made apparent by the presence of a burned and collapsed 

 building under the secondary floor. This structure was uncovered, 

 as shown in plate 40. 



Since the primary structure was smaller and lay almost entirely 

 within the secondary structure, the primary floor level could be found 

 outside the primary structure and within the secondary. When the 

 post molds of the larger secondary structure were cut down longi- 

 tudinally to the primary floor it became apparent that the burned 

 structure had collapsed after burning, but in falling had not reached 



