Structure 146, subterranean room

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Features

Hearth (Feature 1) Top of page
General description
Central hearth of structure.
Use history
Hearth used for light, heat, and food preparation.
Associated features
None.
Excavation procedure
Approximately bisected into east and west halves; west excavated first to define strata and for profile; then east excavated; both excavated in two separate strata.
Portion excavated
Entire portion within Segment 1; approximately the northern half.
Horizontal location
South face of Segment 1, in center of structure.
Vertical location
Surface 1 (structure floor).
Construction
A pit was excavated into undisturbed native sediment; 2 to 3 courses of tabular sandstone rocks were used to line the upper walls of the pit. Top course of stone formed the hearth rim, four of which are visible, but most are partially of completely covered with adobe coping.
Remodeling/ modification
No
Thermal alteration
Yes. Base and walls are fire-reddened.
Sooting
Yes. Although some blackening of the edges of the rim stones.
Sealed
No
Preservation
Excellent.
Degree of preservation
Shape in plan view
Actual:  basin-shaped.
Inferred: 
Shape in cross section
Actual:  round.
Inferred: 
Shape comments
Dimensions
 
Actual
Complete?
Inferred
Comments
Length
66
Yes
Measured east-west (inside measurement).
Width
37
No
74
Measured north-south.
Height
No
Depth
25
Yes
Stratigraphy
Stratum
Interpretation
Inclusions
Disturbance
Color
Texture
A
Roof sediments (See Strat C).
Calcium carbonate and charcoal flecking, sherds, rocks, and fauna.
Reddish-brown.
Silty clay loam.
B
Ash from use of hearth.
Samll pebbles, burned bone fragments, a few flakes, sherds, charcoal and small nodules of burned adobe.
Light gray.
Ash.
Pass-through (Feature 2) Top of page
General description
Small pass-through from west wall of Structure 146 into east upper lining wall of Structure 145.
Use history
Constructed between Structures 145 and 146, possibly used for communication between these. West end may have been sealed when upper lining wall in Structure 145 was constructed.
Associated features
Structure 145, Feature 6 (Pass-through).
Excavation procedure
Excavation began on east edge (in west masonry wall) to full arm length (ca. 70 cm); then began excavation from above through undisturbed native sediment located between Structures 145 and 146.
Portion excavated
Unknown, though close to neighboring structure so feature could not have extended much further.
Horizontal location
West end of Backhoe Trench 144 in west wall of Structure 146.
Vertical location
Base of feature is 67 cm above structure floor (Surface 1).
Construction
Difficult to determine. Undisturbed native sediment above tunnel suggests excavation prior to masonry facing of Structure 146; facing to opening was constructed by leaving a gap in three courses of the wall and placing a slab across the top (much like the construction of a kiva niche), and a slab was placed in the base of the tunnel ca. 45 cm from the opening; it is unclear if the opening into Structure 145 was sealed by the construction of the upper lining wall or was removed during trenching.
Remodeling/ modification
Yes. West end may have been blocked by construction of upper lining wall of Structure 145.
Thermal alteration
No
Sooting
No
Sealed
Yes. West end may have been sealed.
Preservation
Excellent.
Degree of preservation
Shape in plan view
Actual:  unknown.
Inferred:  rectangular.
Shape in cross section
Actual:  unknown.
Inferred:  rectangular.
Shape comments
Dimensions
 
Actual
Complete?
Inferred
Comments
Length
112
No
Not known if compete.
Width
13
No
13 cm at opening, widens to at least 28 cm inside.
Height
16.5
No
16.5 cm at opening, at least 18 cm inside.
Depth
No
Stratigraphy
Stratum
Interpretation
Inclusions
Disturbance
Color
Texture
a
Same sediment as in roof fall.
Abundant calcium carbonate flecking and nodules.
Reddish-brown.
Silty clay loam.
Niche (Feature 3) Top of page
General description
Niche in east masonry wall.
Use history
Constructed when masonry-lined wall was constructed; use unknown; somewhat deeper than kiva niche but structure may have been used like a kiva (round, subterranean, hearth).
Associated features
None.
Excavation procedure
Fill was excavated with trowel and chaining pin.
Portion excavated
Entire feature.
Horizontal location
East wall of structure.
Vertical location
Base of feature is 47 cm above structure floor (Surface 1).
Construction
A large slab was placed in the wall to create the base, the next course of masonry left a gap, and another larger slab spanned this gap to create top.
Remodeling/ modification
No
Thermal alteration
No
Sooting
No
Sealed
No
Preservation
Excellent.
Degree of preservation
Shape in plan view
Actual:  rectangular.
Inferred: 
Shape in cross section
Actual:  rectangular.
Inferred: 
Shape comments
Dimensions
 
Actual
Complete?
Inferred
Comments
Length
28
Yes
Measured from opening to back.
Width
10
Yes
Height
8
Yes
Depth
No
Stratigraphy
Stratum
Interpretation
Inclusions
Disturbance
Color
Texture
A
Structure roof fall.
Calcium carbonate nodules.
Brown.
Silt loam.