Cuarenta Casas

Cuarenta Casas (Spanish; Forty Houses ) is a series of closely spaced Höhlenbauten in the western part of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It lies on the northwestern (ie facing the sun ) rock edge of the small watercourse Arroyo del Garabato, about 41 km north of the town of Madera.

History of Research

The ruins were first documented in the late 19th century and superficially examined by the Norwegian Carl Lumholtz that roamed the highlands of the Sierra Madre Occidental in that time. The archaeological classification was achieved only in the context of the research of the North American archaeologist Charles DiPeso in Paquimé, Casas Grandes earlier than known. After the cave settlements were established in the course of the so-called Buena Fe phase of Paquimé 1060-1205. The decline of the smaller localities such as Cuarenta Casas was triggered by the destruction of Paquimé around the year 1340. According to European reports, but have until the 17th century descendants of the former inhabitants resided in the region and in the ruins.

General

The archaeological site consists of about a dozen small buildings under rock overhangs ( shelters ) or in shallow caves, up to 100 m above the bottom of the canyon. The number of forty houses is not to be taken literally and is more likely to express a larger number. The buildings are made of adobe, partly from Tapia. For amplification and for the roofs ( both the floors of the second floor ) were installed spruce logs. Characteristic are the T-shaped doorways.

Cueva de las Ventanas

The largest complex of Cuarenta Casas, the Cueva de las Ventanas ( Cave of the window), consists of a two-story structure. The ground floor has about 15 rooms, with two elongated vein-like spaces ( whose front wall has not survived for the most part ) is given access to the smaller, square rooms of the underlying series. Almost exclusively on these areas to rest the 11 rooms of the second floor, but something of which no more is obtained. However, a reliable reconstruction is based on old photographs (especially those of Lumholtz ) possible. Excavations provided evidence that Room 5, located on a rock slightly increased, a corn store was. In one of the adjoining rooms, the grave of a young man was found. The wall paintings, of which Lumholtz reported are no longer visible.