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What we did...ContinuedWith our first burn successfully completed, we took a day to analyze the results and collect supplies for the second roof. The second burn would be one with an accelerant: corn cobs and husks stored inside the structure. It could either be interpreted as a deliberate burn, with the corn left inside as a sacrificial offering, or an accidental burn, started by a dust explosion.
Naomi Lerman tackles the pickleweed problem (left) while Talia Gonzalez helps rebuild the roof. With our second fire, in addition to the hearth that we had previously dug, we also constructed a storage bin along the west wall, which we partially filled with corn. We also included in the structure several artifacts prepared especially for the burn: stone tools, such as obsidian and chert flakes, traditional pottery donated by a local artisan, and several shells collected along Chevelon Creek. The purpose of these artifacts was to allow study of the before-and-after effects of burning on the various materials. In addition to the artifacts, we also applied layers of mud plaster to parts of the walls, to see how the plaster reacted to the fire.
The two floor plans. Our second burn (right) included the construction of a storage bin for corn. Most rooms in the pueblos were single-purpose, acting as either a place for storage or habitation. Unfortunately, our second burn got off to a rocky start. The corn cobs and husks did not provide tinder to ignite the roof, so we packed the structure with more fuel - pickleweed and other brush from when we created the firebreak around the structure. After the introduction of more fuel, however, the blaze took off, with spectacular smoke and flames. Pyrometers along the south wall of the building recorded temperatures close to 1040 degrees Fahrenheit inside the structure.
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