The ruined habitations in the valley of the Rio Verde may be
considered under three divisions or types, differing in form, but
essentially the same in character. In adopting this classification,
which is by no means restricted to this single valley, I do not claim
originality, but follow that used by the best writers on this subject.
My limitation of the types and general definitions may, however, be
found to differ somewhat from those of my predecessors.
The three groups of ruins in our Southwest are the following:
I--Pueblos, or Independent habitations.
II--Cliff Houses }
III--Cavate Dwellings } Dependent habitations.
In the first group are placed those ancient or modern habitations
which are isolated, on all sides, from cliffs. They may be situated in
valleys or on elevations or mesas; they may be constructed of clay,
adobe, or stone of various kinds, but are always isolated from cliffs.
They are single or multiple chambered, circular or rectangular in
shape, and may have been built either as permanent habitations or as
temporary outlooks. Their main feature is freedom, on all sides except
the foundation, from cliffs or walls of rock in place.
The second group includes those not isolated from natural cliffs, but
with some part of their lateral walls formed by natural rock in situ,
and are built ordinarily in caverns with overhanging roofs, which the
highest courses of their walls do not join. Generally erected in
caves, their front walls never close the entrances to those caverns.
This kind of aboriginal buildings may, like the former, vary in
structural material; but, so far as I know, they are not, for obvious
reasons, made of adobe alone.
The third kind of pueblo dwellings are called cavate dwellings or
lodges, a group which includes that peculiar kind of aboriginal
dwelling where the rooms are excavated from the cliff wall, forming
caves, where natural rock is a support or more often serves as the
wall itself of the dwelling. The entrance may be partially closed by
masonry, the floor laid with flat stones, and the sides plastered with
clay; but never in this group is there a roof distinct from the top of
the cave.
Naturally cavate dwellings grade into cliff houses, but neither of
these types can be confounded with the first group, which affords us
no difficulty in identification. All these kinds of dwellings were
made by people of the same culture, the character of the habitation
depending on geological environment.
[Illustration: BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY