nazSTUFF - Building a Virtual Pithouse in 3D

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Rebuilding a Sinagua Pithouse - Part 03

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Finishing the pithouse rooftop.

This shows the four large "rectangular" thatched inclines in place. Again, I do not know the exact order of construction in real time, this sequence is the result of the software procedures. I suspect that all of the "spoke-like" rafters were installed and the the small limbs were added all around at once, as they did not actually stop and start at the "seams" as I have drawn it. It was probably built organically from the bottom to the top as it would hold the weight of the people adding more pieces.

Here you can see the corner rafters added completing the "spokes." Imagine this process continuing until the entire surface is covered with hundreds of small twigs and branches in a large circular pyramid.

Here's another museum photo showing the appearance of this kind of ceiling from within the structure. This photo is very helpful to this presentation as it clarifies reality, how organic the construction really is. The wooden skeleton became a very tight and reliable armature upon which to add a weather proof cover.

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Over this, and I assume that it started at ground level and worked upward, plaited clumps of grass were liad over the twigs in a "braided shingle" like layer. Onto this heavy mud/clay was attached, binding it all together.

Here is a photo of one of the native grasses from this area. This species is the Purple Three Awn, aristida purpurea. I am told that these were collected by pulling them up, roots and all, and weaving them together over the thatched roof surface.

Here's another photo from Thomas' personal journal. It shows the grass thatching described above, sticking out from beneath a collapsed roof of a pithouse he came across during one of his explorations. It is possible to still see the plaiting.

When finished you end up with a pyramid/cone mud covered dome with a ladder poking out of the only opening. From an engineering point of view this so-called primitive structure has many benefits. First, being dug into the earth, probably below the frost line, it guarantees a year round ambient temperature in the fifties- fahrenheit. The shape is storm proof, so you can imagine the comfort it provided in the dead of winter during a blizzard.

This then completes our rebuild of the "pithouse" portion of this site. As to its use, was it a kiva or community room, we can't say. We've attempted only to provide some insight into how it was constructed. We do not claim that we are correct, this is based visually on the scant research that we could find.

Opinions from professionals are welcome. We will add them to this presentation as addendum comments with email links. Submit.

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Further review: Here's a photo, directly from Thomas's field journal of his site 260.

Again, it verifies that the inner walls of pithouses were lined with wooden logs and with stones. It also shows that these subterranean walls were sometimes square as well as a circle. Ancient architecture was consistent and diverse.

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And, here's a review of our project:

Hopefully, this has been useful. JV - Webmaster.

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