Doheny Memorial Library, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189 Public Domain. Release under the CC BY Attribution license--http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/--Credit both “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library; From the California Historical Society Collection at the University of Southern California Send requests to address or e-mail given USC Libraries Special Collections specol@usc.edu
Description
Photograph of a view of the Acoma Pueblo from Mesa Encantada, ca.1900. The Acoma Pueblo can be seen in the distance rising above the surrounding barren landscape. A few shrubs and scrub grass grow in the foreground. "Acoma is situated about eighteen miles in a southeasterly direction from McCarthy Station on the Atlantic and Pacific Railway, midway between Albuquerque and Fort Wingate. Its people, like those of Moqui and Zuni, have retained to a great extent their ancient customs. The walls of light-tinted sandstone, "nearly everywhere vertical or overhanging," of the bluff or "penol" on which the town stands rise from two hundred and fifty to three hundred feet above the plain. Against their bases the sand has blown in great drifts, extending far up into the recesses and fissures of the cliffs. Until within recent years, as in the days of its discovery by Alvarado, only one path gave access to the top. It is a toilsome and dangerous route, winding along the edge of frightful chasms, leading up through fissures, and passing over crags. In places steps have been hewn, and up the face of the naked rock holes have been cut to give a foothold to climbers, and the constant use of these holes by the Indians through centuries has worn them to the exact shape of the toe of a moccasin. Up this steep path an Acoma Indian with a live sheep on his shoulders will run rapidly without helping his ascent in any way by the use of his hands." -- Clarence Pullen. "The Acomas use this foot-path yet, but they have in recent years made on the opposite side a horse trail, very steep and difficult, which winds up over immense sand drifts and steep rocky ledges to the top of the rock. Up this bridle-path animals that are accustomed to mountain climbing can go in single file. The surface of the top of the mesa, comprising about ten acres, is naturally a rough naked space destitute of vegetation. The town is constructed after the usual style of the pueblos of New Mexico, and consists of from sixty to seventy houses two or three stories high, built of adobe or of rubble-stone, rising terrace-shaped, with flat roofs. There are no windows in the first story, or doors, except in the roof, which is reached by means of ladders. Within the houses are several estufas, or apartments used as council-chambers and for the secret practice of the Acomas' ancient religious rites, including the maintenance of the sacred fire in honor of their ancient gods. The two has about eight hundred inhabitants, and is divided by three parallel streets." -- Clarence Pullen.
Type
image
Format
3 photographs : transparency, photoprints, b&w 20 x 25 cm., 13 x 18 cm., 21 x 26 cm. transparencies photographic prints photographs
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