University of Virginia Library

Substructure 5 (Underlying Room 21)

Form.—(See Fig. 14). The floor plan was roughly rectangular
with rounded corners. The east wall was missing since Kiva 2 was
cut through the substructure at this point.

Walls and Wall sequence.—The walls were of the Slab Base
Rubble type with small scattered rocks placed in abundant mortar.
The whole was heavily plastered and thick at the base, with slab
lengths from 1′ to 1′ 6″.

The north wall curved and the northern room corners were
rounded. The slab base varied in height from 6″ to 2′ 6″. Parts of
this wall had been broken out and there was evidence of much weathering.
The slab base of the south wall varied in height from 1′ to 2′ 6″;
the wall was plastered to a height of about 4′. From this wall, at a point
2′ 9″ from the southwest room corner, a curved partition of slabs set
in mortar extended 3′ into the room, partially enclosing the burial
found under the second substructure floor. The curved partition wall
stood as high as the substructure wall. Both the north and south
walls were cut at the east end by the wall of Kiva 2, and thus the
east-west dimension of the room is unknown.

The south wall and 3′ of the west wall—as far as the doorway (for
description of doorway see substructure 4)—were capped by superstructure
walls which at times broke away from the substructure

walls to follow a more direct line. The unprotected north wall was
only a few feet in height and was topped by several feet of washed fill.

Roofing.—No evidence.

Floors, Floor Sequence, and Special Features.—Two substructure
floors were exposed, the first 2′ above the second (Fig. 15a). Between

B. Architectural Details (Profile)
of Substructure 6, Bc 50

the two was adobe fill showing no evidence of cultural remains for at
least the upper 18″ of the 2′.

In the first of the two substructure floors a firepit and several
post holes were uncovered. The firepit was 2′ 4″ in diameter, 9″ deep
and lined with slabs on bottom and sides. It contained ashes, sand, and
many charcoal pieces. Immediately below the firepit and encasing it
was a layer of carbonaceous shale which extended beneath the floor
of the room at this point. West of the firepit was a post hole 7″ in
diameter and 6″ deep, containing a log that stood several inches above
the top of the hole. There was a second post hole 2′ east of the firepit,
10″ long by 6″ wide and from 10″ to 1′ 2″ deep. The encased wooden
beam was held in place by encircling rocks, and by a flat rectangular
rock slab placed diagonally in the hole, perhaps as a wedge. Three
feet east of the second post hole was a row of smaller ones, standing
6″ apart and paralleling the rounded northeast corner of the room
2′ distant.

Condition.—The condition of substructure 5 was partially excellent,
partially poor, due to the fact that a superstructure had been
built over the west portion of the room, thus protecting the south wall
and portions of the west wall. Since this superstructure did not extend
the entire north-south length of substructure 5, the north portion was

more exposed. Kiva 2 was cut through the east wall of the substructure.

Room Fill.

• 1. Loosely packed dirt. Found immediately below the superstructure
  floor, this 1′ 2″ layer contained sherds.

• 2. Hard-packed adobe. A closely packed layer, barren of sherds,
  extended to within a few inches of the first substructure floor level.

• 3. Soft dirt. This layer found 2″ to 3″ above the first substructure
  floor level was of unpacked dirt containing sherds, charcoal, and
  so forth.

• 4. First substructure floor level.

• 5. Carbonaceous shale. This thin layer was found beneath the first
  substructure floor level, dipping to encase the firepit.

• 6. Hard fill. This barren layer extended 18″ below the first substructure
  floor level.

• 7. Fill. A layer containing occupational remains, which extended 6″
  above the second substructure floor level.

• 8. Second substructure floor level.

Burial.—A burial (Bc 50-60/30) was located 2′ 5″ from the southeast
corner and 3′ 6″ from the southwest corner under the lower floor
of the substructure. The skeleton, that of a child, was lying on its
left side. Although in an extended posture, the body had been somewhat
cramped in the short grave (41″ long). The burial paralleled
the south wall with head to the east and face to the south. The grave
was outlined in adobe and was covered by two large stone slabs. A
small Red Mesa jug with handle of twisted pottery coils was at the
head of the skeleton, and four or five sherds, presumably Lino Gray,
were found in association with it. Around the left wrist was a shell
bracelet. There were a few animal bones in the area above the skeleton.
Between the burial and the south wall lay a rock and wooden
beam.

Animal Bones.—A few in association with the skeleton.

Artifacts.—Two smoothing stones, one mano, one side-notched
projectile point, three bone awls and a perforated bone artifact fragment.

Pottery Percentages

                         

	Level 1 in Room Fill (immediately below superstructure floor)	Level 3 in Room Fill (immediately above first substructure floor)	Level 7 in Room Fill (immediately above second substructure floor)
Exuberant Cor.	29	14	32
Red Mesa B on W	19	13	4
Gallup B on W	16	3
Lino Gray	14	16	28
Escavada B on W	13	28	11
Chaco B on W	3
Deadman's B on W	3
Kana-a Gray	1	5	16
McElmo B on W			2
Chaco Cor.			2
Wingate B on R			2
Total number of sherds in sample	62	60	43