MONTEZUMA CASTLE Montezuma Castle Archeology - Part 1: Excavations

Human Burials

Burials in the vicinity of Montezuma Castle consist solely of direct inhumations, although within only 10 miles to the south cremations have been found in pit house sites. The location of graves here shows the typical inconsistency found in cliff and cave dwellings throughout the region, namely, no restriction to cemeteries or definite burial areas; they are found scattered hither and yon, under floors, in caves, under suitable ledges, but always in the near vicinity of the dwelling.

In past years, from the vicinity of Castle A probably a dozen burials had been taken, upon which no data are obtainable. The excavation work here uncovered in all 28 burials; of these 11 were male, 7 female, 6 infant, 1 youth, and 3 indeterminate. Of these only 9 were in situ.

Burials 1 and 2. Under floor of Room 3. The skeletons of two infants were found in one burial pit under the floor near the west end of the room. The pit was 1 foot wide, 2 feet, 9 inches, east and west, and 18 inches deep. The room floor had been slightly raised to cover the top of the grave. One infant lay on the bottom, extended, head turned to left side, head to east. On top were two limestone slabs, and above these the second infant was placed, with head to west, and no covering save disintegrated lime floor material. Both bodies had been wrapped in twilled matting, but only fragments remained. Bones were in poor condition, but the skulls revealed some occipital deformation. No artifacts were found.

Burial 3. Under floor of Room 3. An infant burial which was found in a shallow pit under the floor against the west wall. The pit was 16 inches long north and south, 1 foot wide, and 1 foot deep. Slight traces of twilled matting burial wrap were found. Bones were in very poor condition and no observations could be made on the skull. No artifacts were found.

Burials 4, 5, 6, and 7. In cave on northeast side of Room 3. This cave measured 4 feet, 2 inches, in height, 5 feet, 8 inches, east and west, 7 feet, 8 inches, north and south, is probably cavate, and with a level floor. The walls are unsmoked and the floor is not plastered. Fragments of what may have been a sealing wall remain in front at the opening into Room 3. This chamber was filled to within 6 inches of the ceiling by lime dirt and trash from rat nests.

The thoroughly scattered bones, in part, of two adult males, one adult female, and one infant were found. Skulls of all were missing and also many of the bones, although the mandibles of the adults remained. Several lumbar vertebrae of one adult revealed an arthritic condition known as spondylitis deformans. No artifacts whatever were found.

Although modern man is usually blamed for all the pot-hunting in Indian ruins, it is my belief that prehistoric vandals tore out the original sealing wall to this cave and rifled it of any artifacts or pottery it may have contained, scattered the bones in so doing, and possibly even taking the skulls. If there had been one undisturbed burial underneath the scattered bones, the disturbance could have been attributed to the placement of the later burial below, but such was not the case. The possibility of modern pothunters having done the work here is precluded by the depth of fill which lay above Room 3.

Cist Graves

The cist graves were all found under a ledge in front of and to the southwest of Room 5, west of Room 4. (See ground plan.) A typical grave of this type as seen here consists of a chamber 1-1/2 to 2 feet in height by 2-1/2 to 3 feet in width, by 6 feet in length dug into the native clay stratum underlying a limestone ledge. The ledge formed the roof and the lime base underlying the clay formed the floor. Such a space was enclosed by native material on three sides. On the south, or open, side was a row of large vertical limestone slabs which to most practical purposes sealed the vault (Fig. 6). All are single graves save Nos. 3 and 4; here a double-width grave was made into two by the simple addition of another row of vertical slabs along the central long axis of the cist, inside.

Fig. 6. a, Plan of cist grave; b, cist grave from front; c, section of cist grave.

Cist Grave 1. In the upper level of this cist were the scattered bones of three adults: one male, two females (all elderly), one infant, and one youth (Photo 20). The adult skulls, minus the mandibles, were all present, and part of the frontal bone of the infant, estimated at 2 years of age, were saved. All of the skulls showed occipital deformation, and possibly slight posthumous flattening. Many of the bones were missing, although most of the long bones were present. The male skeleton showed pronounced arthritic growths on the lumbar vertebrae and on the vertebral face of the sacrum. Broad flanges of bone had mushroomed out from the upper and lower borders of the vertebral bodies and had partially linked them together. Some spinous growth was also visible on the borders of the acetabulae.

Scattered all through the debris inside the cist were a number of tiny discoidal beads of stone and shell, black, white, and red in color. These beads are so thin it requires 34 on a string to make an inch, and they average one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch in diameter.

On the lower level of the cist, which was evidently used for the latest burial, was the skeleton of an elderly male in situ, head to east and turned to the left, arms straight at sides, and left knee slightly bent, thus crossing the feet (Photo 21). The skull was well preserved save for the left side of the brain case, which had rotted away, and showed very slight, if any, deformity. The skeleton was in poor condition, but the long bones, pelvis, clavicles, and sacrum were saved.

Six inches left of the left humerus was found a fugitive White-on-red bowl, 8-1/2 inches outside diameter and 4 inches high. The bowl was cracked but complete and had not been "killed." No other artifacts were found.

Cist Grave 2. This grave adjoined Grave 1 on the south side, hence its north and south walls were both formed of slabs, and the ends at the bottom were outlined in the native clay stratum. The fill in this chamber was about 3 feet deep. Two feet below the surface was found the badly decomposed skeleton of a 3- or 4-year-old child, with head to west. No estimate as to skull deformity could be made. More discoidal beads were found scattered in this grave, and could have belonged to almost any of the disturbed skeletons of the adjacent grave. No artifacts were found.

In the bottom of the grave, where a burial was expected, were found the left foot and part of the jaw of an old adult, and nothing more. Whether this grave had been partially cleaned out by the aborigines when they made the later baby burial above it, and these few bones carelessly left, or whether the full-sized cist had been dug for an adult burial and never used, and these few bones thrown in from one of the adjoining scattered burials, cannot be determined.

Cist Grave 3. This chamber was under the ledge, west of Grave 1, outlined with slabs in the same manner. The ledge had broken off and sunk and had to be removed before the grave was reached. Under the fallen material, 22 inches above the feet of the burial, was found a small olla, broad-mouthed, flare-rimmed, of flattened hemispherical shape, with a vertical loop handle. (See Pottery.)

On the floor of the cist, supine, with head to west, was the skeleton of a female between 30 and 40 years of age. The skull was tilted sharply forward and showed slight occipital deformity. The right knee was flexed at almost a right angle (Photos 22-23) but otherwise the body was in normal extended position. The bones were in very poor condition, although the skull, minus the basilar aspect about the foramen magnum, and the mandible were saved. The mandible had two oblique fractures in front, joining. I believe the fractures occurred before burial, in situ the body measured 4 feet, 7 inches, from head to distal end of left tibia.

At one ear was a small turquoise pendant, at the other a small shell pendant. A few discoidal beads, of the type already described, were found scattered on the floor of the cist, not enough for a necklace but perhaps enough to go on the strings of ear pendants. Directly under the chin was found the prize of the collection: a glycymeris shell carved into the conventionalized form of an eagle, or "thunderbird," the head end perforated for the pendant string. On the convex surface, set with gum or pitch, was a miniature of the shell form, composed of tiny, flat, rectangular pieces of turquoise, 85 in number.

Resting over the left hand was a deep, undecorated red bowl, and 3 inches from the left fibula, to the side, was a large hemispherical polychrome decorated bowl, with inside decoration of black bands outlined in white on a reddish buff base. Nothing was left inside the vessels, and there were no "kill" holes. No other artifacts were found in this grave.

Cist Graves 4 and 5. This was the one double grave discovered. Unlike Graves 1 and 2, which were clearly outlined at the base in the clay, Graves 4 and 5 showed no outline distinction and were divided only by three loose vertical slabs which reached to the ceiling. (See Photo 24.)

Parts of four skeletons were found indeterminately mixed in the two graves. Partial skulls of four adults were found: three male, the other doubtful, all definitely past youthful maturity. Occipital deformity was apparent on all. One peculiar feature about the skull fragments was that each of two male skulls showed, on the posterior portion of the right parietal bone, several straight, ragged cuts, such as could have been caused by a blunt stone axe. One had been broken entirely through. Acts of violence were evidently not unknown at Castle A. Most of the other bones found were well preserved and showed slight, if any, pathologic growths.

On the floor of Cist Grave 4 was found the only burial in situ, that of an aged female, head to the east and turned slightly to the left and forward. The left knee was barely flexed, with the left foot crossing over the right. The occiput was rotted away, but the distance between the parietal bosses indicated artificial deformation. The bones were in very poor condition, but the skull, mandible, long bones, sacrum, pelvis, and clavicles were saved.

Lying along the right leg, with the upper end resting in the right hand, was found what is believed to be a batten stick. No other artifacts were found, save for discoidal beads of the type previously described, which were scattered throughout both cists. Which body or bodies these belonged to would be impossible to say.

Cist Grave 6. This was a shallow grave, without slabs, presumably intended for burial but never used. The grave was probably less desirable than the others because of an insufficient ledge overhang for protection.

Cist Grave 7. This was a wide single grave, containing five burials, of which three had been disturbed. Of these latter, one was male, one was female, both 30 to 40 years of age, and the third an elderly individual, sex undetermined. Two excellent skulls, plus mandibles, and one of which only the face and mandible came out intact, were obtained; all showed medium occipital deformity. Most of the scattered bones were in good condition. The male skeleton showed considerable evidence of bone disease: the sacrum and right ilium were grown solidly together, symptomatic of the same arthritic conditions previously described in other burials; also his tibiae and ulnae showed considerable thickening, together with slight lumpy growths of bone and longtitudinal pittings.

The two undisturbed burials were of old males, believed buried at the same time, both with heads to the west, one on top of the other and slightly to the left. (Photo 25.)

Burial No. 1 (the upper): The head was turned to the left and tilted forward toward sternum. Skull showed medium occipital deformity. Body was straight, with feet drawn together. The right scapula was cocked up slightly because of the bulge of the skull of Burial 2 beneath it. Bones were all present but pelvis and scapulae were in poor condition. Length, in situ, from head to distal end of tibia: 5 feet, 2-1/2 inches. No artifacts were found. The skull of Burial 1 showed pathologic indications suggestive of osteoporosis symmetrica. The skull shows a slight thickening and is closely pitted over the entire surface of the cranium with tiny pinpoint holes.

Burial No. 2 (the lower): The skull rested flat on the occiput and showed pronounced flattening. The body was extended, arms and legs straight. The long bones, pelvis, sacrum, mandible, and all save the occipital portion of the skull were saved. Length, in situ, from head to distal end of tibia: 4 feet, 11 inches. No artifacts were found with this burial or in the entire cist.

Cist Grave 3a. Directly south of Cist Grave 3, this was not in a cist but directly over the corner of an earlier cist grave which had been sacrificed for the placing of burial in Cist Grave 3. The badly decayed and scattered bones of an old adult were found. The mandible and face of the skull were missing, and sex could not be determined. Pronounced occipital deformation was evident. The bones appear to have been thrown carelessly out in a pile against the south slab wall of Cist Grave 3 and then covered over with trash fill, which eventually packed almost as thoroughly as hardpan.

Scattered in with these bones were the broken but complete parts of two bowls, one deep hemispherical plain red, the other a polychrome piece with interior decoration of broad black bands outlined in white on a reddish buff background; and almost all of a Black-and-white interior-design dipper-style ladle, with handle missing, and over half of another small, plain bowl. (See Photo 26 and Pottery.) No other artifacts were found in this grave.

Cist Grave 5a. This was not a true cist grave but was a shallow pit scooped out in an 8-inch layer of hard-packed debris on the limestone ledge, directly south of Cist Grave 5. Over the top was a foot of hardened trash dirt. The pit contained a few of the badly decayed bones of two skeletons. The skulls were gone but the mandibles remained, and their evidence, joined with that of the bones, proclaimed the bodies to have been of two elderly persons, one male and one female. A few of the long bones and parts of two pelves were saved. On the left lower arm of the female were two large glycymeris shell bracelets. (See Plate 27.)

No other artifacts were found. It is believed these two burials, as in the case of Cist Grave 3a, were simply thrown out of the adjoining cist when it was made the scene of later inhumations.

Average room: length, 20'1"; width, 12'2"
Average wall thickness: 1'9"