Archeologists uncovered a quantity of material by carefully excavating such rubble as this. The more fragile material on the floor, such as pottery, was in most cases crushed or scattered by falling rocks when the ceilings or walls collapsed. Because the excavators saved all fragments of pottery resting on the floor, they were able to restore many of the broken vessels, some of which exhibit beautiful designs in black on a white background.
10. Step into this room.
You will see bins on the upper right which were used for storage. The doorway to the rear is not prehistoric, the room having been remodeled and occupied by a sheepherder about 1880.
11. Ball court.
Looking down about 150 yards (137m) you will see an oval masonry ring. This is a ball court, one of several in this area, the northernmost ones that have been discovered. In southern Arizona and all through Mexico and Central America ball courts are fairly common.
We know very little about the game that was played in this court. However, in Arizona sites two rubber balls have been found which are similar to those seen in use in the Mexican ball courts by the Spanish conquerors when they first entered Mexico. The game played here, if like those in Mexico, was part of religious ritual.
This ball court is unique among Arizona ball courts for it is constructed of masonry. Others are generally made of adobe.
Take the marked trail to the ball court for a closer look if you wish.
12. In adding this room
to the pueblo the builders joined their walls to ones already existing, as can be seen on your left. As a result of constructing rooms in this fashion the builders were unable to interlock building stones of the new room with those of the old one. It was usually at these points that walls collapsed first, because they were not adequately tied together.