page_title: Tonque Pueblo
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Tonque Pueblo / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Title: The American Museum journal Identifier: americanmuseumjo15amer (find matches) Year: c1900-(1918) (c190s) Authors: American Museum of Natural History Subjects: Natural history Publisher: New York&#160;: American Museum of Natural History Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library View Book Page: Book Viewer About This Book: Catalog Entry View All Images: All Images From Book Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book. Text Appearing Before Image: Corrugated jar found in the corner of a room in the oldest section of the San Pedro Viejo ruin. Note the soUd adobe floor on level with the top of the vessel but dug away except at the rear most likely to have been the chief center of Pueblo culture as we now know it, and because there were to be found there numerous ruins which according to Bandelier, belonged to the immediate ancestors of the living people. The studies of the living races were to in- clude not only the sedentary natives of the Rio Grande Valley, but also the less sedentary people of the same area, in particular the various groups of Apache and the Navajo. It was contemplated that when the historical problem in this particular area had been brought to a fair completion, the work would be extended westward into Arizona so as gradually to unravel the historical puzzle of the Southwest. While this was a very ambitious undertaking, the reports of our several field parties ^ show that&#160;» Schedule of Field-Work, 1909-1915: 1909 — Dr. P. E. Goddard first began work among the Apache of Arizona and New Mexico and Dr. H.J. Spinden began his investigation of the Rio Grande Pueblo peoples. Dr. Clark Wissler spent a considerable part of tliis year and 1910 in a general survey of the field to the end that more systematic detailed plans might be developed. 1910 — Dr. Goddard continued work among the Apache tribes and the Navajo and Dr. Spinden continued the investigation of the Rio Grande pueblos. Miss M. L. Kissell made a special investigation of the textile arts among the Papago and Pima tribes. Text Appearing After Image: Excavated room at Pueblo Timque, showing a small enclosure framed with stone slabs and with- in which a metate is fixed in place for grinding maize &quot; — 1911 — Dr. Goddard made a special investiga- tion of the Kiowa-Apache; Dr. Spinden con- tinued his work among the Rio Grande pueblos. 1912 — Dr. Wissler made a second general survey of the field especially in connection with the contemplated archaeological work by Mr. N. C. Nelson. Mr. Nelson made a general surface survey of the whole Rio Grande Valley from El Paso north, and later in the season began the systematic investigation of pueblos in the GaUsteo Basin. This included the thorough excavation of Pueblo Kotyiti, a site whose history was fully known but wliich had been in ruins for more than two himdred years. Dr. Spinden continued his work among the Rio Grande pueblos. 1913 — Dr. Spinden completed his work among the Rio Grande pueblos. Mr. Nelson continued his archaeological work in the Gahsteo Basin. 1914 —- Dr. Goddard was again investigating the Apache and was accompanied by Mr. Howard McCormick to secure sketches and photographic material for exliibition purposes. Mr. Nelson continued excavations in the Galisteo Basin. 1915 — Professor A. L'. Kroeber of the Uni- versity of California volunteered to spend the summer at Zuni Pueblo where he secured a large collection for our exhibition halls and made a special study of Zuni social organization, and in addition gathered data on the ruins in the vicinity 397 Note About Images Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original work.
context_page_description: Tonque is a large abandoned Pre-Columbian pueblo in Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States, about 7 miles / 12 km southeast of San Felipe Pueblo. It was a site of significant ceramic industry, and may have provided up to one-third of the glaze decorated pottery used in contemporary pueblos in the middle Rio Grande valley.
context_section_description: Archaeological evidence suggests that the site was first occupied from the early 14th century, and was active until the middle of the 16th century. Tonque is not mentioned in Spanish records by that name, but may be one of two unnamed pueblos visited by Gaspar Castano de Sosa in 1591. Oñate also did not list it in 1598, but it may have been El Tuerte in his record. Alphonse Bandelier stated in 1892 that it was a Tano village known as Tunque, El-Tunque, Tungee or Tun-ge. The word ‘’tung’’, however is Tewan for basket or tray, which implies that it was known as the Pueblo of Basket Makers.
  The reasons for abandonment are uncertain. Dendrochronology (Tree-ring dating) at sites in the region indicates that a severe drought occurred in the late 16th century. Various other Pueblo legends relate to general unrest at that time. De Sosa’s journal entry recounts that the two pueblos he visited had been abandoned “only days before,” with evidence of many deaths, and that natives in his party told him that the abandonment was the result of war with other tribes. Evidence from excavation at Tonque suggests that it was already in decline by that time.
caption: A metate excavated at Tonque Pueblo
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