MESA VERDE Big Juniper House of Mesa Verde, Colorado Wetherill Mesa Studies

ROOMS AND AREAS

It is difficult to say with any certainty what specific function a room or area served. In fact, as will be seen in the following discussion, some "rooms" might be considered areas. I could not determine what rooms were used only for sleeping, so I have called most rooms "living rooms." This indicates a general-purpose function. A living room could, and probably did, serve at one time or another as a place to sleep, to work, or to store things. On the other hand, when I refer to a storage room or workroom, this is because there appears to be a more definite reason to do so, such as the small size of the room or the presence of mealing bins or of storage jars in the floor.

Room 1a

Dimensions. About 8.5 feet long east-west and about 6.5 feet wide north-south; lower level (Floor 2) was approximately 2.7 feet below present ground surface (figs. 7 and 8). Part of the north wall was 0.2 to 0.4 feet above ground surface; part of the south wall was at surface.

Fig. 7 Room 1a, Floor 2.

Fig. 8 Plan and sections of Rooms 1a and 1b. (click on image for an enlargement in a new window)

Walls. Masonry walls all belong to the Component D building period. The west wall was constructed later than the other walls. East wall abuts north wall, south wall abuts east wall, west wall abuts north and south walls. Rooms 1a and 1b were possibly a single room at one time. The jacal wall on the west side is in Floor 2 and extends under the south wall; it belongs to the Component C building period. The top 1.6 feet of the north wall is finished masonry and is banded with small tubular spalls arranged in even layers between the larger building stones (fig. 9). This masonry was originally chipped-edge masonry that was later finished on the faces by pecking. The south wall is chipped-edge masonry and some finished masonry of the same type as in the north wall. The east wall is chipped-edge masonry. The west wall is a partially simple wall of scabbled masonry, with a slab wall at the north end, and had a troughed metate fragment incorporated in it.

Fig. 9 Room 1a, exterior of north wall. Note pecked facing (dimpled surfaces) of finished masonry.

It is possible that a trench was dug as a footing for the masonry walls, since they extend lower than the presumed Floor 1 level. However, we found no definite evidence of such a trench. Below Floor 2 on the north side is the top of the south wall of Room 5.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. No definite floor for the Component D building period was found, but small stone rubble against the north wall, approximately 1.9 feet below surface, may indicate the point where this floor began. At this surface, called Floor 1, are traces of burned clay which probably represent the roof of the Floor 2 occupation. Floor 2 is burned clay, relatively hard-packed at about 2.7 feet below ground surface. Part of the Component C period, this level extends under the south and east masonry wall and the west wall. The Floor 2 occupation was burned. Some of the burned roofing material extended under the west and south walls. Disturbed fill with very few artifacts extended below Floor 2, about 1.3 feet down to native soil.

Artifacts on floors. Sherds and stone artifacts from Room 1a are listed in tables 3 and 9. Artifacts in Upper Fill are from surface to the level of Floor 1; in Lower Fill, from Floor 1 to just above Floor 2; in Floor 2 fill, from the fill just above Floor 2. No artifacts were associated definitely with Floor 2.

A partially restorable Mancos Black-on-white jar was found in the upper fills of Rooms 1a and 1b, and Area 6 (upper levels of Rooms 4-5 and 24). This jar is similar in shape and design to a jar found in the floor of Kiva A (fig. 57b) and may have been made by the same potter.

Dates. The dates listed in table 1 are from burned roof logs, jacal wall posts, and floor posts, all of juniper, from the occupation of Floor 2 (Component C). (All dates from juniper charcoal or charred wood found at Big Juniper House are given in table 17 (appendix).

TABLE 1.—TREE-RING DATES FROM ROOM 1A, BIG JUNIPER HOUSE

¹Specimen numbers assigned by the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona.

²Key to symbols: p—pith ring present; v—outside shows erosion outermost ring variable around circumference; vv—outside shows extreme erosion, outermost rings very variable; r—outer ring constant over significant portion of circumference.

It is not possible to determine the construction date for the Floor 2 occupation. However, since the latest dates are around the mid-1000's, I would imagine that the Floor 2 occupation began no earlier than the last date, or A.D. 1054. There is no suggestion of later building or remodeling during this occupation. The later construction (Component D) represented by the upper fill and masonry walls probably dates around 1100. The 1031r date is probably a cutting date, but the lack of dates grouped around this date suggests that 1031 is probably not a construction date for the Floor 2 occupation. The specimen may have been taken from an earlier building or may represent a tree that was dead several years before it was used in this structure.

Remarks. The Component D building represented by the masonry walls was probably a living room. The earlier jacal structure of Component C represented by Floor 2 is part of a larger jacal structure or structures in the same area, joining with Floor 2 of Room 1b, Floor 2 of Room 10, and subfloor posts in Rooms 7 and 8. The dates from these Component C features all fall within the range of dates from Room 1a.

With the top of the south wall of Room 5 beginning at about the same level as Floor 2 in Room 1a, there are three different building periods represented in this one locality. It is possible that the south wall of Room 5 was razed for building the north wall of Room la.

Room 1b

Dimensions. About 8.5 feet long east-west and about 6 feet wide north-south (figs. 8 and 10). Floor 2 is at about the same depth as Floor 2 in Room 1a, or about, 2.7 feet below present ground surface. The top of the sub-Floor 2 cist in Room 1b is about 0.3 feet below the floor and is about 2 feet deep. Parts of the north wall were 0.2 to 0.4 feet above the present ground surface.

Fig. 10 Room 1b, Floor 2. Possible entry in south wall (top) to left of the arrow.

Walls. The masonry walls, as in Room 1a, all belong to the Component D building period and are not associated with the Floor 2 occupation. The south and west walls are bonded at the corner, but are indefinite because of the poor condition of the walls in that area. The east wall (shared with Room 1a) abuts the north and south walls.

The north wall has a slab base of unworked stones and is about 1.3 feet high. It is topped by a simple wall of finished masonry similar to the north wall of Room 1a (fig. 14). The coursed wall is approximately 1.3 feet high. Both styles of walls are above the south wall of Room 24, a possible Component A room.

The south wall of Room 1b is a simple wall of chipped-edge masonry with some finished stones, and the west wall is a simple wall of primarily chipped-edge masonry. The east wall has been described under Room 1a.

Entry. Possible entry in the south wall at the west end, but unfortunately the wall was not high enough for positive identification.

Floor. No clear evidence of a floor for the Component D period. Floor 2 is compacted clay, with some burned areas on the floor near the eastern side of the room. No features in Floor 2 of Room 1b. The sub-Floor 2 cist, located near the center of the room, measures about 2.9 by 2.2 feet and about 2 feet deep. This cist was probably associated with the Room 24 occupation of Component A. A slab-lined hearth, found just under the west wall between Rooms 1b and 3, probably represents a Component C feature.

Artifacts on floor. No definite association of artifacts with Floor 2. Material from the fill is tabulated in tables 3, 6, 9, and 10.

Dates. The following dates from juniper charcoal taken from the lower fill are undoubtedly the Floor 2 (Component C) occupation:

Remarks. Room 1b, Floor 2, and the upper fill and masonry walls represent the same occupations noted in Room 1a. The sub-Floor 2 cist in Room 1b represents an earlier occupation than that of Room 1a, possibly a Component A occupation associated with Room 24. The Floor 2 surface of Room 1b may have been an outdoor working area for the jacal structures of Component C, and the slab hearth under the west wall may have represented an extramural Component C feature.

Room 2

Dimensions. About 9.6 feet long north-south and about 6.5 to 7 feet wide east-west (fig. 11). Floor is approximately 1.5 to 2 feet below present surface. Another possible surface was located about 0.4 foot below the floor. The walls were covered by 0.2 foot of earth and were not visible on the surface.

Fig. 11 Room 2. Possible mealing bins next to walls at bottom and top center.

Walls. All were of the simple wall type. The east wall appears to have been built in two stages; perhaps the room was a later addition to the room block after the construction of Room 10. The section of the east wall extending south of Room 10 abuts the wall shared by Rooms 2 and 10. The north section of the east wall abuts the west wall of Room 1b and the north wall abuts the west wall of Room 1b (fig. 12). The west wall is probably bonded to the south and north walls. The latter is not certain because most of the wall had collapsed at the northwestern corner of the room. There is no definite corner between the south and east walls, but rather a continuous wall curving from the east to the south.

Fig. 12 Detail of northeast corner of Room 2, showing wall abutments.

The north wall and the north section of the east wall were constructed of scabbled masonry; the rest of the walls were chipped-edge masonry.

Except for the west wall, Room 2 walls rest on 0.2 to 0.6 foot of fill above the floor. Evidently, after the walls were built the floor was excavated slightly, perhaps to level it.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. Compacted dirt over disturbed fill extended about 2 feet below the floor. At the north side there was a slab on the floor and an upright slab next to it—probably a mealing bin. In the center of the floor there was a paved area with the tops of the stones at floor level. Possibly another bin, or bins, was in this part of the room, for against the south wall was another flat slab.

About 0.5 foot below the floor, darker, compacted dirt indicated the possibility of another occupation surface. It is likely that this was a walking surface associated with the Component C occupation of Rooms 1a, 1b, and 10.

Artifacts on floor. No definite association of artifacts with the floor or subfloor occupation surface. Artifacts from the fill are listed in tables 3, 6, 9, and 10. Artifacts listed as Room 2, Floor Fill, are from the fill 0.5 foot above the floor to the floor. Room 2 provided one of the few cases where subfloor testing showed earlier pottery types outnumbering the Mancos Black-on-white of predominantly late Pueblo II. Most of the Cortez Black-on-white sherds came from the disturbed fill below the walking surface. There is a good possibility that these sherds were deposited as sheet trash from the Component A or B occupation of Big Juniper House.

Dates. No wood or charcoal was recovered, and hence there are no absolute dates. Masonry walls and floor of this room are undoubtedly Component D occupation, but probably a somewhat later addition to the masonry room block of Rooms 1a, 1b, and 10. The subfloor occupation surface is probably a Component C feature dating around A.D. 1050; subfloor fill material is somewhat earlier, probably from around 900-1000.

Remarks. Presence of mealing bins suggests that Room 2 may have been a work room during the Component D occupation. Its large size, however, may indicate that it was a living room. Three separate occupations are represented in this area—Components A or B, C, and D.

Room 3

Dimensions. Approximately 6.8 feet long east-west and 5.7 feet wide north-south. The floor was about 1.5 to 2.2 feet below the surface (fig. 13).

Fig. 13 Room 3.

Walls. Walls were of simple wall type. The north wall is primarily a scabbled wall, with several building stones also exhibiting incipient pecked facing. This wall was built on 0.2 to 0.4 foot of fill above the floor.

The east wall, shared with Room 1b and resting on the floor, is mainly of chipped-edge masonry. Under the east wall were traces of a slab-lined hearth, probably associated with the Component C period. At the northeast corner there is fill from the top course to the floor, with out building stones. The south wall is shared with Room 2 and was described above. The west wall is primarily of chipped-edge masonry and rests on the floor level. Wall junctures: north wall probably bonded to the east and west walls; east wall shared with Room 1b and bonded to the south wall of Room 1b; south wall abutted the east wall.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. The floor is compacted dirt over lighter-colored disturbed fill, which is, in part, the result of Component C activity as shown by the slab hearth under the east wall. No features on floor. Disturbed fill extends 2 feet below floor to the sterile mesa-top loess. Cortez Black-on-white sherds from the subfloor testing outnumbered the Mancos Black-on-white (table 3) and are probably largely Component A or B trash.

Artifacts. No definite association of artifacts with the floor of Room 3. Fill and subfloor fill material is listed in tables 3, 9, and 12.

Dates. There are no absolute dates for Room 3. Masonry walls are Component D, about A.D. 1100. The subfloor hearth is Component C, or late 11th century. The disturbed fill below the floor is both Component C and earlier (Component A or B), or about 900-1000.

Remarks. This room probably functioned as a living room during the Component D phase of occupation. Before the walls were constructed, the area was probably part of a walking surface and work area during the Component C occupation which, in turn, was stratigraphically above Component A or B trash.

Room 4

Dimensions. Although designated a room, this is more likely a walking surface or work space associated with Component D (fig. 5). A simple wall extending north from the west wall of Room 3 probably served as a retaining wall for the area. It had a surface approximately 1.4 to 2 feet below present ground surface that extended east over Rooms 24 and 5. A rectangular slab-lined firepit at this level is in the southwestern corner of the "room." To the north and stratigraphically above this surface is a compound wall of two courses representing a Component E feature. It is about 0.8 foot high, and the bottom of the wall is about 1.2 feet above the Component D surface. The top of the compound wall was exposed at the present ground surface.

Walls. The west retaining wall is an extension of the west wall of Room 3, the top of which was 0.3 to 0.5 foot below present ground surface. A simple wall of chipped-edge masonry, it is about equal in height to the west wall of Room 3 and rests on the Component D surface. The north walls of Rooms 1a and 1b and the west wall of Room 6 bound this area on the south and east. The surface was not traced beyond the compound wall of the later period, so it is not known if the surface extended farther north than is indicated on the site plan.

Entry. None indicated. If Room 4 was an outdoor work area, it would have been open except perhaps on the south, where it was bordered by rooms.

Floor. The topmost surface is Component D, level with the floors of Rooms 2 and 3 and Floor 1 of Rooms 1a and 1b. This surface extended west over Rooms 24 and 5. About 0.5 foot below the Component D surface was another floor, probably contemporaneous with Component C. This, in turn, overlay an earlier surface, about level with the Room 24 floor, which might have been an outdoor surface of Component A. In this latter surface, a posthole was located (indicated by the black dot on the site plan west of Room 24, fig. 5), at approximately the same level as a posthole in Test Trench 5, northwest of Room 4.

Artifacts on floors. No artifacts were definitely associated with the three surfaces; all came from the fill above the first surface and are listed in tables 3 and 9.

Dates. No datable wood.

Remarks. Room 4 and the upper occupation west to Room 6 probably functioned as an extramural work area for Component D. Earlier surfaces are probably also representative of extramural surfaces for Components C and A, or possibly Component B.

Room 5

Dimensions. This is another doubtful room which may well have been an outdoor work area or storage and work area (figs. 14 and 15). We found no definite walls associated with this room, although a single layer of scabbled stones underlying the north wall of Room 1a may have been a south wall. The room was defined as the area bounded by Room 1a on the south, Room 24 on the west, Room 6 on the east, and the Component E compound wall on the north.

Fig. 14 Room 5 (left) and Room 24 (right). Note slab wall base for north wall of Room 1b (right center).

Fig. 15 Plan and sections of Rooms 24 and 5. (click on image for an enlargement in a new window)

Walls. The only possible wall would be the one-stone-high, scabbled wall underlying the north wall of Room 1a. The construction of Rooms 1a and 6 may have obliterated other traces of walls.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. The floor was clearly demarcated by a hard-packed surface resting on sterile soil. Because it was somewhat higher than Room 24 floor, this room was thought to be later. However, it is entirely possible that the two rooms were contemporaneous—Room 5 being an extramural storage and work area for Room 24. The Room 5 floor level was approximately 2.5 to 3 feet below ground surface. The floor was about 0.7 foot below the bottom of the west wall of Room 6; 0.5 foot below the bottom of the north wall of Room 1a; and 1.2 feet below the bottom of the compound wall to the north of Room 5.

In the floor were the following features: a cist cutting into an earlier pit; a firepit on the west side of the room next to the east wall of Room 24; and two postholes in the northwestern part of the floor.

Mentioned previously under Room 4 was evidence of a later occupation surface above Room 5. This surface was approximately 2 feet below the ground surface, or about level with the presumed Floor 1 of Room 1a. The artifacts listed as "room 5, Fill" in tables 3, 6, 9, and 10 came from above this surface and are considered to be from Component D.

Artifacts on floor. No artifacts were resting on the floor of Room 5, although several artifacts came from Cist 1 fill and floor. Stone, bone, and sherds are listed in tables 3, 6, 9, and 10. Also in the cist were a broken, unfired Cortez Black-on-white jar and two Mancos Corrugated jars (figs. 40b and 43b), one of which was almost completely restorable and the other about half intact. Several sherds from the subfloor cist in Room 7 fitted the restorable Mancos Corrugated jar, indicating that both cists were open at the same time and probably belonged to the same building period.

Dates. Several pieces of juniper charcoal (MV—2138) from the Cist 1 fill gave an outside date of A.D. 1047. The condition of the outside of this specimen suggests that this is probably not a cutting date and thus would be somewhat later. It falls within the later range of the Component C dates from Rooms 1a, 1b and 10, plus other dates for this occupation from subfloor levels in Rooms 7 and 8. Therefore, it is likely that the cist and the Room 5 area were filled and covered by Component C trash and the cist material would belong to a later period than other Room 5 features. The date of Room 5 and the other Component B features is probably within the 900-1000 range, tending toward the latter half of the 10th century.

Remarks. Room 5 is probably an outdoor work and storage area of Component B, or possibly Component A, if it is associated with Room 24. Somewhat earlier building activity in the room is indicated by the shallow pit that was partially obliterated by the construction of Cist 1 in the floor. In this one area, probably all five Big Juniper House components are represented by the floor of Room 24 (Component A), floor of Room 5 (B), Floor 2 of Room 1a (C), the masonry walls of Room 1a and Room 6 (D), and the compound wall to the north (Component E).

Room 6

Dimensions. About 5.8 to 7.1 feet long north-south and 5 feet wide east-west (figs. 16 and 17). Depth of floor from present surface is approximately 2 to 3 feet.

Fig. 16 Rooms 6 and 11. (a) Room 6 with cache pots in floor, at right; Room 11, poorly defined, at left. (b) Floor excavated in Room 6, showing subfloor hearth and slab base south wall (top of picture)

Fig. 17 Plan and sections of Rooms 6, 7, and 8. (click on image for an enlargement in a new window)

Walls. The east and west walls are simple walls of chipped-edge masonry. The north wall is a slab wall and the south wall has a slab wall base with a simple wall of coursed masonry on top. This latter wall is primarily chipped-edge masonry with a few stones faced by pecking, as in the north wall of Room 1a. The east and west walls abutted the north wall and probably also the south wall. The latter wall is a continuation of the north wall of Rooms 1a and 1b. All of the walls probably belong to Component D.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. The floor was indicated by a compacted use surface on fill extending about 1.3 feet down. In the floor were three Mancos Corrugated jars (fig. 40a, d, and e) buried to their rims and probably serving as small storage cists or "cache pots." About 0.5 to 0.8 foot under the floor was the top of an irregular hearth area of burned and cracked rock (fig. 18), probably a Component B feature.

Fig. 18 Room 7 (upper left) and Room 8 (foreground). Cache pots in floors of both rooms.

Artifacts on floor. The Mancos Corrugated jars buried in the floor, a Mancos Black-on-white sherd, and the utilized flakes were directly associated with the floor.

In table 3, "Room 6, Floor Fill" artifacts are from fill, from about 0.3 foot above the floor to the floor. Two of the Mancos Corrugated jars (fig. 40a and d) were open on the floor; the third (fig. 40e) was covered by an unworked, irregularly-shaped sandstone slab. Other artifacts from the fill are listed in tables 3, 9, and 10.

Dates. No absolute dates. The major occupation is Component D and dates around A.D. 1100. The subfloor hearth is on a level with Room 5 and would belong to the same occupation as that room (Component B).

Remarks. The three jars buried in the floor may indicate that Room 6 was used primarily for storage. As such, it may be part of a unit of storage rooms including Rooms 7 and 8, which also have cache pots in the floors. The subfloor hearth was probably an outdoor cooking area of Component B or possibly Component A.

Room 7

Dimensions. About 5.3 feet long east-west and 3.7 to 5.2 feet wide north-south (figs. 17 and 18). The floor is 1.5 to 2.2 feet below present ground surface.

Walls. The west, south, and east walls are simple walls of primarily chipped-edge masonry. The north wall is shared with Room 6 and was described previously. Some of the stones in the south wall and one or two in the north wall had incipient pecked facing.

Wall junctures: the west wall abuts the north wall, and the south wall abuts the west wall. The east wall is bonded to the south wall. The juncture of east and north walls was not determinable because the corner was missing. Maximum standing heights are: north wall, 1.9 feet; south and west walls, 1.7 feet; and east wall about 0.1 to 0.5 foot. The east wall presents an anomalous situation: it does not conform to the outline of the room, but continues a short distance northeast, not in line with the east wall of Room 6.

Against the slab base of the north wall were areas of small sandstone spalls set in adobe, perhaps in order to make the face even with the coursed masonry above. This situation was not observed on the other side of the wall for Room 6.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. Composed of compacted dirt resting on fill which extends at least 1 foot beneath the floor. Floor level is about 0.5 foot higher than the floor in Room 6 and may indicate a later construction. The wall junctures also indicate that perhaps Room 6 was constructed first, and Rooms 7 and 8 were added as a unit.

Beneath the floor is another occupation surface at about the same level as Floor 2 in Room 1a. In this surface there were three posts, one of which was dated. Another date was obtained from charcoal scattered on this surface.

About 0.3 to 0.5 foot below this surface was the top of a partially slab-lined cist, approximately 2.5 feet in depth. This cist is probably a Component B feature, as several sherds in the fill fit a restorable jar from Cist 1 in Room 5. It is also about on the same level as the subfloor hearth in Room 6 and floor of Room 5. The cist contained two posts and charcoal which were dated.

Artifacts on floor. Buried in the floor to their rims were two Mancos Corrugated jars (fig. 40f and h), which probably had the same function as those in Room 6 but were not covered by slabs. There were no artifacts in definite association with the floor or subfloor. In the fill above the floor we found a Type 9 worked sherd (fig. 87, top). Artifacts from the fill, subfloor fill, and cist are listed in tables 3, 6, 8, 9, and 10.

Dates. Following are the dates obtained from the five specimens described above:

Although there are only three dates from the subfloor cist—two from in situ posts that were probably wall supports for the slab lining—they appear to be close to the construction date of the cist. The two dates for the subfloor surface above the cist are also fairly close together and are well within the range of dates listed for Rooms 1a, 1b, and 10.

Remarks. Because of its small size and the cache pots in the floor, Room 7 was probably a storage room—one of a unit composed of Rooms 6, 7, and 8, and possibly also Room 11, a work and mealing room that will be discussed later. The subfloor level represents Component C and is probably part of the same structure described for Floor 2 of Room 1a. The subfloor cist is on the same level as the subfloor hearth in Room 6 and probably be longs to Component B. Three components are thus rep resented in Room 7.

Room 8

Dimensions. About 5.1 feet long east-west and 2.8 to 3.5 feet wide north-south (figs. 17 and 18). The floor is 0.7 to 1.7 feet below present ground surface.

Walls. All are simple walls primarily of chipped-edge masonry. North and south walls abut the west wall and are bonded to the east wall. Maximum standing heights above floor area: north wall, 2 feet; west and south walls, 1.6 feet; east wall, 0.8 foot.

The east wall extends about 1.3 feet below the floor other walls rest on the floor level except for that part of the west wall shared with Room 1a, which extends below the floor level of Room 8.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. Hard-packed use surface resting on approximately 1.7 feet of fill above sterile soil. The floor is slightly basin-shaped and about on the same level as the Room 7 floor. Beneath the floor was an occupation surface of Component C equivalent to Floor 2 in Rooms 1a and 10.

Artifacts on floor. Buried in the western side of the floor was a Mancos Black-on-white olla (fig. 57a), with its opening at floor level. In the southwestern corner of the floor was a Type 1C mano (fig. 100d), half buried in the floor.

Near the center of the room were the burned remains of Burial 6 (fig. 169). This was a secondary burial resting on the floor. Associated with it were burned fragments of rush matting and an unburned late Mancos Black-on-white bowl (fig. 56c). Also in probable association were a Type 8 worked sherd (fig. 86, center) and an unclassified black-on-white sherd. Artifacts in the room fill and subfloor fill are listed in tables 3, 8, and 9.

Dates. The following dates were derived from beneath the floor—one from an in situ post in the Component C surface and one from charcoal fragments below the Component C occupation:

As in Room 7, these two dates show a slight separation between the Component C occupation and the Component B occupation. They are much closer, however, than those from Room 7, which cluster in two groups.

Remarks. Room 8 was probably a storage room during the Component D occupation and was used after its abandonment for the interment of Burial 6. Wall junctures of Rooms 6, 7, and 8 suggest that Room 6 was originally constructed as part of the unit of Rooms 1a, 1b, and 10. Sometime later, Rooms 7 and 8 were added as storage rooms for the unit.

Room 9

Dimensions. About 4 feet long north-south and 2 feet wide east-west (fig. 5). Not a definite room. The floor (or an occupation surface?) is about 1.5 to 2 feet below present surface.

Walls. The north and west walls are shared with Rooms 8 and 10, respectively. They are simple walls of primarily chipped-edge masonry. The east wall is a probable compound wall two courses high, mostly of scabbled masonry. The north wall abuts the west wall and the east wall abuts the north wall. No south wall was located. Walls averaged about 1 to 1.3 feet above the floor and probably rested on it.

Entry. The missing south wall may have contained an entry.

Floor. A use-packed surface resting on approximately 1 foot of disturbed fill. No subfloor features.

Artifacts. None were found on the floor or in the subfloor fill. Artifacts from the room fill are listed in tables 3, 6, and 9. A small mortar (fig. 102, left) was discovered on the west wall.

Dates. No absolute dates. Probably a Component D feature.

Remarks. Room 9 most likely served as a storage room and was probably part of the storage unit of Rooms 6, 7, and 8.

Room 10

Dimensions. About 17.6 feet long east-west and 5 to 5.8 feet wide north-south (figs. 19 and 20). Floor 2 level is 2.1 to 2.6 feet below present ground surface.

Fig. 19 Room 10, Floor 2, in center. In left corner (northeast) is hearth, a Floor 1 feature. Burned roofing logs rest on Floor 2. To left of Room 10 are Room 1a (top) and Room 1b; to right is Kiva A.

Fig. 20 Plan and sections of Room 10. (click on image for an enlargement in a new window)

Walls. The north, east, and west walls are simple walls. The south wall is rather indefinite and irregular, and may have been a simple wall. It had no apparent coursing or facing. The east and west walls are composed primarily of chipped-edge masonry, the north wall of chipped-edge stone and some pecked-faced masonry, and the south wall (those stones remaining) is primarily of chipped-edge masonry. All these walls belong to Component D and rest on 0.4 to 1 foot of fill above Floor 2, the Component C level.

The west wall abuts the north wall, the north wall abuts the east wall, and it is likely that the south wall also abuts the east wall. The southwest corner is too fragmentary to determine the wall juncture.

Entry. Possible entry in the north wall from Room 1b.

Floor. Floor 1 was not definitely located but is probably level with the top of the slab-lined hearth in the northeastern corner of the room, about 1.4 feet below the top of the east wall. This is at about the same depth as the presumed Floor 1 of Rooms 1a and 1b.

Floor 2 was clearly delimited by a fire-hardened surface in which several postholes were excavated and two burned posts were imbedded. These and burned roofing beams supplied dates. There is a firepit in the north-center part of the room. Floor 2 is part of the same surface represented by Floor 2 in Rooms 1a and 1b and the subfloor posts in Rooms 7 and 8.

About 0.5 and 0.6 foot below Floor 2 were signs of another occupation surface and two cists. They are probably features of Component A or B, as is the subFloor 2 cist in Room 1b.

Artifacts on floor. No definite association of artifacts with either Floor 1 or 2 or the sub-Floor 2 occupation surface. Sherds listed in table 3 from Room 10 hearth are from the Floor 1 hearth fill and include McElmo Black-on-white sherds, indicating a definitely later occupation than the Floor 2 level. Artifacts listed from Upper Fill are from Room 10 fill above the level of the slab-lined hearth. Lower Fill artifacts come from the room fill below this level to just above Floor 2, and Floor 2 fill artifacts come from about 0.3 to 0.5 foot above the floor to the floor. Some artifacts were found in the fill of subFloor 2, Cist 1; none were found in sub-Floor 2, Cist 2. The artifacts are listed in tables 3, 9, and 10.

A restorable Mesa Verde Corrugated jar (fig. 44, left) was found in the upper fill of Room 10, near the east wall close to the slab-lined hearth, and was probably on Floor 1.

Dates. All dates listed in table 2 are from juniper charcoal from Floor 2 (Component C). One date came from sub-Floor 2, Cist 1 fill, and probably represents fill from the Floor 2 occupation.

TABLE 2.—TREE-RING DATES FROM ROOM 10, BIG JUNIPER HOUSE

¹Specimen numbers assigned by the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona.

²Key to symbols: p—pith ring present; v—outside shows erosion, outermost ring variable around circumference; vv—outside shows extreme erosion, outermost rings variable; r—outer ring constant over significant portion of circumference.

The dates from Room 10 are within the range of those from Room 1a. In the 985r date, the "r" indicates that the outside ring is constant around the circumference, and the date is therefore a probable cutting date. This specimen may represent a re-used beam. The fact that the 985 date is close to the Component B dates from Rooms 7 and 8 strongly suggests that this specimen was originally used as a Component B construction item and then later taken for the Component C building or buildings, represented by Floor 2 of Rooms 1a, 1b, and 10. All the other dates have inconsistent outer rings and probably do not represent cutting dates.

Remarks. The Component D walls of Room 10 enclose the largest area of any of the surface rooms at the site. However, the placement of the slab-lined hearth suggests a courtyard or working area rather than an enclosed room. The south wall is possibly a retaining wall rather than a room wall, as there does not seem to be any apparent coursing or alinement with the other walls of the room.

The Floor 2 occupation is part of Component C, previously described for Rooms 1a and 1b.

If, during the Component D occupation, Room 10 was an outdoor working area, we have several different types of rooms combined in a relatively coherent functional unit. Rooms 1a, 1b, possibly Room 2, and Room 3 were living rooms; Room 11 was a work or mealing room; Rooms 6, 7, 8, and 9 were storage rooms; Room 10 was a courtyard-outdoor work area at the south; and the Room 4 area, extending west over Rooms 24 and 5, was an analogous courtyard-outdoor work area at the north side of the rooms.

Room 11

Dimensions. About 7 feet long east-west and 6 feet (?) wide north-south (figs. 16 and 21). Floor level is about 1.6 to 2 feet below present ground surface.

Fig. 21 Plan and sections of Room 11. (click on image for an enlargement in a new window)

Walls. The north wall is a continuation of the north wall of Room 6, a slab wall which may have originally been the base for a coursed-masonry wall similar to the south wall of Room 6. The west wall is shared with Room 6 and is a simple wall of chipped-edge masonry. The east wall, only two courses high, is evidently incomplete; it is a simple wall of chipped-edge masonry. The south wall (if there was one) was not found. The north wall abuts the east wall stub and the wall shared with Room 6 abuts the north wall. The south wall and the east wall may have been obliterated by the construction of Kiva B or may have fallen into Kiva B when its roof collapsed. The maximum standing height of the north wall above the floor of Room 11 is about 2 feet, the east wall about 1.7 feet, and the west wall about 0.8 foot.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. The floor was indicated by a hard, use-packed surface of dirt resting on sterile soil. There were no subfloor features or surfaces. On the floor were the remains of four mealing bins. No metates were found in situ in the bins, but the supports for metates and some of the slabs making up the walls of the bins were still in place when the room was excavated.

Artifacts on floor. A plain/troughed metate fragment was imbedded on edge in the floor of Bin 2 next to a flat slab on the bin floor. A Subtype 1A mano was also imbedded on edge in the floor of Bin 2, behind the metate fragment, and may have been another metate support or one ready for use on a metate. A Subtype 1C mano was imbedded on edge in the floor of Bin 1, next to the flat slab placed on the floor, and was probably a metate support. The other artifacts on the floor of Room 11 were the worked slabs that formed the bin walls, smaller slabs used for metate supports in Bins 3 and 4, and slabs used to floor Bins 1, 2, and 3. Bins 3 and 4 had no upright slabs around them.

Artifacts from the fill are listed in tables 3, 6, 8, and 9. A partially restorable, unclassified black-on-white ladle was found in the floor fill and is not included in the sherd counts of table 3. A trench along the north wall of Room 11 (Test Trench 3) uncovered a Mancos Corrugated jar (fig. 40g), which lay near the middle of the wall. Also in this same area we found the plain base of a large black-on-white jar.

Dates. None absolute. The room belongs to Component D and probably dates around A.D. 1100.

Remarks. The great number of stone artifacts in the fill of Room 11, surpassed only by the trash mound and kiva fills, is good evidence that it was a workroom during the Component D occupation. Unlike the kivas, Room 11 was probably not used as a trash dump after its abandonment. Most of the stone artifacts listed in table 9 are from fill close to the floor, and are believed to be associated with the occupation of the room.

The north wall, continuing to the west and shared by Room 6, indicates that Rooms 11 and 6 were probably constructed at the same time, and that Room 11 is probably part of the unit described previously under Room 10. This unit would include four living rooms, one work-mealing room, three or four storage rooms, two outdoor courtyard-work areas, and probably Kiva A. It is a logically functional unit.

Similar units have been described for Mug House, the interrelation of whose rooms generally is indicated clearly by intact doors and windows that suggest traffic patterns and directions of contact (Rohn, 1965). At Big Juniper House, such evidence had long been obliterated by repeated alterations and the effects of weathering.

Room 12

Dimensions. The longest, 10.5 feet north-south; the widest, 4.5 feet east-west (fig. 5). Room 12 is irregularly shaped, without definite corners at the south end. The floor is approximately 1 foot below present surface.

Walls. These are poorly made of scabbled masonry, about two courses high, with about 0.1 to 0.5 foot exposed above the surface. Nothing definite can be said about wall junctures.

The east and north walls are primarily compound walls and the west wall is a simple wall continuing in a curve around the south side to the compound wall, with out a definite corner. The east and north walls average about 0.3 to 0.8 foot above the floor of Room 12; the west wall rests on the floor.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. The surface shows little evidence of use, resting directly on sterile mesa-top soil. No features were observed on or below this floor.

Artifacts on floor. No artifacts were associated with the floor. A few artifacts were recovered from the room fill and are listed in tables 3 and 9.

Dates. No absolute dates. The room is probably a Component D feature, although it could be earlier.

Remarks. Little can be said about this room because of the lack of artifacts and incomplete walls. The paucity of remains and lack of fallen building stones in the area suggest that the room was cleaned out after abandonment and stones from the walls were taken for subsequent construction.

Room 13

Dimensions. This room was not completely excavated (fig. 5). Stripping in the area revealed that portions of both the east and west walls shared with Room 11 were missing. The south wall was not located. The present dimensions are about 7 feet long east-west and 3.5 feet wide north-south. The floor was probably at the same level as the floor of Room 11.

Walls. All are simple walls, primarily of chipped-edge masonry. The walls may have fallen into Kiva B or have been used for construction elsewhere. The east wall appeared to be bonded to the north wall, and the north wall probably abutted the west wall of Room 11. However, there was a gap between the end of the north wall of Room 13 and the east wall of Room 11, and the juncture is uncertain.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. A trench along the north wall suggests that the floor was at the base of the wall or at about the same level as the floor of Room 11. No features were observed in the trench.

Artifacts on floor. No artifacts were found on the floor; the few in the fill are listed in tables 3, 6, and 9.

Dates. No datable wood. The room is probably Component D and dates around A.D. 1100.

Remarks. Room 13 is probably a living room and may have been part of a unit associated with Kiva B.

Room 14

Dimensions. This room was stripped to outline the walls and was only trenched to the floor along the north wall (fig. 5). The dimensions are probably 8.5 feet long east-west and 5.8 feet wide north-south. The floor is about 1.5 feet below surface at the north wall.

Walls. The east and south walls are simple walls of chipped-edge masonry. The north wall is partly a simple wall and partly a compound wall of chipped-edge masonry. The south wall is bonded to the east wall, and the west and east walls are bonded to the north wall. Parts of the south and west walls are missing. The north wall ranged from 1 to 1.5 feet above the floor and rested on the floor.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. The floor is a use surface resting on sterile soil. No features were seen in the trench along the north wall.

Artifacts on floor. None. Artifacts from the fill are listed in tables 3 and 9. One complete troughed metate (fig. 97a) was probably incorporated in the north wall, and another (fig. 97b) was found in the fill of Room 14.

Dates. No datable wood. The room is also probably Component D and dates around A.D. 1100.

Remarks. Room 14 probably functioned as a living room in connection with Room 13 and possibly also Rooms 19 and 20. Room 15 may have been a storage room associated with this unit, and all of these rooms were probably related to Kiva B, whose roof may have been a courtyard-working area.

Room 15

Dimensions. About 5.2 to 5.9 feet long east-west and 4.2 to 4.5 feet wide north-south (fig. 22). The floor is about 1.5 to 1.8 feet below present surface.

Fig. 22 Room 15.

Walls. The east, west, and south walls were simple walls of chipped-edge masonry. The north wall may have been a double wall; however, the inside north wall may have been added later. The latter is only two courses high, resting on about 1.4 feet of fill above the floor, and does not have the appearance of a definite double wall. The south and west walls rest on the floor and the east wall rests on about 0.8 foot of fill above the floor. The south wall abuts the east and west walls, and they in turn probably are bonded to the north wall. The west wall juncture at the north wall is not certain because most of the walls in that area had fallen.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. The floor is a hard, use-packed surface on sterile soil. A slab-lined cist in the southwestern corner of the room was evidently built shortly before the room walls were constructed. However, the cist was open during the occupancy of the room. The cist had under cut walls and its floor extended slightly below Rooms 14 and 19.

Artifacts on floor. No artifacts were directly associated with the room or cist floors. Sherds and stone artifacts from the fill of the room are listed in tables 3 and 9.

Dates. No datable wood. The room is probably Component D and dates around A.D. 1100.

Remarks. Because it was small and had a cist, this room was probably a storage room. The possibility of the north wall being a double wall would make Room 15 the only structure with a double wall at the site. Double walls are relatively common in late Pueblo III sites in the Mesa Verde, but they are rare in earlier sites in this area.

Room 16

Dimensions. This room was only outlined and trenched (fig. 5). The south wall had fallen and did not extend completely across the room. Room 16 was about 6.4 to 7 feet long east-west and about 4.7 to 6 feet wide north-south. The floor was not definitely located.

Walls. All walls were of the simple wall type, primarily of chipped-edge masonry. The south wall is bonded to the west wall and the east wall probably abuts the north wall. The west wall was also probably bonded to the north wall, but this is not certain because of the scant remains. The east wall extended farther south than the probable extent of Room 16, and very likely may have served as the east wall of another room which had slumped into Kiva C.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. Not definitely located, but probably on the same level as the floor in Room 15. Three postholes were found in a surface which is probably earlier than the Room 16 floor.

Artifacts on floor. No artifacts were associated with the floor. A partially restorable Mancos Black-on-white plate was found in the fill. Other artifacts are listed in tables 3 and 9.

Dates. No datable wood or charcoal. The masonry walls belong to Component D and date around A.D. 1100.

The subfloor postholes were probably part of the Component C occupation that extended into the East House Mound and were on the same level as the postholes in Room 25.

Remarks. This was probably a living room and may have been part of a unit associated with Kiva C. The placement of the room suggests this, but no other rooms were definitely located to the east that could have formed such a unit.

Room 17

Dimensions. The room was outlined and a trench was dug along the east wall (fig. 5). This room measured 6.1 to 6.6 feet wide north-south and 8.6 to 9 feet long east-west. The floor was not definitely located, but it was probably about 1.3 feet below the present surface. (See Section C—C' in fig. 6.)

Walls. All are of the simple wall type, except for the south wall, which is primarily a compound wall. Masonry is generally shaped by bifacial chipping. The east and west walls are bonded with the north wall and probably abutted the south wall at one time.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. Not definitely found, but probably was about level with the top of the Room 25 wall. Beneath the presumed floor of Room 25 (Component C) is a cist which is probably a Component B or A feature.

Artifacts on floor. There were no artifacts definitely associated with this room.

Dates. No datable wood. This room probably belongs to Component D and dates around A.D. 1100.

Remarks. Room 17 was probably a living room that was built some time later than the north walls of Rooms 14, 15, and probably 16. The north walls of Rooms 13 and 6 appear to be somewhat of a dividing line in the East House Mound, with the rooms having no specific orientation toward any kiva north of that wall.

Room 18

Dimensions. Probably about 8.2 feet long east-west and about 5 feet wide north-south (fig. 5). Room walls are largely missing, so the dimensions are approximate. The floor level is probably about 1.8 to 2 feet below present ground surface.

Walls. Existing walls are simple walls of chipped-edge masonry. Except for the south wall shared with Room 13, the other walls were a maximum of two courses high, but only a single course remained in most cases. The wall junctures are uncertain. The south wall stood a maximum of 1.8 feet above the presumed floor level of Room 18. The other walls averaged 0.4 foot above the presumed floor.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. The floor level was not found; it is assumed to have been at about the level of the base of the walls. Approximately 1 to 1.2 feet below the "floor" was another occupation surface, corresponding to Component B or possibly Component C. From this surface of compacted earth, about 0.2 foot above sterile soil, Cists 2 and 3 were excavated.

Cist 2, about 2 feet deep, was slightly undercut; the floor dimensions are about 4.6 feet northwest-southeast by 3.9 feet northeast-southwest, and the top measures 4.2 by 3.4 feet.

Cist 3, about 1.9 feet deep, was also slightly undercut; the floor dimensions are 4.25 feet northeast-southwest by 3.8 feet northwest-southeast, and the top, 4 by 3 feet.

Artifacts on floor. No artifacts were in direct association with either the presumed floor or the surface below the floor. Artifacts other than the restorable pots in the cists are listed in tables 3, 6, 9, and 10. Burial 24 (fig. 179) was interred in Cist 2 with a partially restorable Mancos Corrugated jar. A partially restorable Mancos Corrugated jar was found in Cist 3.

Dates. No datable wood. The masonry walls probably belong to Component D. The walking surface and the cists probably belong to Component B, as they are on about the same level as the cist below Rooms 17 and 25.

Remarks. Based on size, Room 18 in its latest occupation was probably a living room. The earlier surface, probably of Component B, may have been a walking surface and storage area.

Room 19

Dimensions. About 7.4 to 8.2 feet long north-south and about 5.5 feet wide east-west (fig. 5). The floor was not definitely located; it was near the same level as the floor in Room 15, about 0.5 to 1.2 feet below the present ground surface.

Walls. They are all simple walls of chipped-edge masonry. The fragmentary walls have a maximum height of three courses and average two courses, or about 0.5 to 0.8 foot high. They may have rested on the floor. The north wall abuts the east and west walls, and the east is probably bonded to the south wall. The southwest corner is uncertain because the walls had fallen down.

The top of a probable Component C wall is about 1.9 feet below the present surface. A simple wall of chipped edge masonry, it overlies an earlier cist of Component B. The wall was three courses high, or a total height of 1.1 feet. Its extent and the type of structure it belonged to were not determined.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. The upper floor associated with the masonry walls was not definitely located, but is probably level with the base of the Room 19 walls. No features were observed in this level.

About 1.9 feet below the presumed floor was another surface, probably corresponding to a Component C surface. On this surface were the remains of another wall, which was not traced farther than is shown on fig. 6. This surface also covered a straight-walled cist, about 2.2 to 2.4 feet deep, which extended partly under the south wall of Room 19.

Artifacts on floor. No artifacts were definitely associated with any of the surfaces. Artifacts from the room and cist fills are listed in tables 3, 6, 8, 9, and 10. There were no artifacts below the presumed level of the first floor and the second level upon which the Component C wall was constructed.

Dates. The following dates were obtained from charcoal in the upper fill above the presumed floor and from loose charcoal in the cist fill:

The date from the cist does not appear to be inconsistent with the dates from the cist in Room 7 and other probable Component B dates discussed previously. The other date, however, has no relationship to the Component C dates other than the fact that it falls within the wide range of dates from Rooms 1a and 10. It is assumed that the outside of MV—1718 had lost a number of rings, as indicated by the symbols "+" and "vv," and does not approach the actual cutting date.

Remarks. The upper surface and walls of Room 19 probably were a living room during the Component D occupation and part of an occupation unit that may have centered around Kiva B. The earlier wall of Component C may have been a structure that was destroyed during the construction of Kiva B. The Component B cist seems to be typical of this occupation at Big Juniper House—one of cist-building activity.

Room 20

Dimensions. Since only the east wall of this room was traced and only a trench was excavated along the west side of this wall (fig. 5), the extent of the room is unknown. The floor was not located.

Walls. The walls are simple walls of chipped-edge masonry. As in Room 19, they were at most three courses high, more often only two courses. The walls had evidently been built after Kiva C had been roofed but before it had caved in. Rock fall from the east wall of Room 20 tumbled to the floor of Kiva C (fig. 32).

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. Not located. The features shown in Area 12, East (fig. 5) appear to be at a lower level than the floor of Room 20 and are probably part of Component C. They consist of several upright slabs and a small square formed by slabs. Their function is unknown; they may have been parts of mealing bins and the square a possible posthole reinforced on the sides with small slabs.

Artifacts on floor. No artifacts were found in the fill or along the walls. Quite a few artifacts were found in Area 12, East, mainly in the eastern section (a wide trench), and some in Area 12, West. Both sections of Area 12 were sheet trash, primarily from Component C, with some Component D trash. (Artifacts from Area 12 and additional comments on this area are given later.)

Dates. No datable wood. The room, probably Component D, dates around A.D. 1100. Area 12, a surface somewhat lower than the floor level of Room 20, may belong to Component C, dating later than 1050 but probably ending before 1100.

Remarks. Little can be said about this room on the basis of what was excavated. It was probably a living room, part of an occupation unit consisting of Rooms 13, 14, 15, and 20, centering around Kiva B and its roof, which was probably a courtyard-working area.

Rooms 21 and 22

Dimensions. These "rooms" are considered together, since they appeared to be an outdoor working area, with a rubble retaining wall south of Room 21 as the western limit, the walls of Rooms 2 and 3 on the east, and a probable retaining wall of coursed masonry on the north side of Room 21 as the northern limit (fig. 5). The southern limit was uncertain but probably merged with Area D. During excavation, the limit to the south was Test Trench 4, and all artifacts from Rooms 21 and 22 were from the limits indicated. The dimensions of the area are approximately 24 to 25 feet long north-south and 4 to 7 feet wide east-west.

The floor or walking surface in Rooms 21 and 22 varies from 0.5 foot below present surface along the west rubble retaining wall to about 2 feet below surface near the eastern part of the area, along the west walls of Rooms 2 and 3.

Walls. The east walls are the west walls of Rooms 2 and 3. They range from about 1.5 to 1.9 feet above the floor of Rooms 21 and 22 and are about 0.4 foot lower than the floors of Rooms 2 and 3. The north wall is primarily a simple wall of chipped-edge masonry averaging about 1.1 feet above the floor on which it rests. The west rubble wall of scabbled stones is about 0.5 foot above the floor of Room 21 and extends another 0.6 foot lower, to rest on the occupation surface of Area A. The wall shared with Room 23 is about 1 foot above the floor of Room 22 and is a simple wall of chipped-edge masonry. The part of the wall that Room 21 shares with Room 23 is about 1.3 feet above the floor and the bottom of that wall rests on about 0.6 foot of fill above the Room 21 surface.

Except for the east wall, which is probably a continuous wall for Rooms 2 and 3 and extends north of Room 3, other wall junctures are uncertain because of the few jumbled remains.

Entry. Probably an open access area.

Floor. The floor, hard-packed dirt resting on sterile soil, was probably the use surface of an outdoor cooking and work area. There were no subfloor features or surfaces. Features in the floor included Hearth 1, a circular firepit at the exterior of the southwestern corner of Room 2, and a slab-lined hearth constructed in an earlier clay-lined circular firepit to the northwest of Hearth 1. The west retaining wall was also constructed over an oval-shaped firepit—a probable Component C feature.

Artifacts on floor. There was no direct association of artifacts with the floor of Rooms 21 and 22. Two Type 1A manos and a "crusher" were found in the fill of Hearth 1 (table 9), and sherds occurred in the fill of both hearths (table 3). Artifacts in the fill above the occupation surface of these rooms are listed in tables 3, 6, 9, and 10.

Dates. No datable wood. The relatively large number of sherds found in the fill indicates that Rooms 21 and 22 were used as a trash area after abandonment. The sherd types suggest that the trash was deposited no later than the Component D occupation.

Remarks. The floor level of Rooms 21 and 22 is about the same as that of the subfloor occupation surface in adjoining Room 2, which seems to belong to Component C. It is probable the two rooms were used during Component C and slightly into Component D, after which they were used as a secondary trash area, thus producing a sheet trash deposit. The existence of the earlier firepit, partially destroyed by the later, slab-lined hearth, and the oval firepit covered by the west retaining wall offer evidence for this supposition. Hearth 1 is also slightly lower stratigraphically than the slab-lined hearth. These rooms could have been occupied in the late 1000's.

The irregular shape of the rooms and the large area they cover suggest an open work area associated with Component C jacal structures, and later with Component D living rooms.

Room 23

Dimensions. About 8.6 to 9.5 feet long north-south and 3.5 to 4 feet wide east-west (fig. 5). The floor could not be definitely located, but its presumed depth from the present surface is about 1.3 to 1.8 feet.

Walls. The west and north walls rest on the presumed floor of Room 23 and the bases of the south and east walls are approximately 0.4 to 0.9 foot above the presumed floor. The east and west walls are primarily simple walls of chipped-edge masonry. The north and south walls are compound walls of scabbled masonry. The south wall probably abuts the east wall; the rest of the wall junctures are uncertain due to the fragmentary and scattered remains.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. Floor was not definitely located, and no associated features were found.

Artifacts on floor. No artifacts were found in the fill or on the presumed floor level. Subflooring testing was unproductive.

Dates. No datable wood or charcoal. Room 23 is probably a Component D structure and dates around A.D. 1100.

Remarks. The paucity of architectural remains and the lack of artifacts suggest the room was razed and most of its building stones were used for a later construction.

Room 24

Dimensions. About 7.8 to 9.2 feet long east-west and 6 to 6.2 feet wide north-south (figs. 14 and 15). The floor is 2.6 to 3.2 feet below present surface.

Walls. It is probable that the features found were the base of a jacal superstructure. The east and west walls appear to be clay with a few small inset stones. The north and south walls are simple walls of scabbled masonry. The south wall is a maximum of two courses, 0.7 foot high, resting on the floor. The north wall is also two courses, 0.6 foot high, and rests on the floor. The east wall of clay is presumably the basal remains of a jacal wall. It was 0.4 foot high when it was excavated. The west wall had largely disappeared, but the stones that were presumably imbedded in a jacal wall were 0.7 foot high above the floor and resting on it. We could learn little about wall junctures because of the few remains.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. A hard-packed use surface resting on sterile soil. Features in the floor included a D-shaped ash pit or hearth on the eastern side of the floor, a cist in about the center of the room, and a posthole near the middle of the north wall. The hearth was about 0.3 foot deep and was filled with ash. It has a raised lip on the straight side facing the cist. The cist is 2.5 feet deep, with slightly undercut sides and flat floor. The posthole is 0.8 foot deep and approximately vertical. No wood or charred remains were found in it. To the west was another posthole, under the upper occupation of Room 4. No subfloor features were found. Surfaces above the floor and occupation of Room 24 were discussed under Room 4. The compound wall partly overlying the north wall of Room 24 is separated by about 0.6 to 1.6 feet of fill from the base of the wall to the top of the north wall. On the south side, the slab wall base of Room 1b rests almost directly on the south wall of Room 24. In this case, the Room 24 wall may have been partially destroyed by Room 1b building activity of Component D and possibly Component C. The floor is about 0.6 foot lower than Floor 2 in Room 1b. On the east side, the floor is about 0.3 to 0.4 foot lower than that of Room 5.

Artifacts on floor. No artifacts were found in direct association with the floor; only sherds were in the fill of both the room and cist (table 3). Room 24 is another of the infrequent cases in which Cortez Black-on-white outnumbered later decorated pottery.

Dates. We found no wood or charcoal. The stratigraphic relationship of Room 24 to surrounding rooms suggests that this room is the earliest feature in the area and probably the earliest room found at the site. The sub-Floor 2 cist in Room 1b is on the same level as the floor of Room 24 and suggests an occupation surface that extended south from the room (although such a surface was not definitely located beneath Floor 2 in Room 1a). Room 24, however, may be considered the same component (Component B) as Room 5 because their floors are nearly on the same level. If, on the other hand, this room belongs to the Component A occupation, it would date somewhere between A.D. 900 to 1000 (early Pueblo II). Although the total number of black-on-white sherds was small, Cortez Black-on-white predominated—indicating that the occupation was more likely toward the latter part of the time span. This is further supported by the lack of Pueblo I pottery-type holdovers that are found in definite early Pueblo II contexts.

Remarks. Room 24 produced disappointingly few artifacts to help pinpoint its period of occupation. If it is a Component B (rather than Component A) feature, it was probably associated with Room 5, an outdoor working and storage area.

Room 25

Dimensions. This room was not completely excavated; only its extent was determined (fig. 5). It is a Component C structure built before Room 17. Probably the construction of Room 17, and possibly Rooms 14 and 15, destroyed most of the features of Room 25. The probable floor level is approximately 2.2 feet below present ground surface.

Walls. The north wall consists of a slab wall that probably abutted the east wall, a simple wall of chipped-edge masonry. One of the slabs in the north wall was a large troughed metate on edge (fig. 97e). The walls stand about 0.5 to 1 foot above the floor. Four post-holes, more or less in line in the southern part of the floor, may have been a jacal wall on this side of the room. We were unable to locate other postholes.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. We found no definite floor, but it was probably at the base of the located walls. The surface at this level was slightly more compacted than the fill above it. Except for the postholes mentioned previously, there were no features in the floor of this room. Beneath the floor, and presumably covered by it, was a large oval cist that extended under the east wall. We found no definite occupation surface connected with the cist, so I assume that it was constructed only a short time before Room 25 was built. The cist was probably filled by the people who built the room.

Artifacts on floor. No definite association of artifacts with Room 25 floor. Only sherds were found in the fill above the floor and are listed in table 3. Other than the metate incorporated in the north wall, no artifacts were found in the room or in the subfloor cist.

Dates. No datable wood or charcoal. Since it is earlier than Room 17, Room 25 is probably a Component C structure constructed in the latter half of the 11th century along with other Component C structures discussed previously. The subfloor cist is probably a Component B feature. However, its close stratigraphic relationship to the room's presumed floor suggests that it was not built very much earlier than the room and may be of the same component.

Remarks. Little can be said of the relationship between Room 25 and other Component C structures in the area of Rooms 1a, 1b, and 10. The postholes in Room 25 are probably related to the postholes in the subfloor level of Room 16, and may have been part of another extensive jacal structure in the East House Mound that was largely destroyed by Component D building activity.

Room 26

Dimensions. Room 26 was outlined and a trench was dug to the presumed floor at the north wall (fig. 5). Its shape and walls are similar to Room 12. It is about 4.5 feet wide north-south and 8 feet long east-west. Floor is about 1.4 to 1.7 feet below present ground surface.

Walls. Walls are both simple and compound—the former on the north and south, and the latter on the east and west. Chipped-edge masonry was used through out. The walls stood about two courses high and about 1 foot above the floor. Wall junctures were indistinct.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. We found no definite floor, but assumed it was at or near the base of the walls. No features were observed in the trench and no subfloor surfaces or features were encountered.

Artifacts on floor. None were found in the fill, floor, or subfloor.

Dates. No wood or charcoal was found. Room 26 was probably a Component D occupation, dating around A.D. 1100.

Remarks. On the basis of size, Room 26 was probably a dwelling room. As in the other rooms north of the "dividing wall" mentioned previously, its relationship to a kiva and a specific occupation unit is uncertain.

Room 27

Dimensions. The room was outlined but not completely excavated (fig. 5). It is about 4 feet wide north-south and 6 feet long east-west. We did not excavate to the floor, but assume it is close to the same level as the floor in Room 26.

Walls. The north wall is a compound wall of chipped-edge masonry; the others are primarily simple walls of chipped-edge masonry. Junctures being indefinite, it is not possible to say whether the walls were joined by abutting or bonding.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. Not excavated to floor.

Artifacts on floor. Only some sherds were found in the fill (table 3).

Dates. No wood or charcoal was found. Room 27, like 26, is probably a Component D structure.

Remarks. On the basis of size, Room 27 was probably a living room. Little more can be said because of incomplete excavation.

Room 28

Dimensions. Room 28 was only outlined (fig. 5). From what was uncovered, it does not appear to be a true room; it is more likely an intramural corridor or alley between rooms. Maximum dimensions are 13.7 feet long north-south and 6.2 feet wide east-west. Depth of floor beneath present surface is unknown because the room was not completely excavated.

Walls. The wall shared with Room 29 is a compound wall; the others are simple walls. Chipped-edge masonry was used throughout.

Entry. None indicated.

Floor. We did not excavate to the floor, but I assume its position very likely is near the level of the floors in Rooms 26, 29, and 17.

Artifacts on floor. Sherds and a utilized flake in the fill are listed in tables 3, 6, and 9.

Dates. No datable wood found. The room is a probable Component D feature, dating around A.D. 1100.

Remarks. Room 28 may have been a secondary trash area for the surrounding rooms, as it yielded more artifacts than any of these.

Room 29

Dimensions. Room 29 was only outlined and trenched to the probable floor along the north wall (fig. 5). Its dimensions are about 3 to 3.4 feet wide north-south and about 8 feet long east-west. The probable floor is about 1.4 to 1.8 feet below the present ground surface.

Walls. The north and south walls and the west wall stub are simple walls of chipped-edge masonry. The east wall is a compound wall of chipped-edge masonry. The north wall stands a maximum of 0.7 foot above the floor and the south wall, shared with Room 17, probably stands on about 0.4 foot of fill above the floor of Room 29. Walls are a maximum of two courses except for the south wall, which is about four courses high.

Entry. Not indicated unless a gap in the west wall from the corner of Room 17 was a door. Not enough of the wall was standing, however, to confirm this.

Floor. Not definitely located but probably corresponds with the level at the base of the north wall. No features were observed in the trench excavated to the floor.

Artifacts on floor. No artifacts were found.

Dates. We found no wood or charcoal. Room 29 is probably a Component D feature related to the surrounding rooms in this area.

Remarks. Because of its small size, the room may have been used for storage, possibly in conjunction with Rooms 17, 26, and 27.

Room 30

Dimensions. Room 30 was only outlined (fig. 5). It is not certain whether it is actually a room or part of a retaining wall system observed in the eastern section of the site. Its dimensions are from 4 to 4.3 feet long north south and 2 to 2.5 feet wide east-west.

Entry. Not located.

Floor. We did not excavate below the tops of the walls.

Dates. No datable wood was found.

Remarks. No wall was found on the north side. Room 30 is similar to Room 9 in its small size and missing wall, and it may likewise have been used as a storage room. It was possibly associated with the living rooms to the south of the dividing wall—perhaps connected with Room 16.

Room 31

Dimensions. Room 31 was not completely excavated. It might not have been a room but rather an area between two retaining walls (fig. 5). Its dimensions were not adequately delimited by our excavation. Most of the wall was at the surface, and the fill was shallow in this part of the site.

Walls. All that remained of the walls in the eastern part of the site was a single row of stones—probably rubble retaining walls similar to those in the western part of the site in Area A and Room 21. Stones were scabbled for the most part; the others were unworked.

Entry. Room 31 and its environs were undoubtedly an open area during the occupation of the site and needed no specific entry.

Floor. Room 31 and the area surrounding it were not excavated below the wall outlines.

Artifacts on floor. There was no specific association of artifacts with Room 31. Those listed in tables 3, 6, and 9, as coming from the East House Mound, are artifacts found during the stripping of Room 31 and other rooms not completely excavated in the same vicinity.

Dates. There are no datable wood specimens from the area. Most of the East House Mound is probably part of the Compound D building period.

Remarks. Room 31 and the area to the east and south did not appear to have any dwelling rooms north of the main wall of Rooms 13 through 16. The area east of Room 16 did not appear to have any rooms. The walls are retaining walls that curve around to the south, following the general contour of the low ridge upon which the site is located. All of this section was probably a general outdoor activity area, and the walls probably were constructed to prevent erosion and debris washing downhill to Kiva C, as well as to provide level land behind the retaining walls. None of the walls were faced or coursed; rather, they appear as irregular rows of stones with no attempt to make definite or high walls. It is likely that they were never much higher (0.5 to 0.7 foot) than they were when we excavated them.