Preservation Mason removing portland cement by hand to preserve the original fabric of the wall.
NPS
Between freezing winters, extreme heat, and monsoon storms, Tuzigoot Pueblo requires year round care. Over the years, archeologists and masons have tried to formulate a mortar mixture that can withstand the elements while preserving the historical and cultural elements of the village walls.
After the initial excavation of Tuzigoot in 1933-1934, much of the site was reconstructed and stabilized using Portland cement. Although it's a strong material and seems to hold up in any environment, Portland cement can damage original building stones over time.
In 1998, masons began carefully removing the cement from between the stones and replacing it with mortar that more closely resembles what may have been used centuries ago, when the village was first constructed.
To dive deeper into this project, check out our project summary.
