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The Mudstone Kiva

Here are a few photos I took of a remote and interesting kiva that I visited last weekend with my friend Alan. We spent a lot of time examining and admiring the construction of this ancient kiva.

As you can see in this first photo of the front of the kiva, it’s actually built into the soft mudstone layer found at the back of a large alcove. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a kiva constructed like this before.

Mud Kiva

Here’s a view of the roof and entrance to the kiva.

The Mudstone Kiva

A closer look at the entrance.

Kiva Entrance

When you take a look inside the kiva, you can see that after they dug out the space in the mudstone, they lined the walls with stones and mortar, except for the sandstone at the back of the alcove that makes up the rear wall of the structure. I like that the upright posts are still in place.

Kiva Interior

Here’s another look at the masonry and the posts inside the kiva.

Posts & Masonry

See the full Trip Report here: Bears Ears Lost