During fair
weather these are laid on the roof, near the hole they are designed to
cover, or lie tilted against the higher edge of the trap, as shown in
Fig. 97.
[Illustration: Fig. 97. A Zu?i roof hole with cover.]
When the cover is placed on one of these holes, with a high slab at one
end, it has a steep pitch, to shed water, and at the same time light and
air are to some extent admitted, but it is very doubtful if this is the
result of direct intention on the part of the builder. The possible
development of this roof trap of unusual elevation into a rudimentary
chimney has already been mentioned in the discussion of chimneys.
A development in this direction would possibly be suggested by the
desirability of separating the access by ladder from the inconvenient
smoke hole. This must have been brought very forcibly to the attention
of the Indian when, at the time a fire was burning in the fireplace,
they were compelled to descend the ladder amidst the smoke and heat.
[Illustration: Plate C. An excavated room at Kin-tiel.]
[Illustration: Fig. 98. Kiva trapdoor in Zu?i.]
The survival to the present time of such an inconvenient arrangement in
the kivas can be explained only on the ground of the intense
conservatism of these people in all that pertains to religion. In the
small roof holes methods of construction are seen which would not be so
practicable on the larger scale of the ladder holes after which they
have been modeled.
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