59
4 The Planting Markers of First Mesa
The First Mesa planting markers are at the edge of Balakai Mesa, which is generally
some 40–50 km away from the Sun-watchers. It may be significant that this mesa
edge formed part of the boundary, described in 1938 as marking the limits of the
land claimed by the people of First Mesa (Whiteley, 1989: 28). The markers for the
First Mesa planting calendar extended to, and may have defined, the limits of this
claim of Hopi territory. Table 2 summarizes the principal attributes of these markers, although it deliberately rounds the distances of markers to the nearest 5 km and
excludes their exact physical locations, which are culturally sensitive.
The following brief descriptions provide the appearance of the markers, the ethnographic evidence supporting their locations, the planting activities that they regulate, and the appearance of the markers as seen from Walpi Pueblo.
Table 2 Attributes of First Mesa Planting Markers
Name
Type
Distance
(km)
Angular
width
Angular
height
Pavöntsomo young corn mound
Mound
45
0.55°
2.0′
a
Hoñwítčmo (alternate)
Mound
40
–
–
a
Hoñwítčmo
Mesa edge
40
–
–
Neveqtsomo two mounds side by
side
Gentle “u”
notch
40
0.70°
1.0′
a
Pülhomotaka multi hunchbacked man
Group of
mounds
40
1.83°
1.6′
Kwiitsala narrow neck of a mesa
top
Notch
50
0.10°
3.6′
Pövaimükpöveö
i sti
Notch
50
0.55°
3.1′
Telěo
i tó Grasshopper planting
Overlapping
notch
40
–
–
Iswurtixö
i to’ Coyote Bitch
planting
Mound
50
0.47°
2.5′
a
Owatsmutix Rock Hill planting
Group of
mounds
45
–
0.5′
a
Natalö
i tstix Rock Hole Through
planting
Group of
mounds
45
–
–
Markers are listed sequentially beginning with early plantings and ending before the summer solstice, thus they appear from right to left on the horizon calendar. Angular heights were computed
using different simple refraction models with no significant change in the results. Distances are
approximate, rounded to the nearest increment of 5 km.
a The exact location of starred markers is uncertain; alternate identifications are given for
Hoñwítčmo.
The Hopi Calendar and Some Archaeological Correlates of Horizon Markers
4 The Planting Markers of First Mesa
The First Mesa planting markers are at the edge of Balakai Mesa, which is generally
some 40–50 km away from the Sun-watchers. It may be significant that this mesa
edge formed part of the boundary, described in 1938 as marking the limits of the
land claimed by the people of First Mesa (Whiteley, 1989: 28). The markers for the
First Mesa planting calendar extended to, and may have defined, the limits of this
claim of Hopi territory. Table 2 summarizes the principal attributes of these markers, although it deliberately rounds the distances of markers to the nearest 5 km and
excludes their exact physical locations, which are culturally sensitive.
The following brief descriptions provide the appearance of the markers, the ethnographic evidence supporting their locations, the planting activities that they regulate, and the appearance of the markers as seen from Walpi Pueblo.
Table 2 Attributes of First Mesa Planting Markers
Name
Type
Distance
(km)
Angular
width
Angular
height
Pavöntsomo young corn mound
Mound
45
0.55°
2.0′
a
Hoñwítčmo (alternate)
Mound
40
–
–
a
Hoñwítčmo
Mesa edge
40
–
–
Neveqtsomo two mounds side by
side
Gentle “u”
notch
40
0.70°
1.0′
a
Pülhomotaka multi hunchbacked man
Group of
mounds
40
1.83°
1.6′
Kwiitsala narrow neck of a mesa
top
Notch
50
0.10°
3.6′
Pövaimükpöveö
i sti
Notch
50
0.55°
3.1′
Telěo
i tó Grasshopper planting
Overlapping
notch
40
–
–
Iswurtixö
i to’ Coyote Bitch
planting
Mound
50
0.47°
2.5′
a
Owatsmutix Rock Hill planting
Group of
mounds
45
–
0.5′
a
Natalö
i tstix Rock Hole Through
planting
Group of
mounds
45
–
–
Markers are listed sequentially beginning with early plantings and ending before the summer solstice, thus they appear from right to left on the horizon calendar. Angular heights were computed
using different simple refraction models with no significant change in the results. Distances are
approximate, rounded to the nearest increment of 5 km.
a The exact location of starred markers is uncertain; alternate identifications are given for
Hoñwítčmo.
The Hopi Calendar and Some Archaeological Correlates of Horizon Markers