The Cliff dwellers of the Mesa Verde

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1990-01-01 edition. Excerpt: ...of only two strands (PI. XLIX: 4), rarely of three. In workmanship and strength they are not inferior to cordage of the same thickness from our rope-works. The finest string is less than 1 mm. in diameter. Cord of a greater diameter than 5 mm. is rare. Very coarse cord, or rather thin rope, was sometimes plaited of eight fine strands, in a method often employed by sailors (see fig. 66). I also found cords twisted of strands of different colours, red and undyed, or blue and undyed. Finally I may mention among the objects made of yucca the rings mentioned in the chapter on the pottery, and used to support the round-bottomed vessels (PI. XLVII: 3, 10). Yucca cord was employed in the manufacture of a textile fabric peculiar to the cliff people, the fabric above denoted by the name of feather cloth. Fig. 67 shows how this feather cloth, or more correctly perhaps, down cloth, was made. Yucca cords were tightly wrapped in down 4--6 cm. long, and then knotted together in the manner shown to the right of the figure, where the down is removed. I found in the pumpkin (PI. XLV: 4) mentioned on p. 42 and dug up in the refuse heap at Step House, materials intended for the manufacture of feather cloth, including a quantity of down of varying length, pieces of down cut to a suitable length and tied in bunches (fig. 68), and cords wrapped in down. It is evident that a weaver engaged in making feather cloth had been compelled for some reason or other to abandon the work and conceal the materials. Narrow thongs of hide were probably employed on some occasions instead of down. I have found loose cords wrapped in strips of hide, as shown in fig. 69. A mummy found in Step House was shrouded in a net made of similar cords, but only loosely knotted. The...