PICURIS PUEBLO THROUGH TIME: EIGHT CENTURIES OF CHANGE AT A NORTHERN RIO GRANDE PUEBLO Edited by Michael A. Adler Herbert W. Dick William P. Clements Center for Southwest Studies Southern Methodist University Picuris Pueblo Through Time PICURIS PUEBLO THROUGH TIME: EIGHT CENTURIES OF CHANGE IN A NORTHERN RIO GRANDE PUEBLO Edited by Michael A. Adler and Herbert W. Dick William P. Clements Center for Southwest Studies Southern Methodist University iii Copyright © 1999 Michael A. Adler and the William P. Clements Center for Southwest Studies, Southern Methodist University. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the expressed written consent of the publishers, with the exception of brief passages embodied in critical reviews. This publication was generously supported by the Dedman College Fund for Faculty Excellence, the Clements Center for Southwest Studies, and the Hotel Santa Fe. Printed in the U.S.A. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ISBN 1-929531-00-1 iv DEDICATION For the People of Picuris Pueblo who have allowed others the chance to appreciate the long history of their unique home, the Hidden Valley of the Picuries and for Herbert W. Dick And Daniel Wolfman, two archaeologists who, through their work, shed light on much of ancient Picuris This volume was made possible through funding provided by Southern Methodist University Dedman College Fund for Faculty Excellence and The Hotel Santa Fe v CONTENTS CONTRIBUTORS .......................................................................................................................XIII PREFACE.....................................................................................................................................XIV ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................................XVIII 1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 1 Herbert W. Dick and Michael A. Adler PICURIS PUEBLO.............................................................................................................................................................. 1 PICURIS’ PLACE IN THE PUEBLO WORLD ......................................................................................................................... 1 POSTCONTACT HISTORY OF PICURIS PUEBLO .................................................................................................................. 4 JUSTIFICATIONS FOR EXCAVATIONS AT PICURIS .............................................................................................................. 6 EXCAVATION PICURIS PUEBLO, 1961–1965 .................................................................................................................... 8 QUANTIFYING PICURIS: POSTEXCAVATION ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION................................................................ 12 WHY STUDY THIS PLACE? ............................................................................................................................................ 14 2 PICURIS FROM THE INSIDE................................................................................................. 17 Richard Mermejo vi 3 PICURIS PUEBLO IN 1890: A RECONSTRUCTION OF PICURIS SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND SUBSISTENCE ACTIVITIES ................................................................... 19 Donald Nelson Brown PICURIS SOCIAL STRUCTURE, 1890 ............................................................................................................................... 20 KINSHIP SYSTEM........................................................................................................................................................... 20 The Household ........................................................................................................................................................ 20 The Bilateral Extended Family ............................................................................................................................... 22 Bilateral Descent Groups ........................................................................................................................................ 22 Dual Organization................................................................................................................................................... 22 CEREMONIAL SYSTEM................................................................................................................................................... 24 Ceremonial Societies............................................................................................................................................... 24 Hunt Chief............................................................................................................................................................... 26 Scalp Man ............................................................................................................................................................... 26 POLITICAL SYSTEM ....................................................................................................................................................... 26 The Council............................................................................................................................................................. 27 The Governor and His Helpers................................................................................................................................ 27 The War Captain and His Assistants....................................................................................................................... 27 Ditch Foreman......................................................................................................................................................... 28 SUMMARY..................................................................................................................................................................... 28 PICURIS SUBSISTENCE ACTIVITIES, 1890....................................................................................................................... 29 Farming................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Hunting ................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Livestock................................................................................................................................................................. 32 Wild Plants.............................................................................................................................................................. 33 Fishing..................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Trading.................................................................................................................................................................... 34 Wage Work ............................................................................................................................................................. 34 SUMMARY..................................................................................................................................................................... 35 RECOLLECTIONS OF A PICURIS BOYHOOD, CA. 1880-1890 ............................................................................................ 35 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................................................................... 37 4 PREHISTORIC AND EARLY HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE AND CERAMICS AT PICURIS.................................................................................................................................... 43 Herbert W. Dick, Daniel Wolfman, Curtis Schaafsma, and Michael A. Adler PIT STRUCTURE ARCHITECTURE, VALDEZ PHASE, A.D. 1050/1100–1200).................................................................... 45 UNIT PUEBLO ARCHITECTURE, POT CREEK PHASE, A.D. 1200–1250 ............................................................................ 48 LARGE MULTISTORIED PUEBLOS, TALPA PHASE, A.D. 1250-1325................................................................................ 49 LATE LARGE MULTISTORIED PUEBLOS, POST-TALPA PHASE, A.D. 1325 TO PRESENT................................................... 52 Size and Shape of Surface Rooms........................................................................................................................... 56 Picuris Room Size in Regional Perspective ............................................................................................................ 59 Wall Construction ................................................................................................................................................... 59 Floors ...................................................................................................................................................................... 60 Floor Furnishings ...................................................................................................................................................