Preservation of the Murals of Kiva III, Kuaua Pueblo Ruins

Wesley Lloyd Bliss

Abstract

A workman uncovered a small fragment of painted adobe plaster in the course of the excavating of the Kuaua (Tiguex) pueblo ruins, on Tuesday, February 12, 1935. These ruins are located on the west bank of the Rio Grande, one end one-half miles northwest of Bernalillo, Sandoval County, New Mexico.

Gordon Vivian, in charge of the excavations, told me of this find and the following day we started to uncover paintings on a wall of what turned out to be an underground kiva. Part of the north wall and about one-half of the west wall were excavated. Paintings were found on both.