The following entries define terms regarding the Pueblo People of NM
A kiva is an underground room that is round or rectangular and entered through the top that the Pueblo People use for cereminies and rituals.
The terraced design which I call the kiva-step design is used by the Pueblos to represent several things. Used with the large base at the bottom, it represents the steps down into a kiva. This same design when used on a vessel with cut-away sides represents mountains. When used with the large base at the top, the design represents rain clouds.
The Pueblo People are the descendents of the Anasazi, the ancient people of the rocks. They live in New Mexico in 19 pueblos (Spanish for village). These pueblos are from north to south: Taos, Picuris, San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefenso, Nambe, Pojaque, Tesuque, Cochiti, Jemez, Zia, Santo Domingo, San Felipe, Santa Ana, Sandia, Isleta, Laguna, Acoma, and Zuni.
Zuni is the only one of the pueblos that is not along the Rio Grande river or one of its tributaries. Zuni is in western NM, south of Gallup, and is almost in Arizona.
The Hopis also live in villages consisting of multi-story buildings just as the Pueblo People of NM do. Their villages are in northeastern Arizona southeast of the town of Tuba city and southwest of Canyon de Chelly. Their villages are on three mesas named First, Second and Third Mesa -- from east to west. The ancient Hopi ruin of Sikyatki is northeast of the town of Polacca at the foot of First Mesa.
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