The Sand Canyon Pueblo Database

Block 1500, west-central portion of site, east of plaza.

In the middle of the row of rooms on the south side of the D-shaped building.

Not assigned.

This is the only bi-wall room that was completely excavated. Even so, there are few data on which to base an interpretation of use, although the location of this structure in a D-shaped, bi-wall structure might indicate special use. No artifacts were found on the floor. The only features were doorways. The doorway in the west wall originally allowed access into the unnumbered, unexcavated room to the west. The doorway in the north wall allowed access into the space or structure that occupied the interior of the "D" before Kiva 1502 was built. The construction of Kiva 1502 appears to have blocked this opening, but the small segment of wall at the south end of the southern recess suggests that an opening might have been left in the southern recess to keep this doorway functional for a while after Structure 1502 was constructed. At an unknown point or points in time however, both of these doorways were blocked with masonry, possibly indicating a change in the use of the room or of the structures to which these doorways led. A possible opening beneath the south wall could have allowed access from outside the block into this room via a subfloor crack in the bedrock. This was interpreted as being open and functional when the room was abandoned. Also, it is inferred that there was a hatchway in the roof to allow movement between Structure 1509 and other structures within the block. The absence of a hearth or firepit in this room indicates that it was not used for domestic purposes, but there are few other data on which to base an interpretation of use.

The lack of floor artifacts suggests that abandonment of this structure was leisurely, and the absence of refuse in the structure fill suggests that this room was abandoned when the block was abandoned.

The roof rotted and collapsed, then the upper portions of the walls collapsed. Additional sediment was also deposited naturally.

No excavation details recorded for this study unit.