WEBB] 



ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NORRIS BASIN 



81 



Upon the removal of the "altar" upon this secondary floor and the 

 clearing of the fallen structure, another fire basin or altar was dis- 

 covered in the primary floor. It was a square of hard-burned clay 

 44 inches on the side raised about 2 inches above the floor level. The 

 corners were rounded and in the center was a single circular concave 

 basin 23 inches in diameter and nearly 4 inches deep at the center. 

 A close-up of this basin or altar is shown in plate 132, &, with other 

 similar basins shown for comparisons. The altar was placed nearly 

 symmetrically in the center of the structure, as shown in figure 34. 

 When the altar was removed there was found under it two post 

 molds 9 inches in diameter and about 18 inches deep. It was thus 



SITE 9 



MOUND 2 



FEATURE 8 



Figure 35. 



revealed that the altar was built up of clay plastered over a depres- 

 sion in the primary floor. 



When the primary floor was carefully swept off with whisk- 

 brooms, a definite impress of split-cane matting was revealed. This 

 cane formed a broad border along each wall, as shown in plate 42. 

 The cane had been pressed into the clay floor, leaving an imprint of 

 each stalk. Plate 43 shows a section of the interior edge of this 

 cane-covered area and also shows how the whole surface of the floor 

 was once dry and hard and cracked. It showed no evidence of fire. 

 At the corners the imprints clearly showed that this border over- 

 lapped from side and end to give a cross-checked pattern. Plate 44 

 shows the entire plan of the post-mold structure of the primary 



154676—38 7 



