Characterization and analysis of Prehistoric earthen plasters, mortars, and paints from Mug House, Mesa Verde National Park Colorado

340 Pages·1996·5.5 MB·English

by  Dix, Linnaea A

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CHARACTERIZATION AND ANALYSIS OF
PREHISTORIC EARTHEN PLASTERS, MORTARS, AND PAINTS FROM
MUG HOUSE,
MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK
COLORADO
Linnaea A. Dix
A THESIS
in
Historic Preservation
Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in
Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
1996
\X<;:iSV\^
eader
Fraitk^ Matero Jeanne Marie Teutonico
Associate Professor of Architecture Lecturer in Historic Preservation
Graduate Group Chair
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OF
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LIBBARliS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many people contributed to this thesis. I would like to thank my professor and
supervisor, Frank G. Matero, for his inspiration, guidance and patience throughout the
project. Frank pointed the way for me at Mesa Vera. Jeanne Marie Teutonico, my
reader, also provided invaluable guidance; her expertise and advice heljied shape this
thesis. Staff members of the National Park Service, past and present, contributed to the
project, include Jake Barrow ofthe Intermountain Cultural Resource Center, Kathy Fiero
of Mesa Verde, and Angelyn Bass, formerly of the Intermountain Cultural Resource
Center. George Austin of the New Mexico Bureau of Mines conducted the X-ray
Diffraction Analysis. Xue-Qin Wang and Dr. Rollin Lakis of the Laboratory for
Research on the Structure ofMatter at the University ofPennsylvania guided me through
Scanning Electron Microscopy. My father. Dr. Ralph Dix, contributed his knowledge
of soils and the thesis-writing process. Susan Knox Dawson taught me how to make
charts on the computer. And special thanks to Gerard Dawson whose encouragement,
editorial skill, and computer expertise contributed enormously to the completion of this
project.
ii

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
1. 1
2. HISTORY OF MESA VERDE 4
2. The Anasazi 5
2.2 Early Explorers 9
2.3 The Wetherill Family 10
2.4 The Pottery Rush 11
2.5 Gustav Nordenskiold 11
2.6 The Creation of Mesa Verde National Park 12
2.7 Archaeology at Mesa Verde 13
ANASAZI ARCHITECTURE
3. 15
3.1 Pit Houses 15
3.1.1 Basketmaker 15
3.1.2 Modified Basketmaker 16
3.2 Kivas 18
3.3 Pueblos 21
3.3.1 Developmental Pueblo 21
3.3.2 Classic Pueblo 22
3.4 Village Layout 23
4. EARTHEN PLASTERS IN THE PREHISTORIC SOUTHWEST 24
4.1 History of Earthen Plasters in the Southwest 24
4.2 Mural Paintings 25
4.3 Plaster 27
4.3.1 Constituents and Preparation 27
4.3.2 Application 30
4.4 Paint 30
4.4.1 Constituents 31
4.4.2 Manufacture and Application 34
4.5 Renewal of Plaster Coats 36
4.6 Deterioration of Earthen Plasters and Paints 36
4.7 Conservation Techniques for Deteriorating 38
Plasters
MUG HOUSE: CHARACTERIZATION OF EARTHEN PLASTERS
5.
AND MORTARS 40
5.1 General Methodology 42
5.2 Archival Research 44
5.3 On-Site Observations 48
111