University of Virginia Library

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80]

Evidence From Shards in the Superstructure

From the shard evidence found in the superstructure of Tseh So,
this structure is plainly of Pueblo II origin. On a table in back
(Table I) the three highest percentages of shards under each of
the headings are noted. Those wares which were found in especial
abundance at Tseh So are Escavada Black on White, Gallup Black on
White, Chaco Black on White, Mesa Verde Black on White, Red Mesa
Black on White, La Plata Black on Gray, Kana-a Black on Gray, Kana-a
neck-banded, Lino Gray Ware, Wingate Black on Red, Puerco Black on
Red, Tusayan Polychrome, Chaco Corrugated, and Exuberant Corrugated.
There were also represented by a few, or in some cases by a
single shard, several trade wares of interest which will be noted in
place. Those mentioned above constitute by far the greater bulk of the
shards found on the floor level. In seven out of twenty-four rooms (only
twenty rooms provided floor level data) Escavada displays the highest
percentage. Exuberant Corrugated leads next in six rooms, and Gallup
in five rooms. Of those second in importance in this category, Escavada
leads with seven instances out of the twenty-four, Exuberant
with six, Red Mesa with four, and Gallup with two. Of those types
third in importance on the floor level, Red Mesa occurs in six instances,
Exuberant Corrugated in four instances, Gallup also in four instances,
Escavada in two. From this it may be seen that the combination
which runs highest in percentages on the floor level is predominantly
Gallup Black on White, Escavada Black on White, Red Mesa Black on
White, and Exuberant Corrugated. There are a few erratic percentages
such as McElmo leading with 18 per cent in Room 22, but Escavada
runs a close second with 17 per cent. Sixteen per cent of the shards
on the floor of Room 4, and 14 per cent in Room 14, are Chaco Black on
White. With the exceptions just noted, the Escavada-Exuberant-Gallup-Red
Mesa combination reigns supreme. There is no need to mention
that this is a Pueblo II combination of perhaps early Pueblo II
date because of the large percentages of Red Mesa present.

The shards which were used as spalls in the plaster of the general
masonry of the walls were of invaluable service in the dating of the
pueblo. Of these, only Rooms 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, and 14, exhibited enough
to gain any appreciable percentages. In these, the highest percentages
are found to be Escavada in two instances, and Exuberant Corrugated
in three instances. The second and third in importance tended to be
Red Mesa and Escavada, and in one case, in Room 9, 13 per cent of the
shards were found to be Lino Gray Ware. This shard combination is
found to be essentially the same as that diagnosed from the floors of the
rooms, although with Pueblo I leanings.

Rooms 2, 10, and 11 each contained a sealed doorway in which many
shards were used as spalls. In these Exuberant Corrugated, Escavada,
Gallup, Red Mesa, and Wingate predominated.

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[81

Dating. A viga beam (Museum No. Bc50 35/30) yielded the only
date available from the entire ruin. This is A. D. 922+, a non-bark date.
This specimen is derived from a floor in Room 15 associated with a
shard combination of Escavada, Exuberant Corrugated, and Red Mesa.
A number of other specimens gave probable dates, but this one is the
only one recorded as reliable. Dr. Douglass has examined this and the
other specimens as well, and substantiated only this date. The other
pieces are so decayed as to leave some doubt.