The story about the roof tiles having been formed over maidens' thighs was, 
as you probably already know, thoroughly debunked years ago by Edith 
Buckland Webb in her "Indian Life at the Old Missions" (Los Angeles: Warren 
F. Lewis, 1952; reprinted in 1982 by the University of Nebraska Press).  She 
goes into considerable detail describing precisely how the tiles were made 
on pages 108-09.  No mention, alas, of ox blood.
    Bunny Fontana


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Susan Walter" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2008 9:38 AM
Subject: cow's blood in floors


June 28, 2008

Hello All,
Working in San Diego Old Town, we are bedeviled by trying to tease out fact 
from oral traditions...

A current one we are dealing with regards the claim that cow's blood was a 
component of packed earthen floors.

Long time residents of Baja that we know deny this as a fact.  Their packed 
earthen floors are solidified simply with water.  Other historians we have 
questioned have not found this blood addition was done.

So,
1.  Has anyone in the Histarch community heard of this?
2.  Is there documentation of it?
3.  Where and who documented it?

Many thanks,
S. Walter

PS:  Then, when you are finished with bloody floors, there is the story that 
roof tiles were shaped over maidens thighs...  And we can follow up with 
documenting the number of girl's petticoats that were torn up to make 
American flags...  And, oh Lord save us from Ramona.