The Penitente Moradas of AbiquiúAhlborn, Richard E.
History
The Penitente Moradas of Abiquiú
Ahlborn, Richard E.
Abiquiu (N.M.) -- Religious life and customs; Hermanos Penitentes -- New Mexico -- Abiquiu; Moradas -- New Mexico -- Abiquiu
The storage room in the east _morada_ also contains commercially made
lamps, such as the plated reservoir with stamped Neo-rococo motifs
(Figure 19). Nearby is a processional cross with two metal faces and a
small, cast corpus (Figure 20). While kerosene lanterns are evidence
of east-west rail commerce after 1880, the cross probably indicates a
southern contact, possibly through Parral or Chihuahua, Mexico.
Locally made, however, are the woven rag rugs (_jergas_) hung over a
pole (_varal_)[56] that drops from the ceiling. Also in the east
_morada_ storage are two percussion rifles (Figure 21). Craddock
Goins, Department of Armed Forces History, the Smithsonian
Institution, identifies both as common Indian trade objects from
midcentury Europe. These rifles probably were imports for sale to the
Utes at the Abiquiú trading post between 1853 and 1874. At the rear of
the room (Figure 22) rests a saw-horse table holding an assortment of
stocks for these "trade guns," of wooden rattles (_matracas_), and of
heavy crosses (_maderos_). On the ground stands a large bell, which,
in a photograph (Museum of New Mexico, Photo No. 8550) taken by
William Lippincott about 1945, appears on the tower of the _morada_.
The silhouette dates the bell as being cast after 1760. Behind the
bell rests the _morada_ death cart. Also in the room are a plank
ladder and the oil drum stove raised on an _adobe_ dais (Figure 23) to
the east of the exterior door.
[Illustration: FIGURE 19. RESERVOIR FOR KEROSENE LAMP. SIZE: 25.4
centimeters wide. DATE: Second half of 19th century. ORIGIN: Imported
to New Mexico. LOCATION: East _morada_, storage (east) room.
MANUFACTURE: Silver-plated metal stamped into Rococco revival
decorations.]
[Illustration: FIGURE 20. PROCESSIONAL CROSS. SIZE: 30.5 centimeters
high. DATE: 19th century. ORIGIN: Imported to New Mexico, probably
from Mexico. LOCATION: East _morada_, storage (east) room.
MANUFACTURE: Punched trifoil ends in metal face, cast corpus.]
[Illustration: FIGURE 21. PERCUSSION RIFLES. SIZE: 111.8 centimeters
long. DATE: Middle of 19th century. ORIGIN: European (Belgian?)
exports. LOCATION: East _Morada_, storage (east) room.]
[Illustration: FIGURE 22. STORAGE ROOM, EAST _Morada_. SIZES: Bell 64
centimeters wide (diameter), 47.4 high; cart 122 long (frame), 70 wide
(frame), 71 between axle centers; wheels 45 high. DESCRIPTION: Detail
of east wall showing saw-horse table, corrugated sheeting, bell, and
death cart of cottonwood and pine.]
[Illustration: FIGURE 23. STORAGE ROOM, EAST _Morada_: View next to
exterior door showing low _adobe_ dais supporting oil drum stove.]
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