THE TAJIN TOTONAC — PART 1 — KELLY AND PALERM 205 



Legend to map 9 — Continued 



c. Kitchen (pis. 12, d; 13, a, c, d). Walls are of upright poles; the recently repaired roof, of palma redonda (ph 

 12, d). The north end of the structure is essentially a lean-to extension (indicated by a broken line), and a solid black 

 circle in the center of the house, toward the north end, represents a supporting post. The building has two plank doors, 

 toward the south end of the east and west walls respectively. Against the east wall, just south of the door, a vertical post 

 has been set in the ground, outside the kitchen, and between it and the wall firewood is stacked (pi. 13, c). 



On the out-side of the east wall of the kitchen and at right angles to it, is a table (1) of seven split bamboos, which 

 rest on a forked stick frame (pi. 13, d, extreme right). On this dishes are washed. On top of the table are an inverted 

 clay jar, a tree gourd, and two sizable pottery bowls, one containing water. On the ground, immediately to the east, is a 

 clay jar, whose mouth is covered by a leaf of palma redonda. Along the south side of the table and leading from it to the 

 kitchen door, is a series of stepping stones. 



Against the outside of the east wall of the kitchen, a forked stick frame (2) supports seven long, horizontal poles, which 

 form a shelf on which clay cooking vessels not actually in use are inverted (pi. 13, d). Further vessels are stored beneath 

 the shelf, on horizontal poles, which rest on several flat stones. 



Inside the kitchen, against the south wall, is a frame or stand (3) for water jars. It consists of two shelves, each of 

 a thick cedar plank; unlike most of the frames, the supports are of dressed cedar, not of bamboo. Four glazed water 

 jars, made in Zacatlan, and purchased locally from itinerant vendors, sit on the upper shelf. On the lower, is a clay pot, 

 of a type presumably manufactured in Huejutla, Hidalgo, and occasionally sold in Papantla. The mouth of one jar is 

 covered by a wooden, paddle-shaped cover (cf. fig. 37, a) ; the others, by gourds. In addition, assorted oddments — a bit 

 of maize, some coriander, chili, and so on — are stored on the lower shelf. 



The southeast corner of the kitchen is given over to a large cane cage (4) made by the son of the family; it contains 

 doves (palomas), which will be eaten at some future date. 



Just inside the west door is a low, straight chair (5), with seat of woven palm; beside it is a small cedar stool (not 

 numbered) (fig. 28, b). A low cedar table (6) is in the center of the kitchen, just north of the doors; it is moved about at 

 will, and when the photograph for plate 12, d was taken, it stood between the two doorways. 



Against the east wall, just north of the door, stands a broom, represented by a black dot. On the earth floor, also 

 against the east wall, are three hearths (7), each formed by three inverted clay pots, which function as firedogs. On 

 these hearths, nixtamal is prepared; since the family is large, food is consumed in quantity. Above the middle hearth 

 hangs a large frame (8) used for food storage; it consists of light poles, lashed to a crosspiece at each end (cf. fig. 25, d, e). 



The raised hearth (9) is in the northeast corner of the kitchen. Unlike its counterparts in most houses, the supporting 

 frame is of trimmed cedar posts. They maintain a series of closely spaced poles, covered with a thick coating of mud 

 plaster. At the west end is a raised, horseshoe-shaped hornilla for the baking plate; at the opposite end, three inverted 

 pots form a small hearth. On the floor, west of the raised hearth, and against the north wall, are two large clay jars. 



A low platform table (10) consists of planks resting on a forked-stick frame; when there is no space at the main grind- 

 ing table (12), this stand is used. In front, a length of bamboo (not shown) is set into the floor, its top flush with the 

 planks, and its cavity receives the foot of a metate. A large, nearly circular, hanging frame (11) (cf. pi. 22, d) is swung 

 from the rafters adjacent to this platform table. 



The grinding table (12) consists of two thick cedar planks which sit on a frame of squared cedar uprights set into the 

 floor. On it are four metates, and in front of each, an upright bamboo to receive the foot of the handmill. The grinding 

 table appears in plate 13, a, but since a year has lapsed between the photograph and the sketch, kitchen furniture has 

 been somewhat altered. In the plate, the fourth metate, at the far end, is not visible, and the auxiliary grinding table 

 has not yet been installed. Moreover, on the floor, against the north wall, is to be seen a large cooking jar, reposing on 

 firedogs. In addition, the photograph gives an idea of the abundance of equipment hung from the poles of the walls 

 which, for obvious reasons, could not be indicated in a small-scale drawing. 



Between the grinding table and the door is another piece of kitchen furniture (13) which, through oversight, was 

 not identified in our notes. 



On the outside of the south wall of the kitchen, three clay pots sit on the ground. A series of paving stones runs 

 from the west door, to connect with the slab pavement along the north side of the living room (d) . Between the latter and the 

 kitchen is a north-south line of stones, set vertically, presumably to curb erosion from the run-off of the living room roof. 



d. The living room is a separate building which also functions as a dormitory for the daughters of the family, who 

 sleep on woven mats spread at night on the earth floor. Squared cedar posts and beams form the frame of the building; 

 in part, the walls are of upright poles, in part of split cedar, which has been roughly worked. The butts do not rest 

 directly on the ground, but on a series of stone slabs. With wire, these uprights are lashed to three horizontal cross 

 poles, roughly squared. Doors are of planks; the roof is tile, with two sheds. 



A stone pavement runs along the north and south walls of the living room, and odd stones have been placed on the 

 ground at the east and west ends, where the drip from the roof falls. 



Inside the living room, ample storage space is provided by cedar planks laid across the rafters. More planks (1) are 

 piled high against the south wall, and above them a trombone is hung. Cedar cut for roof poles (2) is stacked to a height 

 of 2 m. against the inside of the west wall. In front of it is a long cedar bench (3), with a companion table (4) of the 

 same wood. Guests are served at this table which, at the time of our visit, harbors an assortment of belongings, in- 

 cluding a violin and several gourd vessels. From the rafters, over the table, are festoons of dried garlic, as well as a 

 wooden fork, which sports a straw hat, a maguey fiber shoulder bag, and a brass trumpet. On the adjacent wall are 

 hung a quirt, another maguey bag, and several straw hats. Northwest of the cedar bench (3) is a home-made bamboo 

 stepladder (5), hidden from view when the door is open. 



