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What we did...ContinuedAfter the walls went up, then it was time to put the roof on. Because we had planned for two burns, two sets of roofing material needed to be collected. Due to the lack of trees in the area, the ancient Hopi relied heavily on the yearly floods to bring them driftwood. Ponderosa pine was preferred for the two primary beams, while the lower-density cottonwood comprised the secondaries. After setting up the latticework of beams, a layer of pickleweed was spread out on top. Wet clay went on top of this, and finally, a layer of dirt.
Due to the way the pueblo villages were constructed, one room might be "landlocked" by other rooms, and thus not have a door to the outside. The door on the roof then served as the main entrance and exit, as well as a vent. Because of this, the roofs were made durable enough to walk on, and village commerce could be conducted standing atop one's home.
Collecting clay along the Little Colorado; the completed roof lattice; the inside of the completed roof, seen from the door. After the roof was completed, our main task began: burn the structure down. Our first burn was a simulated cook fire, where something on the hearth flared, and caught the inside of the roof aflame. This burn produced a modicum of smoke, and no real flames. During the fire, the roof partially collapsed inward, as we had theorized it would.
Our first burn: lots of smoke, not a lot of flame (left). The resulting collapse of the roof (right). Note that the cookie sheet in the center was acting as a door to the roof entrance, deflecting the heat down, as large, flat, thin rocks were difficult to find.
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