Kiva
A kiva is a circular structure, partially submerged under the ground that is used to host religious and spiritual ceremonies. It originated in Middle Americas, more precisely the Santa Verde area. They range in size from smaller clan kivas, to large-scale grand kivas that were shared by an entire territory. To this day, specialists still debate the connections between the design of these structures and human understanding of geometry. The consistent construction of the kiva across multiple Native American cultures suggested there was more than just culture and tradition that promoted the five-sided design.¹ Regardless of how the inspiration for the kiva work its way into culture, they played a very important role in the vital spirit of the community of those who used it.
Primarily, it was used as a meeting place for the men of a tribe or clan. The typical culture associated with the kiva is the Puebloans, well the outside of Akiba may appear circular with a wooden woven roof, the inside is comprised of rooms with square walls. Kivas are made from masonry construction so they show a level of skill in the workers and precision building that the people building must have had a solid grasp on. Ironically, while they are made of masonry, the hexagonal shape shows that they were modeled after earlier wood buildings that were made with angular sides due to the fact that trees are straight wood beams. These buildings are still, however,constructed and actively and in use today by the indigenous people, so there is a lot of history involved when if comes to understanding their research. ² Additionally, a level of reverence is expected when inside a kiva, which limits the amount of photographs that exist of them. Unlike many other cultures in Europe, the Native Americans thought of divine power or "heaven"as stemming from the earth instead of symbolically being located above. This is why these structures dig deep into the ground as opposed to the Cathedrals of this time with high spires that reached upwards or the stupas of Asian religions.³ Sketch of kiva by Hannah Moates
Kiva ruins in San Juan, New Mexico photo by Lyssa Manning, Flikr, Accessed
Plan of simple kiva by Hannah Moates
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¹ Reyman, Jonathan E. "Solstice Misalignment at Sun Temple: Correcting Fewkes." Kiva 42, no. 3-4 (1977): 281-84. Accessed October 14, 2018. doi:10.1080/00231940.1977.11757881.
² Cable, Carole. The Kiva: A Bibliography of a Ceremonial Building Type. Monticello, IL, USA: Vance Bibliographies, 1990.
³David, Gary A. The Kivas of Heaven: Ancient Hopi Starlore. Kempton, IL: Adventures Unlimited Press, 2010.
² Cable, Carole. The Kiva: A Bibliography of a Ceremonial Building Type. Monticello, IL, USA: Vance Bibliographies, 1990.
³David, Gary A. The Kivas of Heaven: Ancient Hopi Starlore. Kempton, IL: Adventures Unlimited Press, 2010.