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Show 260 THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE Photograph by O. C. Havens AN INDIAN TERRACED GARDEN : IIOTEVILLA PUEBLO Rain is a fugitive blessing in the Southwest, but, by terracing the slopes of the mesas and surrounding each small garden inclosure with low ridges of earth, the flood waters that roar down from the mesa tops following torrential midsummer showers are caught and held. By this system of inundation moisture is concentrated in the cultivated areas and gardening is made possible (see text, page 233). the presumptuousness to erect a puny brace of sticks and stones to hold back 100,000 tons of solid rock that threatened to topple upon their dwellings (page 235). It is this last colossal conceit-this most naive feat of ancient American engineering- that gives Pueblo Bonito the name by which it is known throughout the entire Navajo reservation, Tse-biya hani ahi-Place-of-the-braced-up-cliff. During the long period of time in which their invited guests dominated both the religious and secular life of the community, the original settlers of Pueblo Bonito continued quietly to occupy their corner of the village, pursuing their usual activities in the manner to which they had grown accustomed. The latter were influenced, but to a slight degree only, by the more dominant culture about them. They had the visible example of superior masonry and profited by it when repairing the walls of their dwellings. They drew new elements into the ornamentation of earthenware vessels, yet kept their characteristic pottery forms and decorative motives. These pioneer Bonitians maintained rectangular rather than circular kivas, yet they gradually introduced into their council chambers certain special features and furnishings more typical of the round rooms of their neighbors. Such evidence of cultural influence is quite what one would expect under the circumstances; but it is far less easy to understand why this weakened group of original settlers should wish to remain in Pueblo Bonito after their more numerous and aggressive associates had departed. Theirs was a sinking ship, but they chose to remain with her. MYSTERY STILL CLOAKS CAUSE FOR ABANDONMENT OF PUEBLO BONITO As -to the fundamental reason and the manner in which Pueblo Bonito was ultimately abandoned, we cannot be sure. |