A Study of Pueblo Architecture: Tusayan and Cibola: Eighth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1886-1887, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1891, pages 3-228Mindeleff, Cosmos
History
A Study of Pueblo Architecture: Tusayan and Cibola: Eighth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1886-1887, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1891, pages 3-228
Mindeleff, Cosmos
Pueblo Indians -- Antiquities; Pueblo architecture
The village of Hano, or Tewa, is intrusive and does not properly belong
to the Tusayan stock, as appears from their own traditions. It is
somewhat loosely planned (Pl. XVI) and extends nearly across the mesa
tongue, which is here quite narrow, and in general there is no
appreciable difference between the arrangement here followed and that of
the other villages. One portion of the village, however, designated as
House No. 5 on the plan, differs somewhat from the typical arrangement
in long irregular rows, and approaches the pyramidal form found among
the more eastern pueblos, notably at Taos and in portions of Zuñi. As
has been seen, tradition tells us that this site was taken up by the
Tewa at a late date and subsequent to the Spanish conquest; but some
houses, formerly belonging to the Asa people, formed a nucleus about
which the Tewa village of Hano was constructed. The pyramidal house
occupied by the old governor, is said to have been built over such
remains of earlier houses.
The largest building in the village appears to have been added to from
time to time as necessity for additional space arose, resulting in much
the same arrangement as that characterizing most of the Tusayan houses,
viz, a long, irregular row, not more than three stories high at any
point. The small range marked No. 4 on the plan contains a section three
stories high, as does the long row and also the pyramidal cluster above
referred to. (Pl. XVII.)
The kivas are two in number, one situated within the village and the
other occupying a position in the margin of the mesa. These ceremonial
chambers, so far as observed, appear to be much like those in the other
villages, both in external and internal arrangement.
Within the last few years the horse trail that afforded access to Hano
and Sichumovi has been converted into a wagon road, and during the
progress of this work, under the supervision of an American,
considerable blasting was done. Among other changes the marginal kiva,
which was nearly in line with the proposed improvements, was removed.
This was done despite the protest of the older men, and their
predictions of dire calamity sure to follow such sacrilege. A new site
was selected close by and the newly acquired knowledge of the use of
powder was utilized in blasting out the excavation for this subterranean
chamber. It is altogether probable that the sites of all former kivas
were largely determined by accident, these rooms being built at points
where natural fissures or open spaces in the broken mesa edge furnished
a suitable depression or cavity. The builders were not capable of
working the stone to any great extent, and their operations were
probably limited to trimming out such natural excavations and in part
lining them with masonry.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account