poles are seen extending across the reentering angles of a house or are
supported on the coping and rafters. The projecting roof beams also are
similarly utilized at this season.

Zuni ladders are usually provided with about eight rungs, but a few have
as many as twelve. The women ascend these ladders carrying ollas of
water on their heads, children play upon them, and a few of the most
expert of the numerous dogs that infest the village can clumsily make
their way up and down them. As described in a previous section all
houses built during the year are consecrated at a certain season, and
among other details of the ceremonial, certain rites, intended to
prevent accidents to children, etc., are performed at the foot of the
ladders.

In Tusayan, where stone is abundant, the ladder has not reached the
elaborate development seen in Zuni. The perforated cross piece is rarely
seen, as there is little necessity for its adoption. The side poles are
held together by the top and bottom rungs, which pass entirely through
the side pieces and are securely fixed, while the ends of the others are
only partly embedded in the side pieces. In other cases (Pl. XXXII) the
poles are rigidly held in place by ropes or rawhide lashings.

Short ladders whose side poles are but little prolonged beyond the top
rung are of common occurrence, particularly in Oraibi. Three such
ladders are shown in Pl. LXXXIV. A similar example may be seen in Pl.
CVII, in connection with a large opening closed with rough masonry. In
these cases the rungs are made to occupy slight notches or depressions
in the upright poles and are then firmly lashed with rawhide, forming a
fairly rigid structure. This type of ladder is probably a survival of
the earliest form of the pueblo ladder.

In addition to the high cross piece whose function is to retain in place
the vertical poles, the kiva ladders are usually provided, both in Zuni
and Tusayan, with a cross piece consisting of a round stick tied to the
uprights and placed at a uniform height above the kiva roof. This stick
affords a handhold for the marked dancers who are often encumbered with
ceremonial paraphernalia as they enter the kiva. In the case of the
Oraibi kiva occupying the foreground of Pl. XXXVIII, it may be seen that
this handhold cross piece is inserted into holes in the side poles, an
exception to the general practice. In Pl. LXXXVII, illustrating kivas,
the position of this feature will be seen.

T