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Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian
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Washington Smithsonian Institution -1965
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1922: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/53418 
 
Article/Chapter Title: Two Chaco Canyon Pit Houses
Author(s): Neil M. Judd
Page(s): Page 399, Page 400, Page 401, Page 402, Plate 1, Plate 2,
Page 403, Page 404, Page 405, Page 406, Page 407, Page 408, Plate 3,
Plate 4, Plate 5, Plate 6, Plate 7, Blank, Page 409, Page 410, Page 411,
Page 412, Page 413, Page [414] 
 
 
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[Begin Page: Page 399]
 
 
TWO
 CHACO
 CANYON
 PIT
 HOUSES.
 1
 
 
 
 
 By
 Neil
 M.
 Judd,
 
 
  Curator,
 American
 Archeology,
 U.
 8.
 National
 Museum.
 
 
 
 
 [With
 7
 plates.]
 
 
 
 
 In
 writing
 or
 speaking
 of
 the
 prehistoric
 habitations
 of
 Chaco
 
 
  Canyon
 2
 one
 invariably
 has
 in
 mind
 only
 the
 great
 communal
 
 
  dwellings,
 such
 as
 Pueblo
 Bonito
 and
 Pueblo
 del
 Arroyo.
 This
 
 
  mental
 discrimination
 is
 the
 natural
 one,
 for
 these
 ruins
 of
 stone-
 
 
  walled,
 terraced
 villages
 are
 among
 the
 best
 preserved
 and
 most
 
 
  impressive
 of
 all
 the
 ancient
 structures
 north
 of
 Mexico.
 They
 
 
  immediately
 arrest
 the
 attention;
 they
 convey,
 in
 comparison,
 so
 
 
  colorful
 a
 picture
 of
 the
 busy
 life
 once
 carried
 on
 within
 their
 now
 
 
  silent
 rooms
 that
 the
 remains
 of
 contemporaneous,
 or
 even
 more
 
 
  ancient,
 settlements
 near
 by
 are
 usually
 entirely
 disregarded.
 
 
 
 
 Lesser
 house
 remains,
 however,
 exist
 in
 large
 numbers
 in
 Chaco
 
 
  Canyon.
 There
 are
 talus
 pueblos
 and
 a
 few
 small
 cliff
 dwellings
 
 
  at
 or
 near
 the
 base
 of
 the
 perpendicular
 cliffs
 which
 form
 the
 north
 
 
  wall
 of
 the
 canyon
 ;
 there
 are
 literally
 hundreds
 of
 small
 ruins
 scat-
 
 
  tered
 along
 the
 south
 side
 of
 the
 valley
 and
 out
 in
 the
 broad
 reaches
 
 
  of
 open
 country
 that
 stretch
 away
 from
 its
 inclosing
 mesas.
 The
 
 
  presence
 of
 these
 latter
 structures
 has
 been
 known
 for
 many
 years,
 
 
  yet
 they
 have
 received
 but
 scant
 attention
 from
 those
 students
 of
 
 
  prehistoric
 cultures
 who
 have
 pursued
 their
 investigations
 in
 the
 
 
  Chaco
 Canyon
 region.
 In
 addition
 to
 these
 several
 types
 of
 primi-
 
 
  tive
 habitations,
 two
 isolated
 pit
 houses,
 vastly
 more
 ancient
 than
 
 
  the
 stone
 structures
 already
 mentioned,
 have
 recently
 been
 discov-
 
 
 
 
 1
 Printed
 with
 the
 permission
 of
 the
 National
 Geographic
 Society,
 whose
 Pueblo
 Bonito
 
 
  expedition
 is
 being
 directed
 by
 Mr.
 Judd.
 
 
 
 
 "That
 portion
 of
 Chaco
 Canyon
 most
 densely
 inhabited
 in
 prehistoric
 times
 roughly
 
 
  parallels
 the
 boundary
 between
 San
 Juan
 and
 McKinley
 Counties,
 N.
 Mex.
 ;
 the
 stream
 
 
  course
 turns
 northward
 a
 few
 miles
 to
 the
 west
 of
 this
 center
 of
 population
 and
 joins
 
 
  the
 San
 Juan
 River
 In
 the
 extreme
 northwestern
 corner
 of
 the
 State.
 Eighteen
 of
 the
 
 
  major
 ruins
 are
 now
 included
 in
 the
 Chaco
 Canyon
 National
 Monument,
 created
 by
 presi-
 
 
  dential
 proclamation
 Mar.
 11,
 1907.
 The
 Chaco
 drainage
 is
 semidesert
 in
 character,
 with
 
 
  but
 little
 permanent
 water
 and
 few
 trees
 except
 on
 the
 higher
 mesas.
 Navaho
 Indians
 
 
  and
 a
 half
 dozen
 white
 settlers
 and
 traders,
 with
 their
 families,
 comprise
 its
 present
 
 
  inhabitants.
 
 
 
 
 399
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page 400]
 
 
400
 ANNUAL,
 REPORT
 SMITHSONIAN
 INSTITUTION,
 1922.
 
 
 
 
 ered
 and
 examined
 by
 members
 of
 the
 National
 Geographical
 So-
 
 
  ciety's
 Pueblo
 Bonito
 Expedition.
 3
 
 
 
 
 PIT
 HOUSE
 NO.
 1.
 
 
 
 
 The
 first
 of
 these
 pit
 houses
 was
 encountered
 in
 1920
 during
 
 
  trenching
 operations
 in
 a
 burial
 mound
 about
 100
 yards
 east
 of
 Casa
 
 
  Rinconada,
 a
 circular
 ruin
 surmounting
 a
 low
 knoll
 on
 the
 south
 
 
  side
 of
 Chaco
 Canyon,
 opposite
 Pueblo
 Bonito.
 A
 number
 of
 stone-
 
 
  walled
 ruins,
 each
 with
 its
 own
 refuse
 pile,
 are
 to
 be
 seen
 in
 this
 
 
  vicinity.
 The
 pit
 house
 was
 discovered,
 quite
 unexpectedly,
 by
 Zufii
 
 
  workmen
 near
 the
 lower
 edge
 of
 one
 such
 pile,
 and
 the
 fact
 that
 ashy
 
 
  earth
 had
 gradually
 worked
 from
 the
 latter
 down
 over
 the
 former
 
 
  unquestionably
 accounts
 for
 certain
 intrusive
 sherds
 in
 the
 collec-
 
 
  tion
 (p.
 403).
 The
 writer
 was
 absent
 on
 reconnaissance
 duty
 while
 
 
  the
 east
 half
 of
 this
 primitive
 dwelling
 was
 being
 excavated,
 but
 the
 
 
  Indians
 subsequently
 pointed
 out
 the
 approximate
 spot
 at
 which
 
 
  each
 of
 the
 specimens
 discovered
 was
 exposed.
 
 
 
 
 This
 first
 pit
 house
 (fig.
 1)
 examined
 by
 the
 Pueblo
 Bonito
 Expe-
 
 
  dition
 averaged
 3
 feet
 (0.914
 m.)
 in
 depth
 and
 17
 feet
 (5.182
 m.)
 in
 
 
  diameter;
 its
 walls
 were
 vertical
 except
 at
 the
 south,
 where
 they
 
 
  flared
 outward
 a
 few
 inches
 (pi.
 1,
 fig.
 1).
 The
 room
 had
 been
 
 
  gouged,
 presumably
 with
 stone
 or
 wooden
 implements,
 from
 the
 
 
  clayey
 silt
 strata
 which
 wind
 and
 water
 had
 deposited
 throughout
 
 
  the
 length
 and
 breadth
 of
 the
 valley
 ;
 its
 original
 depth
 may
 be
 pre-
 
 
  served
 in
 the
 present
 walls
 but
 the
 superstructure
 which
 covered
 the
 
 
  pit
 has
 long
 since
 disappeared.
 That
 it
 had
 some
 sort
 of
 timbered
 
 
  roof
 goes
 without
 saying.
 (Two
 short,
 decayed
 fragments
 of
 logs
 
 
  were
 exposed
 on
 the
 west
 side
 of
 the
 room,
 standing
 on
 the
 floor
 and
 
 
  resting
 against
 the
 wall
 of
 the
 excavation.)
 Lacking
 definite
 in-
 
 
  formation
 to
 the
 contrary,
 it
 may
 be
 assumed
 that
 the
 walls
 and
 
 
  ceiling
 of
 this
 house
 were
 shaped
 after
 the
 fashion
 of
 those
 in
 the
 
 
  dwelling
 next
 to
 be
 described.
 It
 is
 not
 unlikety
 that
 what
 is
 herein
 
 
  referred
 to
 as
 a
 wall
 was,
 in
 fact,
 the
 face
 of
 a
 bench
 upon
 which
 the
 
 
  roof
 timbers
 rested.
 
 
 
 
 No
 trace
 of
 applied
 plaster
 was
 present,
 but
 the
 sides
 of
 the
 exca-
 
 
  vated
 chamber
 had
 been
 roughly
 finished
 by
 dampening
 the
 clay
 and
 
 
  pounding
 it
 to
 a
 hard
 and
 relatively
 smooth
 surface.
 The
 not
 un-
 
 
  satisfactory
 results
 of
 such
 treatment
 may
 be
 observed
 in
 plate
 1,
 
 
  figures
 1
 and
 2.
 As
 would
 be
 expected
 in
 so
 primitive
 a
 habitation,
 
 
  the
 floor,
 while
 hard
 and
 compact
 with
 use,
 was
 noticeably
 uneven.
 
 
 
 
 In
 its
 furnishings,
 this
 Chaco
 Canyon
 pit
 dwelling
 illustrates
 
 
  the
 simple
 life
 and
 the
 few
 needs
 of
 its
 former
 inhabitants.
 A
 cir-
 
 
 
 
 »
 See
 Smithsonian
 Misc.
 Coll.,
 vol.
 72,
 Nos,
 6
 and
 15
 ;
 also
 the
 National
 Geographic
 
 
  Magazine
 for
 June,
 1921,
 and
 March,
 1922.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page 401]
 
 
PIT
 HOUSES
 —
 JUDD.
 
 
 
 
 401
 
 
 
 
 cular
 fireplace,
 10
 inches
 (25.4
 cm.)
 deep,
 occupied
 a
 favored
 
 
  position
 near
 the
 center
 of
 the
 lodge;
 its
 diameter,
 as
 measured
 from
 
 
  the
 crown
 of
 its
 slightly
 raised
 rim,
 was
 36
 inches
 (91.4
 cm.)
 but
 this
 
 
  was
 reduced
 to
 22
 inches
 (55.8
 cm.)
 at
 its
 own
 floor
 level
 owing
 to
 the
 
 
  sharp
 slope
 of
 its
 adobe
 sides
 (pi.
 1,
 fig.
 2).
 The
 fireplace
 was
 filled
 
 
 
 
 Fio.
 1.
 —
 Pit
 House
 No.
 1,
 ground
 plan
 and
 section,
 Cliaco
 Canyon.
 
 
 
 
 with
 coarse
 ashes
 in
 which
 bits
 of
 greasewood
 predominated.
 A
 
 
  mere
 handful
 of
 broken
 deer
 bones,
 split
 for
 the
 extraction
 of
 mar-
 
 
  row,
 and
 a
 few
 small
 mammal
 and
 bird
 bones
 were
 scattered
 through
 
 
  the
 earth
 which
 filled
 the
 pit;
 none
 of
 these
 was
 found
 in
 the
 fire-
 
 
  place.
 
 
 
 
 Against
 the
 east
 wall
 of
 the
 chamber
 were
 three
 bins
 each
 formed
 
 
  by
 upright
 slabs
 of
 sandstone
 (fig.
 1;
 pi.
 1,
 fig.
 1).
 Two
 of
 these
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page 402]
 
 
402
 ANNUAL,
 REPORT
 SMITHSONIAN
 INSTITUTION,
 1922.
 
 
 
 
 bins
 were
 excavated
 by
 the
 expedition;
 in
 one
 were
 several
 frag-
 
 
  ments
 of
 an
 earthenware
 bowl
 and
 a
 number
 of
 small
 objects
 
 
  probably
 utilized
 in
 pottery
 making.
 The
 chief
 function
 of
 these
 
 
  bins
 was
 most
 likely
 the
 storage
 of
 corn
 and
 other
 foodstuffs.
 A
 dis-
 
 
  carded
 metate,
 worn
 through,
 formed
 one
 of
 the
 inclosing
 stones
 on
 
 
  the
 north
 side
 of
 bin
 2.
 
 
 
 
 On
 the
 floor
 of
 the
 room,
 between
 its
 south
 wall
 and
 the
 fireplace,
 
 
  lay
 three
 shallow
 metates
 4
 or
 stone
 mills
 for
 the
 preparation
 of
 corn
 
 
  meal.
 A
 single
 mano,
 the
 handstone
 invariably
 used
 in
 connection
 
 
  with
 each
 mill,
 had
 been
 placed
 under
 the
 edge
 of
 metates
 b
 and
 c,
 
 
  respectively
 (fig.
 1).
 That
 the
 presence
 of
 these
 primitive
 grinding
 
 
  instruments
 is
 not
 unusual
 in
 ancient
 dwellings
 of
 this
 character
 is
 
 
  evident
 from
 explorations
 by
 Dr.
 Walter
 Hough
 near
 Luna,
 N.
 
 
  Mex.,
 during
 which
 he
 observed
 that
 "
 every
 pit
 house
 revealed
 on
 
 
  excavation
 a
 mealing
 stone
 lying
 on
 the
 floor
 near
 the
 fireplace."
 5
 
 
 
 
 Two
 receptacles
 for
 the
 protection
 of
 small
 objects
 had
 been
 
 
  carved
 into
 the
 adobe
 wall
 of
 the
 room
 in
 its
 southwestern
 quarter
 
 
  (fig.
 1).
 The
 floor
 level
 of
 each
 lay
 somewhat
 below
 that
 of
 the
 
 
  room,
 a
 feature
 which
 has
 been
 noted,
 also,
 by
 Mr.
 Earl
 H.
 Morris
 6
 
 
  in
 pit
 houses
 between
 the
 San
 Juan
 River
 and
 the
 Continental
 
 
  Divide,
 70
 miles
 east
 of
 the
 La
 Plata.
 Although
 placed
 much
 lower
 
 
  in
 the
 wall,
 these
 repositories
 were
 probably
 identical
 in
 purpose
 
 
  with
 the
 small
 cubbyholes
 frequently
 found
 in
 dwellings
 of
 later
 
 
  periods.
 
 
 
 
 Relatively
 few
 artifacts
 were
 recovered
 during
 excavation
 of
 this
 
 
  pit
 dwelling
 (the
 northwest
 quarter
 was
 not
 completely
 cleared)
 and
 
 
  these,
 unfortunately,
 do
 not
 afford
 a
 satisfactory
 index
 to
 the
 
 
  cultural
 attainments
 of
 their
 original
 owners.
 A
 grooved
 stone
 maul
 
 
  (315892)
 ,
 7
 two
 hammerstones
 (315893),
 and
 five
 bone
 awls
 (315894)
 
 
  may
 or
 may
 not
 belong
 to
 the
 pit-house
 culture.
 There
 is
 nothing
 
 
  distinctive
 about
 them
 since
 objects
 of
 this
 kind,
 made
 from
 raw
 
 
  materials
 near
 at
 hand,
 are
 very
 much
 alike
 in
 early
 Pueblo
 dwell-
 
 
  ings
 throughout
 the
 entire
 Southwest.
 The
 neck
 of
 an
 undecorated
 
 
  jar
 (315900)
 and
 several
 sherds
 from
 a
 similar
 vessel
 (315901).
 said
 
 
  by
 the
 Indians
 to
 have
 been
 found
 near
 the
 middle
 of
 the
 room
 and
 
 
  well
 toward
 the
 surface,
 are
 certainly
 not
 of
 pit-dweller
 origin.
 The
 
 
  high
 straight
 neck
 (2£
 inches)
 of
 the
 former
 and
 the
 lack,
 in
 both
 
 
  specimens,
 of
 the
 broad
 bands
 so
 characteristic
 of
 pit-house
 cooking
 
 
  jars
 is
 sufficient
 to
 connect
 the
 fragments
 with
 the
 small-house
 refuse
 
 
  piles
 which
 lie
 near
 by
 and
 slightly
 above
 the
 pit
 dwelling.
 In
 the
 
 
 
 
 *The
 three
 metates
 averaged
 17
 by
 24
 by
 2
 inches
 (43.1
 by
 60.9
 by
 5.08
 cm.).
 
 
 
 
 5
 Proc.
 U.
 S.
 Nat.
 Mus.,
 vol.
 55,
 p.
 416.
 
 
 
 
 a
 33d
 An.
 Rep.,
 Bur.
 Amer.
 Ethnoi.,
 p.
 186.
 
 
 
 
 7
 The
 catalogue
 numbers
 given
 for
 specimens
 not
 figured
 are
 those
 of
 the
 United
 States
 
 
  National
 Museum,
 to
 which
 the
 National
 Geographic
 Society
 has
 presented
 the
 collections
 
 
  from
 the
 dwellings
 here
 described.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Plate 1]
 
 
Smithsonian
 Report
 1922.
 —
 Judd
 
 
 
 
 Plate
 I.
 
 
 
 
 I.
 Slab
 Inclosed
 Bins
 in
 Pit
 House
 No.
 I.
 The
 Uneven
 Floor,
 the
 
 
  Slope
 of
 South
 Wall,
 and
 the
 Crude
 Surfacing
 of
 the
 Latter
 Are
 
 
  All
 Apparent
 in
 This
 Illustration.
 
 
 
 
 .
 Pit
 House
 No.
 I,
 Partially
 Excavated.
 This
 View,
 Taken
 from
 
 
 
 
 the
 North,
 Shows
 the
 Fireplace
 in
 the
 Middle
 Foreground
 and
 
 
 
 
 Beyond
 It
 the
 three
 Metates
 and
 One
 of
 the
 Subwall
 Reposi-
 
 
  tories.
 
 
 
 
 Photos
 by
 Neil
 M.
 Judd.
 Courtesy
 of
 the
 National
 Geographic
 Society.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Plate 2]
 
 
Smithsonian
 Report
 1922.
 —
 Judd.
 
 
 
 
 Plate
 2.
 
 
 
 
 Searching
 Among
 the
 Blocks
 of
 Fallen
 Adobe
 Below
 Pit
 House
 
 
  No.
 2
 for
 Potsherds
 and
 Other
 Artifacts.
 The
 Cross
 Section
 of
 
 
  the
 Room
 Will
 Be
 Noted
 in
 the
 Shadow
 at
 the
 Right
 About
 Midway
 
 
  of
 the
 Bank.
 
 
 
 
 2.
 In
 this
 Near
 View
 of
 Pit
 House
 No.
 2,
 Before
 Excavation,
 the
 
 
  West
 Branch
 Will
 Be
 Noted
 at
 the
 Left;
 the
 Divided
 Fireplace
 
 
  Appears
 Just
 Above
 the
 Indian,
 and
 the
 Posthole
 Which
 May
 Have
 
 
  Held
 the
 Ladder
 is
 Seen
 at
 the
 Right.
 The
 Charred
 Remains
 of
 
 
  Roofing
 Timbers
 Were
 Bound
 Together
 by
 Extremely
 Hard
 Adobe
 
 
  and
 Sand
 Strata.
 
 
 
 
 Photos
 by
 Neil
 M.
 Judd.
 Courtesy
 of
 the
 National
 Geographic
 Society.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page 403]
 
 
PIT
 HOUSES
 —
 JUDD.
 
 
 
 
 403
 
 
 
 
 course
 of
 uncounted
 centuries
 these
 intrusive
 sherds
 may
 well
 have
 
 
  shifted
 along
 with
 the
 blown
 sand
 and
 lodged
 on
 the
 flat
 area
 above
 
 
  the
 pit.
 
 
 
 
 \
 r>
 
 
 
 
 &
 %^flffl/ffi
 fflffi^\
 
 
 
 
 .,
 I
 
 
 
 
 
 
 wmmmWMmw/s/,7.
 \
 
 Wfflwm
 
 
 
 
 Fig.
 2.
 —
 Pit
 House
 No.
 2,
 Chaco
 Canyon.
 
 
 
 
 PIT
 HOUSE
 NO.
 2.
 
 
 
 
 A
 second
 Chaco
 Canyon
 pit
 house
 (fig.
 2;
 pi.
 2,
 figs.
 1
 and
 2;
 
 
  pi.
 3,
 fig.
 1)
 which,
 happily,
 affords
 a
 much
 clearer
 estimate
 than
 
 
  that
 just
 described
 of
 the
 degree
 of
 cultural
 advancement
 reached
 by
 
 
  its
 builders,
 was
 brought
 to
 the
 writer's
 attention
 by
 one
 of
 his
 
 
  Navajo
 friends
 early
 in
 the
 spring
 of
 1922.
 This
 second
 ruin
 stands
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page 404]
 
 
404
 ANNUAL
 REPORT
 SMITHSONIAN
 INSTITUTION,
 1922.
 
 
 
 
 about
 1
 mile
 (1.60
 k.)
 east
 of
 Pueblo
 Bonito
 and
 was
 exposed
 by
 
 
  caving
 of
 the
 north
 arroyo
 bank
 during
 the
 heavy
 rains
 of
 the
 pre-
 
 
  vious
 summer.
 Here
 the
 arroyo
 is
 fully
 30
 feet
 (9.14
 m.)
 deep
 and
 
 
  the
 ancient
 dwelling
 was
 almost
 equally
 divided
 when
 the
 huge
 
 
  masses
 of
 adobe
 crashed
 from
 their
 resting
 place
 and
 rolled
 out
 50
 or
 
 
  75
 feet
 (15.2-22.8
 m.)
 from
 the
 bank
 (pi.
 2,
 fig.
 1).
 
 
 
 
 Some
 idea
 as
 to
 the
 geophysical
 changes
 which
 have
 taken
 place
 
 
  in
 Chaco
 Canyon
 since
 this
 prehistoric
 dwelling
 was
 inhabited
 may
 
 
  be
 gained
 from
 the
 fact
 that
 the
 rim
 of
 the
 fireplace
 (pi.
 2,
 fig.
 2,
 
 
  directly
 above
 the
 Indian)
 is
 12
 feet
 2
 inches
 (3.708
 m.)
 below
 the
 
 
  present
 valley
 surface
 and
 that
 approximately
 6
 feet
 (1.82
 m.)
 of
 
 
  silt
 had
 been
 deposited
 above
 the
 original
 roof
 level
 of
 the
 house
 fol-
 
 
  lowing
 its
 abandonment.
 
 
 
 
 The
 cross
 section
 (pi.
 2,
 fig.
 2)
 of
 this
 second
 pit
 house,
 when
 
 
  first
 seen
 by
 members
 of
 the
 Pueblo
 Bonito
 Expedition,
 revealed
 a
 
 
  tangled
 mass
 of
 burned
 and
 rotting
 roofing
 poles
 closely
 packed
 in
 
 
  blown
 sand
 and
 adobe.
 This
 debris
 largely
 occupied
 that
 portion
 of
 
 
  the
 pit
 tying
 below
 the
 level
 of
 a
 broad
 bench,
 plainly
 seen
 on
 the
 
 
  western
 side
 of
 the
 room;
 above
 the
 bench
 were
 successive
 layers
 of
 
 
  sediment,
 deposited
 both
 through
 wind
 and
 water
 action,
 which
 had
 
 
  gradually
 filled
 and,
 later,
 completely
 hidden
 this
 underground
 
 
  habitation.
 A
 bench
 corresponding
 to
 that
 on
 the
 west
 did
 not
 at
 
 
  first
 appear
 on
 the
 eastern
 side
 but
 a
 split
 posthole,
 9
 inches
 (22.8
 cm.)
 
 
  in
 diameter
 by
 22
 inches
 (55.8
 cm.)
 deep,
 quickly
 attracted
 one's
 at-
 
 
  tention.
 The
 floor
 of
 the
 room
 was
 slightly
 dished,
 its
 middle
 being
 
 
  3
 inches
 lower
 than
 its
 periphery.
 Although
 but
 half
 of
 it
 remained
 
 
  for
 examination,
 this
 subterranean
 dwelling
 appeared
 to
 offer
 so
 
 
  much
 of
 interest
 in
 connection
 with
 the
 general
 problem
 of
 human
 
 
  occupancy
 of
 Chaco
 Canyon
 in
 prehistoric
 times
 as
 to
 warrant
 its
 
 
  excavation,
 a
 not
 inconsiderable
 task
 owing
 to
 the
 depth
 and
 extreme
 
 
  hardness
 of
 the
 clay
 which
 filled
 and
 covered
 the
 pit.
 
 
 
 
 Once
 the
 earth
 had
 been
 removed
 from
 that
 portion
 remaining
 
 
  in
 the
 bank
 this
 ancient
 pit
 dwelling
 was
 found
 to
 agree
 closely
 
 
  with
 those
 described
 by
 other
 explorers.
 Its
 form,
 its
 manner
 of
 
 
  roofing,
 and
 the
 culture
 of
 its
 builders
 could
 be
 pictured
 with
 satis-
 
 
  fying
 accuracy.
 Although
 smaller
 than
 that
 excavated
 in
 1920,
 this
 
 
  second
 pit
 house
 was
 likewise
 round,
 being
 12
 feet
 9
 inches
 (3.88
 m.)
 
 
  in
 diameter.
 The
 middle
 of
 its
 slightly
 concave
 floor
 was
 occupied
 
 
  by
 a
 slab-lined
 fireplace
 9
 inches
 deep
 by
 22
 inches
 in
 diameter
 
 
  (22.8
 by
 55.8
 cm.).
 A
 bench
 35
 inches
 (88.9
 cm.)
 high
 and
 26
 
 
  inches
 (66
 cm.)
 wide
 enlarged
 the
 room
 on
 its
 northern
 half,
 but
 
 
  on
 the
 east,
 only
 a
 few
 inches
 from
 the
 face
 of
 the
 bank,
 this
 bench
 
 
  is
 unexpectedly
 interrupted
 by
 a
 broken
 wall
 of
 undisturbed
 adobe
 
 
  which
 appears
 to
 have
 been
 not
 more
 than
 16
 inches
 (4.64
 cm.)
 high.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page 405]
 
 
PIT
 HOUSES
 —
 JUDD.
 405
 
 
 
 
 At
 this
 point
 the
 banquette
 had
 been
 widened
 to
 36
 inches
 (91.4
 cm.)
 
 
  and
 the
 height
 of
 the
 outstanding
 wall
 of
 clay
 probably
 affords
 a
 
 
  reasonably
 accurate
 idea
 as
 to
 the
 space
 between
 the
 top
 of
 the
 
 
  bench
 and
 the
 original
 valley
 surface.
 A
 second,
 though
 now
 
 
  shattered,
 block
 of
 adobe
 left
 by
 the
 original
 excavators
 connected
 
 
  the
 face
 of
 the
 bench
 with
 the
 posthole
 previously
 mentioned.
 It
 is,
 
 
  of
 course,
 quite
 impossible
 to
 establish
 the
 conditions
 which
 obtained
 
 
  here
 at
 the
 time
 of
 occupancy,
 that
 is,
 as
 to
 the
 width,
 or
 function,
 
 
  of
 these
 two
 protruding
 sections
 of
 unexcavated
 earth.
 Being
 to-
 
 
  ward
 the
 east,
 they
 may
 have
 formed
 or
 supported
 a
 series
 of
 steps
 
 
  connecting
 with
 an
 entrance
 through
 the
 roof,
 but
 the
 fact
 that
 so
 
 
  little
 remained
 after
 caving
 of
 the
 bank
 leaves
 this
 uncertain.
 One
 
 
  is
 inclined
 to
 the
 belief,
 rather,
 that
 the
 large
 post
 which
 stood
 just
 
 
  within
 the
 wall
 at
 this
 place
 was
 provided
 with
 notches
 and
 served
 
 
  as
 a
 ladder.
 
 
 
 
 In
 roof
 construction
 this
 second
 Chaco
 Canyon
 pit
 house
 is
 not
 
 
  unlike
 others
 of
 the
 type
 found
 elsewhere.
 Two
 posts,
 7
 inches
 and
 
 
  8-J
 inches
 (17.1
 and
 21.5
 cm.)
 in
 diameter,
 stood
 about
 2
 inches
 
 
  (5.08
 cm.)
 inside
 the
 face
 of
 the
 bench
 at
 the
 northwest
 and
 north-
 
 
  east
 quarters,
 respectively
 (fig.
 2)
 ;
 since
 the
 room
 has
 been
 almost
 
 
  equally
 divided
 it
 may
 be
 assumed
 that
 corresponding
 posts
 also
 
 
  stood
 in
 that
 portion
 of
 the
 dwelling
 now
 missing.
 Vertical
 sections
 
 
  had
 been
 gouged
 from
 the
 adobe
 bench
 and,
 after
 the
 posts
 had
 been
 
 
  placed
 and
 blocked
 in
 with
 stone
 and
 earth,
 the
 front
 of
 each
 cut
 
 
  was
 closed
 with
 stone
 slabs
 and
 plastered
 over.
 Among
 the
 slabs
 
 
  covering
 the
 northwest
 upright
 was
 a
 metate,
 worn
 through
 at
 the
 
 
  bottom,
 set
 on
 end
 with
 its
 grinding
 surface
 toward
 the
 post.
 Sev-
 
 
  eral
 coats
 of
 smoked
 plaster
 had
 been
 applied
 to
 the
 slightly
 con-
 
 
  cave
 face
 of
 the
 bench,
 and
 its
 upper
 surface
 was
 hard
 and
 smooth
 
 
  as
 though
 from
 long
 usage.
 
 
 
 
 Twenty-two
 small
 posts
 of
 about
 2
 inches
 diameter
 had
 been
 
 
  placed
 around
 the
 exposed
 banquette
 at
 an
 average
 distance
 of
 20
 
 
  inches
 (50.8
 cm.)
 from
 its
 face.
 These
 were
 set
 approximately
 
 
  14
 inches
 apart
 and
 all
 stood
 in
 an
 upright
 position
 extending
 and
 
 
  inclining,
 no
 doubt,
 to
 cross
 pieces
 supported
 by
 the
 four
 principal
 
 
  posts
 already
 noted.
 The
 presence
 of
 the
 latter
 carries
 the
 infer-
 
 
  ence
 that
 that
 portion
 of
 the
 roof
 between
 the
 posts
 was
 flat
 or
 
 
  narly
 so.
 And
 it
 is
 not
 unreasonable
 to
 assume
 that
 the
 small
 
 
  uprights
 reaching
 above
 the
 bench
 originally
 supported
 layers
 of
 
 
  brush
 and
 grass,
 overlaid
 with
 loose
 earth
 taken
 from
 the
 excava-
 
 
  tion.
 
 
 
 
 It
 is
 to
 be
 recalled
 that
 the
 bench
 in
 this
 pit
 house
 was
 approxi-
 
 
  mately
 16
 inches
 below
 the
 valley
 surface
 at
 the
 time
 of
 construc-
 
 
  tion
 and
 that
 the
 floor
 of
 the
 dwelling
 was
 35
 inches
 lower.
 These
 
 
  55379—24
 27
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page 406]
 
 
406
 ANNUAL
 REPORT
 SMITHSONIAN
 INSTITUTION,
 1922.
 
 
 
 
 combined
 measurements,
 however,
 probably
 fall
 considerably
 short
 
 
  of
 the
 actual
 ceiling
 height.
 Just
 why
 the
 ancient
 artisans
 deemed
 
 
  it
 desirable
 to
 build
 a
 wall
 of
 posts
 and
 brush
 above
 the
 bench
 in
 
 
  preference
 to
 utilizing
 the
 hard
 adobe
 face
 of
 their
 excavation
 is
 
 
  not
 clear
 but
 such
 practice
 seems
 to
 be
 characteristic
 of
 pit
 houses
 
 
  in
 which
 the
 bench
 is
 present.
 Kidder
 and
 Guernsey
 8
 describe
 a
 
 
  pit
 dwelling
 in
 the
 Monuments
 district
 of
 northeastern
 Arizona
 in
 
 
  which
 roofing
 poles,
 driven
 into
 a
 narrow
 bench
 at
 an
 angle,
 ap-
 
 
  peared
 to
 have
 met
 above
 the
 middle
 of
 the
 lodge.
 Dr.
 J.
 W.
 
 
  Fewkes
 9
 has
 observed
 a
 similar
 method
 of
 construction
 on
 the
 Mesa
 
 
  Verde
 National
 Park.
 Hough,
 10
 writing
 of
 pit
 villages
 near
 Luna,
 
 
  and
 Morris,
 11
 reporting
 on
 excavations
 between
 the
 San
 Juan
 River
 
 
  and
 the
 Continental
 Divide
 in
 Colorado,
 both
 noted
 the
 occurrence
 
 
  of
 large
 posts
 as
 roof
 supports
 but
 say
 little
 or
 nothing
 of
 an
 en-
 
 
  circling
 bench
 and
 lesser
 timbers
 reaching
 from
 it
 to
 the
 main
 
 
  beams.
 Dwellings
 similar
 to,
 but
 seemingly
 more
 elaborate
 than,
 
 
  these
 circular
 structures
 in
 that
 the
 benches
 were
 faced
 with
 stone
 
 
  slabs
 and
 the
 upper
 walls
 were
 of
 wattle
 work,
 have
 been
 discovered
 
 
  in
 southwestern
 Utah
 caves
 by
 the
 present
 writer.
 12
 
 
 
 
 Several
 slab-inclosed
 receptacles,
 corresponding
 with
 those
 in
 the
 
 
  other
 local
 pit
 dwelling
 (p.
 401),
 formerly
 rested
 against
 the
 south
 
 
  wall
 of
 the
 room,
 the
 stone
 slabs
 and
 adobe
 flooring
 of
 such
 bins
 hav-
 
 
  ing
 been
 found
 among
 the
 huge
 blocks
 of
 earth
 caved
 from
 the
 bank.
 
 
  These
 bins
 are,
 of
 course,
 now
 completely
 shattered
 and
 but
 little
 of
 
 
  interest
 could
 be
 gathered
 from
 their
 broken
 remains.
 One
 of
 the
 
 
  number,
 a
 box
 29
 inches
 wide
 and
 10
 inches
 deep
 (73.9
 by
 25.4
 cm.)
 
 
  had
 been
 paved
 with
 waterworn
 cobble
 stones;
 on
 its
 floor
 lay
 a
 
 
  quantity
 of
 charred
 vegetable
 matter
 among
 which
 were
 corncobs
 
 
  and
 kernels.
 13
 Other
 corncobs
 and
 one
 squash
 seed
 were
 found
 
 
  among
 the
 debris.
 
 
 
 
 No
 traces
 of
 subwall
 depositories,
 such
 as
 those
 observed
 in
 our
 
 
  first
 pit
 house
 (p.
 402),
 were
 noted
 in
 this
 second
 structure
 but
 a
 rec-
 
 
  tangular
 depression,
 15
 inches
 wide
 by
 22
 inches
 long
 by
 3£
 inches
 
 
  deep
 (38.1
 by
 55.8
 by
 8.88
 cm.),
 had
 been
 scraped
 from
 the
 floor
 be-
 
 
  low
 the
 eastern
 end
 of
 the
 bench
 (fig.
 2).
 
 
 
 
 MINOR
 ANTIQUITIES.
 
 
 
 
 The
 few
 artifacts
 of
 unquestioned
 pit-house
 origin
 taken
 from
 the
 
 
  excavations
 of
 1920
 were
 found
 by
 the
 writer
 on
 the
 bottom
 of
 bin
 
 
  No.
 1
 (fig.
 1)
 and
 consist
 of
 a
 small
 mass
 of
 kaolin
 (315898),
 a
 
 
 
 
 8
 Bull.
 65,
 Bur.
 Amer.
 Ethnol.,
 p.
 44.
 
 
  »
 Smithsonian
 Misc.
 Coll.,
 vol.
 72,
 no.
 1,
 p.
 58.
 
 
  ">
 Proc.
 U.
 S.
 Nat
 Mus.,
 voL
 55,
 p.
 415.
 
 
  u
 33d
 An.
 Rep.,
 Bur.
 Amer.
 Ethnol.,
 p.
 186.
 
 
  u
 Smithsonian
 Misc.
 CoU.,
 vol.
 72,
 no.
 1,
 p.
 66,
 1919.
 
 
 
 
 14
 A
 bowl
 (324806)
 found
 beside
 the
 fireplace
 was
 partially
 filled
 with
 charred,
 shelled
 
 
  corn.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page 407]
 
 
PIT
 HOUSES
 —
 JUDD.
 
 
 
 
 407
 
 
 
 
 rubbed
 piece
 of
 red
 ocher
 (315895),
 an
 unworked
 bit
 of
 compact
 
 
  yellow
 clay,
 probably
 intended
 for
 paint,
 a
 small
 ball
 of
 impure
 
 
  sandstone
 (315897),
 and
 two
 disconnected
 portions
 of
 an
 earthen-
 
 
  ware
 bowl
 (315901).
 The
 latter
 only
 are
 of
 especial
 interest
 at
 this
 
 
  time.
 
 
 
 
 Its
 fragments
 show
 the
 bowl
 to
 have
 been
 about
 7
 inches
 (17.01
 
 
  cm.)
 in
 diameter
 and
 3£
 inches
 deep
 (8.88
 cm.)
 with
 a
 thickness
 of
 
 
  less
 than
 three-sixteenths
 inch.
 The
 paste,
 which
 is
 rather
 coarse
 
 
  and
 filled
 with
 tiny
 quartz
 crystals,
 has
 been
 fired
 to
 a
 uniform
 pink-
 
 
  ish
 yellow.
 Although
 its
 outer
 surface
 remains
 somewhat
 uneven,
 
 
  the
 interior
 exhibits
 a
 fine,
 smooth
 finish
 on
 which
 a
 geometric
 de-
 
 
  sign
 has
 been
 drawn
 with
 dark
 red
 paint.
 This
 design
 can
 not
 be
 ac-
 
 
  curately
 reconstructed
 from
 the
 sherds
 at
 hand,
 but
 it
 consists,
 ap-
 
 
  parently,
 of
 a
 central
 decoration
 of
 thin,
 parallel
 lines
 with
 terraced
 
 
  or
 "
 cloud
 "
 elements,
 joined
 to
 
 
  a
 horizontal
 band
 just
 within
 
 
  the
 rim
 by
 four
 V-shaped
 units
 
 
  from
 which
 hang
 solid
 tri-
 
 
  angles
 and
 within
 which
 is
 a
 
 
  single
 row
 of
 dots
 inclosing
 an
 
 
  open
 triangle.
 These
 frag-
 
 
  ments
 differ
 both
 in
 paste
 and
 
 
  decoration
 from
 sherds
 associ-
 
 
  ated
 with
 the
 more
 recent
 
 
  stone-
 walled
 ruins
 near
 the
 pit
 
 
  house
 and
 indicate
 that
 the
 inhabitants
 of
 the
 latter
 were
 not
 un-
 
 
  skilled
 in
 the
 art
 of
 pottery
 manufacture.
 
 
 
 
 An
 earthenware
 pipe
 of
 rather
 unusual
 shape
 (fig.
 3)
 was
 found
 on
 
 
  the
 floor
 of
 the
 room
 between
 the
 fireplace-
 and
 the
 slab
 bins.
 Its
 
 
  bowl
 resembles
 a
 miniature
 jar
 with
 a
 constricted
 opening
 and
 with
 
 
  one
 side
 drawn
 out
 to
 form
 a
 round
 stem,
 now
 broken
 ;
 its
 surface
 is
 
 
  roughly
 smoothed
 and
 bears
 no
 trace
 of
 ornamentation.
 The
 stem
 
 
  had
 been
 perforated
 by
 pushing
 a
 coarse
 straw
 from
 the
 bit
 toward
 
 
  the
 bowl
 while
 the
 clay
 was
 yet
 plastic.
 The
 specimen
 is
 1£
 inches
 
 
  high
 by
 1|
 inches
 wide
 by
 2
 \
 inches
 long
 (3.12
 by
 3.81
 by
 5.71
 cm.)
 
 
  with
 a
 three-fourths
 inch
 orifice
 ;
 no
 evidence
 of
 use
 is
 to
 be
 seen.
 
 
 
 
 The
 really
 abundant
 material
 recovered
 at
 the
 site
 of
 the
 second
 
 
  pit
 house,
 excavated
 in
 1922,
 happily
 balances
 the
 paucity
 of
 speci-
 
 
  mens
 from
 the
 first.
 Among
 the
 heavy
 blocks
 of
 clay
 which
 had
 
 
  crashed
 down
 into
 the
 arroyo
 (pi.
 2,
 fig.
 1)
 and
 in
 the
 silty
 deposits
 
 
  which
 filled
 that
 half
 of
 the
 ancient
 pit
 house
 not
 destroyed
 were
 nu-
 
 
  merous
 potherds
 and
 other
 artifacts
 abandoned
 by
 the
 one-time
 in-
 
 
  habitants.
 Several
 jars
 had
 been
 left
 in
 or
 adjacent
 to
 the
 slab
 bins
 
 
 
 
 Fig.
 3.
 —
 Earthenware
 pipe.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page 408]
 
 
408
 ANNUAL
 REPORT
 SMITHSONIAN
 INSTITUTION,
 1922.
 
 
 
 
 which
 formerly
 stood
 against
 the
 south
 wall
 ;
 their
 impressions
 were
 
 
  plainly
 visible
 in
 some
 of
 the
 larger
 adobe
 masses
 and
 their
 scattered
 
 
  sherds
 were
 recovered
 in
 considerable
 quantities.
 Altogether,
 11
 
 
  earthenware
 jars
 and
 8
 bowls
 have
 been
 restored
 from
 the
 pottery
 
 
  fragments
 collected
 at
 this
 site
 (pi.
 3,
 fig.
 2).
 
 
 
 
 Certainly
 the
 most
 noteworthy
 of
 these
 vessels
 are
 the
 two
 large
 
 
  black-on-white
 water
 jars
 shown
 in
 plate
 4.
 One
 (a)
 stands
 16-J-
 
 
  inches
 (41.1
 cm.)
 in
 height
 and
 has
 a
 diameter
 of
 13|
 inches
 (34.2
 
 
  cm.)
 ;
 its
 orifice
 is
 oval
 in
 shape,
 2|
 inches
 wide
 by
 4
 inches
 long
 
 
  (6.78
 by
 10.2
 cm.)
 .
 A
 crack
 running
 downward
 from
 each
 end
 of
 the
 
 
  opening
 indicates
 a
 slight
 unintentional
 misshaping,
 perhaps
 due
 to
 
 
  pressure
 early
 in
 the
 firing
 process.
 The
 second
 jar
 (b)
 is
 17|
 inches
 
 
  (45
 cm.)
 high
 by
 14|
 inches
 (36.8
 cm.)
 in
 diameter;
 its
 mouth,
 also
 
 
  oval,
 is
 2f
 inches
 wide
 by
 4
 inches
 long
 (6.98
 by
 10.1
 cm.).
 In
 both
 
 
  vessels
 the
 body
 is
 decorated
 by
 an
 elaborate
 geometric
 pattern
 and,
 
 
  above
 this,
 interlocking
 spirals
 representing
 plumed
 serpents.
 Three
 
 
  seems
 to
 have
 been
 the
 favorite
 number
 for
 such
 spirals
 but
 in
 the
 
 
  second
 jar
 (b)
 there
 are
 five,
 the
 serpents
 being
 represented
 by
 single,
 
 
  somewhat
 angular
 lines,
 above
 which
 is
 an
 encircling,
 zigzag
 line.
 
 
  Fragments
 of
 four
 other
 large
 jars,
 not
 sufficiently
 complete
 to
 war-
 
 
  rant
 restoration,
 show
 similar
 treatment
 but,
 on
 one
 of
 these,
 the
 
 
  body
 ornamentation
 reached
 nearly
 to
 the
 rim
 and
 on
 another,
 whose
 
 
  upper
 portion
 is
 entirely
 missing,
 interlocking
 plumed
 serpents
 form
 
 
  the
 basic
 feature
 of
 the
 main
 design.
 In
 all
 six
 specimens
 the
 exterior
 
 
  surface
 has
 been
 washed
 with
 a
 thin
 white
 slip
 as
 a
 background
 for
 
 
  the
 black
 paint
 of
 the
 design.
 None
 of
 these
 water
 jars
 was
 provided
 
 
  with
 handles
 or
 the
 outflaring
 rim
 so
 typical
 of
 later
 pre-Pueblo
 
 
  ollas.
 
 
 
 
 One
 small
 jar
 (pi.
 5,
 fig.
 1)
 has
 this
 noticeable
 difference
 from
 
 
  the
 larger
 vessels:
 A
 constricted
 shoulder
 permits
 a
 more
 direct
 
 
  approach
 to
 the
 rim
 and
 provides
 the
 specimen
 with
 what
 might
 be
 
 
  called
 a
 neck.
 A
 reddish-brown
 body
 decoration
 has
 wholly
 disap-
 
 
  oeared
 except
 in
 one
 limited
 area;
 the
 upper
 portion
 shows
 three
 
 
  horizontal,
 wavy
 lines
 adjacent
 to
 the
 rim.
 
 
 
 
 Three
 of
 the
 eight
 bowls
 recovered
 have
 interior
 decorations,
 
 
  drawn
 with
 black
 pigment
 over
 a
 white
 slip
 (pi.
 6)
 ;
 the
 rim
 edge
 of
 
 
  each
 has
 been
 flattened
 by
 rubbing
 and
 carries
 a
 black
 line,
 a
 char-
 
 
  acteristic
 feature
 of
 bowls
 from
 the
 principal
 Chaco
 Canyon
 cul-
 
 
  ture.
 One
 specimen
 (324805),
 rather
 cruder
 in
 workmanship
 and
 
 
  more
 straight-sided
 than
 the
 others,
 is
 ornamented
 with
 four
 hori-
 
 
  zontal
 bands
 crossed
 at
 intervals
 by
 two
 or
 four
 vertical
 lines.
 This
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Plate 3]
 
 
Smithsonian
 Report
 1922.
 —
 Judd.
 
 
 
 
 Plate
 3.
 
 
 
 
 I.
 Pit
 House
 No.
 2
 After
 Excavation,
 Showing
 the
 Exposed
 Bench
 
 
  and
 Depth
 of
 the
 Silty
 Deposits
 Above
 It.
 The
 Stone
 Slab
 Em-
 
 
  bedded
 in
 the
 Front
 of
 the
 Bench,
 at
 the
 Left
 of
 the
 Upper
 
 
  Indian,
 Covers
 the
 Groove
 in
 Which
 One
 of
 the
 Four
 Roof
 Sup-
 
 
  ports
 Had
 Stood.
 
 
 
 
 Chaco
 Canyon
 as
 Seen
 from
 the
 Southeast
 Corner
 of
 Pueblo
 
 
  Bonito.
 Pit
 House
 No.
 2
 Was
 Found
 Near
 the
 Arroyo
 Bank
 Indis-
 
 
  tinctly
 Seen
 in
 the
 Middle
 Distance,
 About
 Midway
 Between
 
 
  the
 Two
 Highest
 Portions
 of
 the
 Near-by
 Walls
 and
 Directly
 
 
  Above
 the
 Old
 Door.
 
 
 
 
 Photos
 by
 Neil
 M.
 Judd.
 Courtesy
 of
 the
 National
 Geographic
 Society.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Plate 4]
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Plate 5]
 
 
Smithsonian
 Report
 1922.
 —
 Judd.
 
 
 
 
 Plate
 5.
 
 
 
 
 a
 b
 c
 d
 
 
 
 
 I.
 Earthenware
 Jars
 and
 Cooking
 Pots,
 Pit
 House
 No.
 2.
 
 
 
 
 2.
 Earthenware
 Ladles,
 Pit
 House
 No.
 2.
 
 
 
 
 3.
 Earthen
 Ladles
 (Inside
 View
 of
 Figure
 Above).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Plate 6]
 
 
Smithsonian
 Report
 1922.—
 Judd.
 
 
 
 
 Plate
 6.
 
 
 
 
 I,
 2,
 3.
 Decoration
 of
 Interior
 of
 Bowls.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Plate 7]
 
 
Smithsonian
 Report
 1922.
 —
 Judd.
 
 
 
 
 Plate
 7.
 
 
 
 
 3
 4
 
 
 
 
 Earthenware
 Cooking
 Pots.
 Pit
 House
 No.
 2.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Blank]
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page 409]
 
 
PIT
 HOUSES
 —
 JUDD.
 409
 
 
 
 
 design
 was
 painted
 with
 a
 reddish-brown
 pigment
 14
 upon
 a
 slate-
 
 
  colored
 wash
 ;
 the
 evident
 lack
 of
 skill
 both
 in
 modeling
 and
 in
 deco-
 
 
  rating
 this
 particular
 bowl
 suggests
 the
 possibility
 of
 its
 being
 the
 
 
  work
 of
 a
 beginner.
 One
 of
 the
 bowls
 has
 a
 slightly
 incurving
 rim
 ;
 
 
  in
 all
 the
 others
 the
 edge
 is
 reached
 directly,
 i.
 e.,
 without
 apparent
 
 
  incurve
 or
 outcurve.
 The
 relatively
 thin
 rim
 in
 a
 majority
 of
 the
 
 
  vessels
 is
 rather
 carelessly
 rounded
 and
 noticeably
 uneven.
 In
 the
 
 
  specimens
 at
 hand,
 ornamentation
 was
 restricted
 to
 the
 polished
 in-
 
 
  terior
 of
 the
 bowls;
 the
 outside
 surface
 was
 not
 carefully
 smoothed
 
 
  and
 evidently
 did
 not
 receive
 the
 customary
 slip.
 Two
 bowls
 and
 a
 
 
  small
 cuplike
 vessel
 were
 not
 decorated
 in
 any
 manner;
 handles
 do
 
 
  not
 appear
 on
 any
 of
 the
 bowls
 in
 the
 collection.
 
 
 
 
 In
 paste,
 in
 decoration,
 and
 in
 general
 workmanship
 these
 vessels
 
 
  from
 the
 Chaco
 Canyon
 pit
 house
 are
 characteristic
 of
 that
 phase
 
 
  of
 prehistoric
 culture
 in
 our
 southwestern
 United
 States
 commonly
 
 
  recognized
 as
 "
 pre-Pueblo."
 Fewkes,
 Kidder,
 Morris,
 and
 others
 
 
  have
 described
 the
 ware
 in
 their
 several
 reports
 of
 explorations
 
 
  throughout
 the
 San
 Juan
 drainage;
 almost
 identical
 specimens
 are
 
 
  figured
 by
 Hough
 in
 his
 important
 contribution
 on
 the
 Luna
 pit
 
 
  houses.
 Certain
 decorative
 elements
 on
 the
 pottery
 from
 this
 an-
 
 
  cient
 Chaco
 Canyon
 structure,
 namely,
 the
 combination
 of
 thin,
 
 
  straight
 lines
 with
 areas
 of
 solid
 black,
 are
 suggestive
 of,
 but
 en-
 
 
  tirely
 distinct
 from,
 the
 designs
 on
 pottery
 from
 such
 great
 com-
 
 
  munal
 dwellings
 as
 Pueblo
 Bonito.
 The
 closely
 hachured
 designs
 
 
  so
 characteristic
 of
 the
 latter
 do
 not
 occur
 in
 pit
 houses
 so
 far
 as
 
 
  known.
 
 
 
 
 Cooking
 pots,
 as
 represented
 in
 the
 collection
 (pi.
 7),
 are
 typical
 
 
  of
 the
 pit-house
 culture
 as
 identified
 elsewhere.
 They
 present,
 in-
 
 
  deed,
 one
 of
 its
 most
 distinguishing
 features.
 In
 shape
 they
 are
 
 
  globular
 with
 wide
 orifices;
 their
 rims
 are
 approached
 with
 little,
 
 
  if
 any,
 outflare.
 That
 portion
 of
 the
 jar
 between
 the
 shoulder
 and
 
 
  mouth
 is
 built
 up
 of
 broad
 bands
 of
 clay,
 one-fourth
 to
 three-fourths
 
 
  of
 an
 inch
 wide.
 These,
 however,
 are
 not
 true
 coils
 as
 in
 the
 case
 of
 
 
  the
 corrugated
 ware
 of
 the
 cliff
 dwellers
 and
 other
 prehistoric
 peo-
 
 
  ples;
 rather,
 each
 band
 has
 been
 added
 separately,
 overlapping
 that
 
 
  next
 below
 and
 the
 union
 of
 its
 ends
 carefully
 obliterated.
 
 
 
 
 The
 paste
 from
 which
 these
 culinary
 vessels
 were
 shaped
 is
 
 
  coarser
 and
 more
 granular
 than
 that
 employed
 in
 manufacture
 of
 
 
  the
 bowls
 and
 decorated
 water
 jars
 previously
 described.
 It
 is
 noted,
 
 
  also,
 that
 although
 both
 inner
 and
 outer
 surfaces
 have
 been
 
 
  smoothed
 —
 the
 marks
 of
 tools
 are
 usually
 in
 evidence
 —
 no
 attempt
 
 
 
 
 "Two
 brown
 bowls
 (324807,
 324808),
 nicely
 smoothed
 on
 the
 Inside,
 seem
 also
 to
 have
 
 
  been
 decorated
 with
 red
 paint,
 but
 this
 has
 so
 faded
 that
 the
 original
 color
 can
 not
 be
 
 
  ascertained
 with
 certainty
 ;
 a
 small,
 light-colored
 cup
 (324809)
 has
 no
 ornamentation
 
 
  whatever.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page 410]
 
 
410
 ANNUAL
 KEPOKT
 SMITHSONIAN
 INSTITUTION,
 1922.
 
 
 
 
 lias
 been
 made
 to
 improve
 the
 appearance
 of
 the
 vessel
 by
 applica-
 
 
  tion
 of
 a
 slip
 or
 surface
 wash.
 
 
 
 
 Handles
 are
 present
 on
 five
 of
 the
 eight
 pots
 in
 this
 series.
 In
 
 
  one
 specimen
 (pi.
 7,
 fig.
 3)
 a
 single
 handle,
 consisting
 of
 three
 rolls
 
 
  of
 clay
 pressed
 together,
 was
 attached
 horizontally
 at
 the
 shoulder;
 
 
  in
 another
 instance
 (pi.
 5,
 fig.
 1)
 a
 handle
 of
 similar
 construc-
 
 
  tion
 connects
 the
 shoulder
 with
 the
 edge
 of
 the
 orifice.
 Two
 vessels
 
 
  (pi.
 7,
 fig.
 2,
 and
 pi.
 5,
 fig.
 la)
 are
 provided
 with
 flattened
 lugs,
 
 
  attached
 to
 opposite
 sides
 of
 the
 rim,
 whose
 under
 surfaces
 are
 
 
  gently
 curved
 to
 fit
 the
 finger.
 Dissimilar
 handles
 occur
 on
 the
 fifth
 
 
  specimen
 (pi.
 5,
 fig.
 Id)
 ,
 a
 thin,
 flat
 lug
 1£
 inches
 long
 and
 five-eighths
 
 
  inch
 wide
 being
 attached
 vertically
 just
 below
 the
 rim
 on
 one
 side,
 
 
  while
 its
 opposite
 is
 a
 round
 lug
 with
 a
 slight
 downward
 curve.
 
 
  The
 latter
 handle,
 now
 largely
 missing,
 probably
 came
 to
 a
 blunt
 
 
  point
 about
 three-fourths
 of
 an
 inch
 from
 the
 side
 of
 the
 vessel.
 It
 
 
  should
 be
 noted
 that
 this
 is
 the
 only
 cooking
 pot
 in
 the
 collection
 
 
  whose
 outer
 surface
 is
 plain,
 the
 usual
 broad
 neckbands
 having
 been
 
 
  entirely
 effaced.
 
 
 
 
 Three
 earthenware
 ladles
 (pi.
 5,
 figs.
 2
 and
 3),
 15
 restored
 from
 
 
  fragments
 gathered
 at
 this
 site,
 are
 so
 interesting
 as
 to
 merit
 brief
 
 
  description.
 In
 both
 form
 and
 ornamentation
 they
 are
 quite
 unlike.
 
 
  The
 smallest
 of
 the
 three
 has
 a
 round
 bowl
 and
 a
 handle
 which
 is
 
 
  slightly
 convex
 both
 above
 and
 below;
 the
 bowl
 of
 the
 largest
 is
 
 
  somewhat
 oval
 in
 appearance,
 due
 chiefly
 to
 its
 open
 or
 concave
 
 
  handle.
 18
 This
 second
 specimen
 is
 still
 further
 unique
 in
 that
 the
 
 
  near
 right-hand
 quarter
 of
 the
 bowl
 rim
 (as
 held
 in
 the
 hand)
 is
 
 
  one-half
 inch
 (1.27
 cm.)
 lower
 than
 the
 remainder.
 The
 third
 ladle
 
 
  differs
 from
 the
 other
 two
 both
 in
 the
 shape
 of
 its
 bowl,
 which
 is
 
 
  considerably
 wider
 than
 it
 is
 long,
 and
 in
 the
 fact
 that
 its
 thick
 
 
  handle
 (flat
 on
 top
 and
 convex
 below)
 is
 attached
 to
 the
 bowl
 one-
 
 
  half
 inch
 below
 the
 rim
 of
 the
 latter.
 Perhaps
 as
 an
 additional
 deco-
 
 
  rative
 feature
 half
 of
 this
 upstanding
 portion
 of
 the
 rim
 has
 been
 
 
  cut
 away
 in
 a
 shallow
 curve,
 clearly
 shown
 in
 plate
 5,
 figure
 2.
 
 
  Each
 of
 these
 three
 ladles
 is
 decorated
 with
 black
 paint
 over
 a
 
 
  whitish
 slip
 applied
 to
 both
 inner
 and
 outer
 surfaces;
 in
 the
 second
 
 
  and
 third
 specimens
 a
 thin
 black
 line
 has
 been
 drawn
 around
 the
 
 
  rim
 edge.
 
 
 
 
 Two
 additional
 earthenware
 objects
 from
 this
 second
 Chaco
 Can-
 
 
  yon
 pit
 house
 should
 be
 mentioned.
 One
 of
 these
 (fig.
 4)
 is
 a
 pipe
 
 
  made
 apparently
 from
 a
 portion
 of
 the
 handle
 of
 a
 gourd-shaped
 
 
  bottle.
 17
 Both
 ends
 have
 been
 rubbed
 smooth;
 the
 hole
 at
 the
 bit
 
 
 
 
 16
 The
 only
 complete
 specimen
 is
 5i
 inches
 long
 by
 2J
 inches
 wide
 (14.2
 by
 6.98
 cm.)
 
 
 
 
 18
 So
 far
 as
 the
 author
 is
 aware
 this
 type
 of
 ladle
 handle,
 so
 closely
 associated
 with
 the
 
 
  culture
 of
 Pueblo
 Bonito,
 has
 not
 previously
 been
 noted
 from
 pit
 houses.
 
 
 
 
 17
 See
 Morris:
 33d
 An.
 Rep.,
 Bur.
 Amer.
 Ethnol.,
 fig.
 5,
 p.
 197.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page 411]
 
 
PIT
 HOUSES
 —
 JUDD.
 411
 
 
 
 
 end
 has
 been
 gouged
 through
 with
 a
 flint
 drill.
 The
 larger
 opening
 
 
  shows
 unmistakably
 the
 use
 to
 which
 the
 object
 was
 put.
 
 
 
 
 The
 second
 of
 these
 two
 specimens
 (324823)
 is
 a
 portion
 of
 what
 
 
  appears
 to
 have
 been
 the
 hollow
 handle
 of
 a
 ladle,
 reworked
 perhaps
 
 
  for
 intended
 use
 as
 a
 pipe.
 The
 smaller
 end
 has
 been
 carefully
 
 
  smoothed,
 while
 the
 fractured
 face
 of
 the
 opposite
 end
 shows
 but
 
 
  slight
 rubbing.
 A
 certain
 doubt
 arises
 in
 connection
 with
 this
 par-
 
 
  ticular
 fragment,
 for
 its
 superior
 paste,
 its
 white
 slip,
 and
 its
 style
 
 
  of
 ornamentation
 all
 tend
 to
 place
 it
 with
 a
 culture
 later
 than
 that
 
 
  of
 the
 pit
 dwellers.
 There
 is
 no
 question,
 however,
 but
 that
 it
 was
 
 
  found
 in
 direct
 association
 with
 the
 other
 artifacts
 here
 described.
 
 
 
 
 Several
 charred
 fragments
 of
 a
 small,
 finely
 woven
 coiled
 basket,
 
 
  gathered
 from
 among
 the
 debris
 in
 the
 arroyo,
 obviously
 add
 to
 the
 
 
  importance
 of
 this
 collection.
 The
 technique
 is
 "
 two
 rod
 and
 splint,"
 
 
  as
 described
 by
 O.
 T.
 Mason.
 18
 Of
 still
 further
 interest
 are
 the
 
 
  charred
 remains
 of
 a
 pair
 of
 re-
 
 
  markably
 thin
 sandals
 found
 on
 
 
  the
 bench
 at
 the
 west
 side
 of
 the
 
 
  room.
 In
 these
 the
 weft
 is
 a
 
 
  twisted
 thread
 of
 a
 fine,
 uniden-
 
 
  tified
 fiber
 woven
 over
 paral-
 
 
  lel-warp
 cords
 of
 yucca
 which
 
 
  are
 arranged
 after
 the
 fashion
 of
 
 
  those
 in
 a
 cliff-dweller
 sandal
 
 
 
 
 n
 ..
 ,
 .
 _
 -^
 Fia.
 4.
 —
 Earthenware
 pipe.
 
 
 
 
 figured
 by
 Kidder
 and
 Guern-
 
 
  sey.
 19
 One
 may
 judge
 of
 the
 exceptional
 fineness
 of
 the
 weave
 in
 
 
  these
 specimens
 by
 the
 fact
 that
 there
 are
 no
 fewer
 than
 9
 warp
 
 
  and
 32
 weft
 strands
 to
 the
 inch.
 The
 importance
 of
 these
 fragments
 
 
  lies
 in
 the
 fact
 that,
 from
 the
 very
 nature
 of
 the
 dwellings,
 pit-house
 
 
  sandals
 and
 basketry
 are
 extremely
 rare.
 Discovery
 of
 these
 charred
 
 
  specimens,
 however,
 encourages
 the
 belief
 that
 other,
 perhaps
 more
 
 
  perfect,
 examples
 will
 be
 found
 as
 investigation
 of
 pit-house
 remains
 
 
  progresses.
 
 
 
 
 In
 addition
 to
 the
 artifacts
 already
 mentioned,
 the
 collection
 in-
 
 
  cludes
 two
 incomplete
 bone
 awls
 (324824),
 a
 reworked
 fragment
 of
 
 
  a
 shell
 bracelet
 (324825),
 two
 flint
 knives
 or
 scrapers
 (324826),
 and
 
 
  several
 stone
 hammers,
 manos,
 etc.
 Three
 broad,
 thin
 metates
 and
 a
 
 
  number
 of
 smoothing
 and
 grinding
 stones,
 recovered
 from
 the
 mass
 
 
  of
 fallen
 adobe
 (pi.
 2,
 fig.
 1),
 were
 not
 included
 in
 the
 material
 
 
  brought
 to
 Washington.
 
 
 
 
 Lying
 upon
 the
 floor
 of
 the
 room
 between
 the
 fireplace
 and
 the
 
 
  west
 bench,
 its
 head
 to
 the
 northwest,
 was
 the
 incomplete
 skeleton
 of
 
 
  a
 young
 female.
 Caving
 of
 the
 arroyo
 bank
 had
 torn
 away
 all
 the
 
 
 
 
 "
 An.
 Rep.,
 U.
 S.
 Nat.
 Mus.,
 1902,
 p.
 246.
 
 
 
 
 »
 Bull.
 65,
 Bur.
 Amer.
 Ethnol.,
 flg.
 38,
 p.
 104.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page 412]
 
 
412
 ANNUAL
 REPORT
 SMITHSONIAN
 INSTITUTION,
 1922.
 
 
 
 
 leg
 bones;
 those
 of
 the
 trunk
 were
 mostly
 crushed
 by
 the
 weight
 
 
  of
 the
 roof
 poles
 and
 clay
 which
 had
 collected
 above
 them.
 All
 
 
  available
 fragments
 were
 preserved,
 however,
 for
 further
 study.
 
 
  The
 chief
 result
 of
 this
 subsequent
 examination
 20
 was
 the
 positive
 
 
  determination
 that
 the
 skull
 had
 been
 subjected
 to
 cradle-board
 
 
  pressure,
 resulting,
 in
 occipital
 flattening.
 Such
 artificial
 deforma-
 
 
  tion,
 so
 characteristic
 of
 crania
 from
 cliff
 dwellings
 and
 other
 early
 
 
  Pueblo
 ruins,
 was
 scarcely
 to
 have
 been
 expected
 in
 a
 skull
 from
 a
 
 
  pit
 house
 in
 Chaco
 Canyon.
 From
 our
 meager
 knowledge
 of
 the
 
 
  pit
 dwellers
 (few
 adult
 skeletons
 have
 been
 found)
 we
 have
 rather
 
 
  assumed
 that
 they
 were
 a
 long-headed
 or
 dolichocephalic
 people,
 an
 
 
  assumption
 which
 has
 been
 drawn,
 perhaps,
 on
 too
 scanty
 informa-
 
 
  tion.
 As
 we
 become
 more
 intimately
 acquainted
 with
 the
 pit
 
 
  people
 through
 future
 exploration
 and
 as
 the
 character
 of
 their
 
 
  culture
 becomes
 more
 firmly
 established,
 it
 is
 not
 unlikely
 that
 these
 
 
  early
 conceptions
 will
 merit
 revision.
 
 
 
 
 CONCLUSION.
 
 
 
 
 On
 the
 basis
 of
 two
 incomplete
 dwellings
 only
 it
 would
 appear
 
 
  extremely
 unwise
 to
 attempt
 to
 draw
 any
 definite
 or
 final
 conclusion
 
 
  in
 respect
 to
 pit-house
 culture
 as
 found
 in
 the
 Chaco
 Canyon
 region.
 
 
  That
 other
 examples
 will
 be
 discovered
 seems
 almost
 certain
 ;
 the
 un-
 
 
  happy
 fact
 in
 this
 connection,
 however,
 is
 that
 such
 vast
 changes
 
 
  have
 taken
 place
 in
 the
 canyon
 since
 arrival
 of
 these
 pioneer
 set-
 
 
  tlers
 as
 to
 preclude
 the
 possibility
 of
 identifying
 the
 sites
 of
 their
 
 
  subterranean
 homes
 through
 examination
 of
 the
 present
 valley
 sur-
 
 
  face.
 From
 preference
 the
 pit
 people
 seem
 to
 have
 constructed
 their
 
 
  shelters
 in
 open
 or
 exposed
 places,
 and
 these
 unprotected
 areas
 nat-
 
 
  urally
 have
 been
 subjected
 to
 the
 most
 intense
 leveling
 influence
 of
 
 
  the
 elements.
 
 
 
 
 Perhaps
 the
 greatest
 contribution
 to
 American
 archeology
 which
 
 
  can
 be
 claimed
 for
 these
 two
 Chaco
 Canyon
 pit
 houses
 is
 the
 con-
 
 
  necting
 link
 they
 afford
 between
 similar
 structures
 in
 localities
 so
 
 
  widely
 separated
 as
 Luna,
 N.
 Mex.,
 the
 Mesa
 Verde
 National
 Park,
 
 
  Colo.,
 and
 the
 Monuments
 district
 of
 northern
 Arizona.
 Their
 dis-
 
 
  covery
 increases
 the
 number
 of
 known
 pit
 dwellings
 and
 tends
 to
 draw
 
 
  them
 into
 one
 distinct
 group.
 Of
 scarcely
 less
 interest
 is
 the
 fact
 that
 
 
  finding
 an
 improvised
 pipe
 and
 basketry
 and
 textiles
 exhibiting
 ex-
 
 
  traordinary
 skill
 in
 weaving
 adds
 appreciably
 to
 previous
 knowl-
 
 
  edge
 of
 pit-house
 culture
 and
 strengthens
 its
 suspected
 close
 rela-
 
 
  tionship
 with
 that
 of
 subsequent
 periods.
 
 
 
 
 20
 The
 fragments
 have
 been
 examined
 by
 Dr.
 AleS
 Hrdll£ka,
 Curator
 of
 Physical
 An-
 
 
  thropology,
 TJ.
 S.
 National
 Museum,
 whose
 report
 is
 incorporated
 in
 the
 above
 paragraph.
 
 
  It
 could
 not
 be
 learned,
 owing
 to
 its
 shattered
 condition,
 whether
 the
 skull
 was
 dolicho-
 
 
  cephalic
 or
 brachycephalic.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page 413]
 
 
PIT
 HOUSES
 —
 JUDD.
 413
 
 
 
 
 In
 his
 "
 Chronology
 of
 the
 San
 Juan
 area,"
 Morris
 21
 assigns
 to
 the
 
 
  "
 pre-Pueblo
 "
 period
 dwellings
 both
 of
 the
 type
 herein
 considered
 
 
  and
 those
 of
 wattled
 construction
 in
 which
 upright
 slabs
 were
 oc-
 
 
  casionally
 incorporated
 in
 the
 basal
 portion
 of
 the
 wall.
 Such
 
 
  classification
 appears
 to
 be
 justified
 on
 the
 basis
 of
 ceramic
 remains
 
 
  only,
 and,
 indeed,
 the
 slight
 difference
 in
 architecture
 may
 prove
 to
 
 
  be
 merely
 a
 result
 of
 environment
 or
 the
 growth
 of
 a
 clan
 system,
 
 
  for
 "
 slab
 houses
 "
 are
 found
 in
 groups
 more
 frequently
 than
 are
 
 
  pit
 dwellings.
 But
 Morris
 observes
 that
 a
 majority
 of
 the
 crania
 
 
  from
 pre-Pueblo
 sites
 is
 dolichocephalic,
 although
 some
 skulls
 with
 
 
  occipital
 flattening,
 possibly
 brachycephalic,
 have
 been
 recovered.
 
 
  It
 remains
 to
 be
 seen,
 therefore,
 whether
 this
 peculiar
 custom
 of
 
 
  artificial
 deformation
 is
 identified
 with
 pit
 houses
 only
 or
 with
 
 
  both
 types
 of
 pre-Pueblo
 habitations
 equally;
 whether
 it
 is
 early
 
 
  evidence
 of
 the
 adoption
 of
 a
 rigid
 type
 of
 cradle
 board
 or
 the
 immi-
 
 
  gration
 of
 a
 separate
 people,
 as
 has
 commonly
 been
 held
 heretofore.
 
 
 
 
 Surely
 one
 of
 the
 most
 pressing
 needs
 of
 southwestern
 archeology
 
 
  to-day
 is
 a
 clearer
 definition
 and
 a
 broader
 appreciation
 of
 the
 "
 pre-
 
 
  Pueblo
 "
 stage
 in
 our
 chronological
 system.
 It
 was
 the
 very
 germ
 
 
  of
 that
 widely
 distributed
 culture
 which
 found
 its
 greatest
 prehistoric
 
 
  development
 in
 such
 marvels
 of
 aboriginal
 creative
 genius
 as
 Pueblo
 
 
  Bonito
 and
 which
 still
 struggles
 to
 maintain
 its
 individuality
 m
 
 
  modern
 pueblos
 such
 as
 Walpi,
 Oraibi,
 Zufii,
 and
 others.
 But
 these
 
 
  needs
 may
 be
 realized
 only
 through
 painstaking
 labor
 in
 crude,
 ill-
 
 
  defined
 ruins,
 often
 difficult
 of
 access
 and,
 be
 it
 said
 with
 regret,
 so
 
 
  unpromising
 that
 they
 are
 rarely
 left
 solely
 to
 the
 choice
 of
 the
 
 
  student
 of
 ancient
 history.
 
 
 
 
 
 Proc.
 Nat.
 Acad.
 Sci.,
 vol.
 7,
 do.
 1,
 p.
 20,
 1921.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
[Begin Page: Page [414]]