Bernalillo in Sandoval County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Grind the Meal
Photographed by James Hulse, April 9, 2025
1. Grind the Meal Marker
"They keep the separate houses where they prepare the food for eating and where they grind the meal, very clean. This is a separate room or closet, where they have a trough with three stones fixed in stiff clay. Three women go in here, each having a stone, with which one of them breaks the corn, the next grinds it, and the third grinds it again. They take off their shoes, do up their hair, shake their clothes, and cover their heads before they enter the door. A man sits at the door playing on a fife while they grind, moving the stones to the music and singing together. They grind a large quantity at one time, because they make all their bread of meal soaked in warm water, like wafers."Pedro de Castaneda -1540
"Mantienen muy limpias las casitas individuales en donde preparan la comida y en donde muelen la harina. Este es un cuarto separado o pequeña casita retirada de las casas que habitan, en donde mantienen un pilón con tres piedras, fijas en barro endurecido. Tres mujeres entran aquí, cada una con una piedra, con la que una de ellas quiebra el maiz, la siguiente lo muele y la tercera lo muele
this page online
Pedro de Castañeda -1540
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Settlements & Settlers.
Location. 35° 19.825′ N, 106° 33.442′ W. Marker is in Bernalillo, New Mexico, in Sandoval County. It is on Kuaua Road half a mile east of U.S. 550. The marker is located in the Kuaua Ruins (Coronado Historic Site). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 485 Kuaua Rd, Bernalillo NM 87004, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the San Juan Basin and in Greater Albuquerque. It is also in the American Southwest and at the Four Corners. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also the Republic of Texas.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Central Plaza (here, next to this marker); They are all well built with straight, well-squared walls (within shouting distance of this marker); The Pueblo of Kuau (within shouting distance of this marker); Archaeological excavations / Excavaciones arqueológicas (within shouting distance of this marker); Another Smaller Square Kiva at Kuaua
Photographed by James Hulse, April 9, 2025
2. Grind the Meal Marker (left side)
More about this marker. There is a small fee to visit the Kuaua Ruins (Coronado Historic Site).
Also see . . . Coronado Historic Site. New Mexico Historic Sites
Coronado Historic Site and the ancient Kuaua Pueblo are located just minutes north of Albuquerque (off of I-25, Exit 242) in Bernalillo. In 1540, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado—with 500 soldiers and 2,000 Indigenous allies from New Spain—entered the Rio Grande valley somewhere near this site. Coronado was searching for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold.(Submitted on May 26, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Photographed by James Hulse, April 9, 2025
3. Outline of a Pueblo
Credits. This page was last revised on May 27, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 26, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 108 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 27, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
