University of Virginia Library

PREFACE

For an eight year period, 1928-1935, the Department of Anthropology
of the University of New Mexico had co-operated with the
School of American Research in maintaining a summer field session in
the Jemez Canyon, New Mexico. This General Field Session (commonly
known as the Jemez Field School), offering lower and upper
division work in two courses graded for beginners and advanced students,
provided lecture and field work in archaeology, ethnography,
anthropo-geography, and natural history. Both students and faculty
were recruited from colleges and universities throughout the United
States.

In August of 1936, for the first time, the General Field Session was
held in the Chaco Canyon, northwestern New Mexico. This change to
to the Chaco was made (1) In order to acquaint visiting students and
faculty with the outstanding ruin area north of Mexico; (2) To test
the thesis that young students in archaeology, if properly supervised,
could profitably carry on an excavation under the supposedly more
complex conditions obtaining in the Chaco; and (3) To accelerate the
study of, and publication upon, Chaco archaeology.

The session was attended by forty-seven students (twelve men,
thirty-five women), who represented seventeen institutions—University
of New Mexico eighteen, University of Michigan four, Harvard
University three, University of Southern California two, Leland
Stanford Jr. University two, and one student each from Cornell University,
Indiana University, Mount Holyoke College, Pennsylvania College
for Women, Principia College, Princeton University, University of
Rochester, Scripps College, Tennessee State Teachers College (Johnson
City), Vassar College, Wabash College, and Wilson College. Six
students were not enrolled in any other educational institution. Fifteen
of the students studied the elementary course, twenty-five took the advanced
course, and seven were auditors.

The staff comprised twenty-six individuals, in addition to the eight
students who earned part of their expenses by waiting on tables, secretarial
work, etc. This staff was composed of eight lecturers, two
research associates, three supervisors of excavations, four camp physicians
(each in camp for one week), one librarian, four camp boys, a
camp hostess, and three cooks.

This field group (which, including spouses and children, totaled
more than eighty) was housed in four blocks of tents which were disposed
in a sinuous line along the foot of the cliffs on the south side of
the Chaco arroyo, opposite Pueblo Bonito, and extended west for a furlong
from Casa Rinconada. The Chaco Canyon Research Station,

recently erected jointly by the University of New Mexico and the
School of American Research, on University property, provided lecture
hall (which was used also as dining room), kitchen, store rooms,
library, toilets, and showers. Water for kitchen and showers was
piped from a windmill and well on the edge of the Chaco arroyo. However,
although there was always ample water for cooking, and for
washing in the pail-basin-sponge fashion, the uncertain zephyrs of

Map I—Tseh So and Its Environs

August frequently necessitated cutting out the indoor showers and
toilets. Vegetables, fresh fruits, eggs, meat, bread, ice, canned and
packaged goods, gasoline, and miscellaneous supplies were hauled in,
normally twice a week, from Gallup (100 miles distant) in a one-half
ton Dodge truck. Coleman gas lanterns, coal oil lamps, candles, and
flashlights, all contributed to the camp illumination. Fuel for the large
kitchen range was soft coal from a nearby seam in the canyon wall, and
juniper wood hauled in from an area several miles to the north of the
canyon.

The work of the session was divided into four parts: excavation,
museum, lecture, and problems. The principal excavation was that of a
small rock, sand, and potsherd-covered mound (Bc50), located less

than a quarter of a mile east of the Research Station, and on the toe of
a spur from the southern mesa. This small house ruin (as it turned out
to be) was selected because of its proximity to camp, size estimated to
be suitable for a month's work, situation protected from the full blast
of wind storms by southern cliffs and the western Casa Rinconada
ridge, surface profusion of potsherds of various types, and location
near a refuse mound and a previously excavated pithouse. However,
several other small sites were equally suitable; and it was a most pleasant
but unmerited surprise to encounter the superposition of wall
types, numerous burials, and wealth of artifacts, which are described
in the body of the report.

All the students were divided into two sections of nearly equal
size. Students in Section A excavated (under supervision of Hibben
and Bliss) during the morning hours from 7:30 to 9:25, while Section
B worked in the museum tent (just south of the Research Station)
under the direction of Dr. Florence Hawley. The museum work consisted
of cleaning, sorting, classifying, labeling, repairing, preserving,
and packing the varied material (shards, restorable ceramic items, treering
specimens, stone artifacts, bones, shells, vegetable remains, etc.)
which had been recovered from the previous period of excavation. In
the afternoons, from 3:30 to 5:30, the sections reversed fields of operation—A
going in to the museum technique class, and B carrying on
with the excavations. Most of the actual pick-shovel-wheelbarrow
work was done by a crew of Navajo workmen whose homes were in
the vicinity. Excavation proceeded on from three to six days a week,
according to the whimsies of weather and Navajo. At times, storms
of wind or rain were so violent as to preclude any work in the open.
Also, the numerous and often inopportune Navajo "sings" and "squaw
dances" frequently depleted the ranks of the workmen. Thus it was
that on many a "morning after," only three or four "Navvies" would
put in appearance on time, and the sleepy and indolent remainder
might not straggle in until afternoon or even the following day. As the
students were present on the "digs" only four hours of the day, the
Navajos were employed for the remaining four hours of the working
day on the refuse mound, under the supervision of Mr. Wesley Bliss,
and on the stratigraphic cut in the canyon floor near Chetro Ketl,
under the direction of Mr. Donovan Senter (Map I). Sixteen different
Navajos put in a total of 1,990 hours during the month, or 249 man
days. This was the equivalent of 12½ Navajos working on each of the
planned twenty days of excavation. The net results were: stratigraphy
and refuse trenches as reported, and approximately 80 to 90
per cent of ruin Bc50.

The work of the students in the excavation consisted of sorting the
fill dug out by the Navajos; exposing and removing burials and artifacts

with trowel, brush, and geologist's hammer; sacking, labeling,
and conveying archaeologic material to the museum tent; taking field
notes on their individual work and observations, which notes were
written up and handed in periodically; and filling out burial, tree-ring
specimen, and room excavation blanks. Several of the students helped
in surveying and mapping, and in advancing the stratigraphic
trenches in the refuse mound immediately to the east of the house
ruin. As much as possible, the same one, two, or three students were
allowed to work out specific rooms and kivas to completion. The excavation
of the small house ruin was under the immediate supervision of
Mr. Frank Hibben, curator of the Museum of Anthropology, University
of New Mexico. Mr. Wesley Bliss, graduate fellow in the University
of New Mexico, supervised the trenching of the refuse mound, with
advice from Dr. Florence Hawley, who had previously superintended
the trenching of the Chetro Ketl east refuse mound. Other members
of the staff, notably Dr. Leslie Spier and Dr. Stuart Adler, helped
from time to time in the excavations. Whether or not the student excavators
of 1936 did an acceptable job can be determined, in part, by a
perusal of the excavation report.

Nine formal lectures, totaling 95 hours, were offered by the eight
members of the lecturing staff. These lectures were:

• 1. Antevs: North American paleo-climatology and pre-history.
  12 hours.

• 2. Brand: Anthropo-geography of the Southwest. 12 hours.

• 3. Hammond: History of the Southwest. 8 hours.

• 4. Hawley: Archaeologic chronology and ceramics. 12 hours.

• 5. Hewett: Religion, symbolism, and art of the American Indians.
  8 hours.

• 6. Spier: Southwestern ethnology and ethnography. 16 hours.

• 7. Tello: Andean archaeology—coastal Peru. 12 hours.

• 8. Tello: Andean archaeology—architecture. 12 hours.

• 9. Thompson: Maya archaeology. 3 hours.

Lower Division students were required to take courses 4, 6, and 7,
and 11 to 12 additional hours (not including course 1). Upper Division
students took courses 1, 2, 8, and 9, and 8 to 16 additional hours. All
students were allowed to audit any course offered.

A special problem was assigned to each of the Upper Division
students. This work was done under the director, Dr. Donald Brand.
Among these problems were: The Masonry of Bc50 Compared With
That of Shabik'eshchee and Chetro Ketl; Handicrafts of the Navajo
Indians of the Chaco Region; Navajo Foods and Cooking Techniques;

Notes on Navajo Ceremonies; Trading Posts of the Chaco Canyon and
Associated Area; Hogan Types and Comparisons; Transportation
and Communication Among the Navajo Indians of Chaco Canyon;
Design in Navajo Weaving; Research in Chaco Canyon Tree Rings;
Geologic Cross Section of Chaco Canyon; Reproductions of Chaco
Pottery (art work); Analysis of Chaco Manually Textured Wares;
Survey of Pictograph and Petroglyph Material on Chaco Canyon Walls.

Normal program for each day (excepting Sunday) was: 5:40
a. m., rising gong; 6:00, breakfast; 7:30 to 9:25, excavations, and
museum technique; 9:30 to 11:30, lectures; 12:00, noon lunch; 1:30
to 3:25, lectures; 3:30 to 5:30, excavations, and museum technique;
6:00, dinner; 10:30, lights out.

In addition to extemporaneous musical concerts and dances, horseshoe
tournaments, and the nightly treks to the Chaco Canyon Trading
Post (less than half a mile distant) for candies and soft drink refreshments,
there were several campfires held in the yard of the Research
Station. At these campfires the local talents in tall tales, singing, playing
the various musical instruments, etc., were on display. The first
campfire was devoted to brief speeches of self introduction from all
members of the camp. It ended with the representatives of the various
institutions singing their respective Alma Mater songs. The last campfire
saw the students and faculty "squaw dancing" to a Navajo chorus
and orchestra. On one occasion, a group of Navajo bucks presented portions
of the Yei-bihchei dance. Sundays were devoted to "siestas," writing
and reading, and to excursions to the various ruins in the canyon
area. A number of outside trips also were taken by several members of
the camp, including to Zuñi and El Morro, the Hopi snake dances, Aztec
Ruins, and the Gallup Inter-tribal Ceremonial.

ROSTER OF THE 1936 CHACO GENERAL FIELD SESSION

STAFF

                                                     

Name—Position	Home Address
Brand, Dr. Donald D., Director, and lecturer	University of New Mexico
Antevs, Dr. Ernst, Lecturer	Carnegie Institution of Washington
Hammond, Dr. G. P., Lecturer	University of New Mexico
Hawley, Dr. Florence M., Lecturer	University of New Mexico
Hewett, Dr. Edgar L., Lecturer	University of New Mexico
Spier, Dr. Leslie, Lecturer	Yale University
Tello, Dr. Julio, Lecturer	Univ. of San Marcos, Lima, Peru
Thompson, Mr. J. Eric, Lecturer	Carnegie Institution of Washington
Alexander, Dr. Hubert, Research associate	University of New Mexico
Fisher, Dr. Reginald, Research associate	University of New Mexico
Bliss, Mr. Wesley, Excavation supervisor	University of New Mexico
Hibben, Mr. Frank, Excavation supervisor	University of New Mexico
Senter, Mr. Donovan, Excavation supervisor	University of New Mexico
Adler, Dr. Stuart, Camp physician	Lovelace Clinic, Albuquerque
Fisher, Dr. Robert, Camp physician	Lovelace Clinic, Albuquerque
Johns, Dr. E. W., Camp physician	Lovelace Clinic, Albuquerque
Miles, Dr. L. M., Camp physician	Lovelace Clinic, Albuquerque
Bliss, Miss Margaret, Camp hostess	Albuquerque, New Mexico
Gentry, Mr. Jay, Camp librarian	University of New Mexico
Appel, Mr. William, Camp boy	University of New Mexico
Hayes, Mr. Alden, Camp boy	University of New Mexico
Lister, Mr. Robert, Camp boy	University of New Mexico
Sieglitz, Mr. Robert, Camp boy	University of New Mexico
Keith, Mrs. Florence, First cook	Chaco Canyon, New Mexico
Lee, Miss Anna, Second cook	Chaco Canyon, New Mexico
James, Miss Marjorie, Third cook	Berkeley, California

STUDENTS

• Beardsley, Gretchen, Jones, Michigan.

• Bitanny, Adolph B., Fort Defiance, Arizona.

• Blankenship, Margaret, 5357 Ellenwood Drive, Los Angeles, California.

• Bloom, Carol L., 612 N. University Ave., Albuquerque, New Mexico.

• Butler, Mrs. Eva, 443 Eastern Point Road, New London, Connecticut.

• Cady, Jean M., 439 Camino del Sol, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

• Clarke, Barbara, Girls' Dormitory, University of New Mexico.

• Corbett, John M., 44 West 21, New York City.

• Davis, Vance, 2103 Cambridge, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

• Doll, Eugene E., East Chestnut Ave., Vineland, New Jersey.

• Espe, Ann A., 311 Washington Ave., Santa Fe, New Mexico.

• Field, Thomas P., 804 N. Maple St., Johnson City, Tennessee.

• Gilsinn, Evelyn, 925 Beach Ave., St. Louis, Missouri.

• Goggin, John Mann, Men's Old Dormitory, University of New Mexico.

• Grater, Byron J., R. R. 4, Lebanon, Indiana.

• Guignon, Harriet, 80 E. Johnson St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

• Harbican, Alma L., 3359 Fullerton, Detroit, Michigan.

• Hendrick, Alice S., 2110 Westwood Ave., Nashville, Tennessee.

• Heath, Fay M., Box 124, Gallup, New Mexico.

• Hewitt, Gertrude H., 318 Keyes Ave., Watertown, New York.

• Hobbs, Hulda, 1120 E. Gold, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

• Hunter, Helen V., 928 N. 63 St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

• Jones, Norma L., 1375 Lida St., Pasadena, California.

• Kober, Alice E., 901 Washington Ave., Brooklyn, New York.

• Lane, Margaret, 619 N. Spruce St., Albuquerque, New Mexico.

• Lehmer, Donald J., 1603 E. Roma Ave., Albuquerque, New Mexico.

• Leon, Francis W., Irvington-on-Hudson, New York.

• Loomis, Barbara H., 1414 Calaka Ave., Colorado Springs, Colorado.

• Loos, Mary Anita, 566 E. Channel Road, Santa Monica, California.

• McCready, Delphine B., 540 Sheridan Ave., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

• McCreery, J. Honour, 4463 Commonwealth Ave., Flint Ridge, California.

• McNary, Martha, McNary, Arizona.

• McNary, Ruth R. (Mrs.), McNary, Arizona.

• Marsh, Elias J., 400 Van Houten St., Patterson, New Jersey.

• Miles, Carolyn M., 1401 E. Roma, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

• Olson, Jane V., 1108 Oak St., Cook, Illinois.

• Pattison, Emilie G., Route 1, Oregon City, Oregon.

• Ross, Virginia L., 471 E. Badillo, Los Angeles, California.

• Sargent, Fitzwilliam, III, Haverford, Pennsylvania.

• Scanlon, Mary I., Girls' Dormitory, University of New Mexico.

• Spencer, Frances C., Grand Canyon, Arizona.

• Stanton, Mercedes, 1415 E. Tijeras, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

• Sunderland, Florence E., 4914 Webster St., Omaha, Nebraska.

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• Valentine, Joseph W., 1322 Ritchie Ct., Chicago, Illinois.

• Vonnegut, Pauline, 412 E. 21st St., Indianapolis, Indiana.

• Wellwood, Gail J., 1024 Grand Traverse St., Flint, Michigan.

• Witkind, William, 505 N. University, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

• "General utility boy," Robert Spier.

• Camp mascot, Nezahualcoatl (a Oaxaca kit fox).

• Camp attaches: Miss H. Adler, Mrs. Stuart Adler, Mrs. Robert Fisher, Mrs. Frank
  Hibben, Mrs. Erwin Johns and son, Mrs. Lee Miles and son, Mrs. J. Eric Thompson
  and son.