Chipichil is a mixture of lime, sand, and pea-sized gravel mixture used as a coating for stones. Eugene George may discuss this material in his book on the architecture of the lower Rio Grande. Chipichil was often also used as a roofing material.



-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Howe <[log in to unmask]>
To: HISTARCH <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Fri, Jul 27, 2012 12:41 pm
Subject: Re: Chipicil Cross


Thanks. I am having an email conversation with Tom Hester on this as it pertains 
to a Cross found at Falcon  Reservoir composed of this. Hope to be back this 
fall to look for it and go from there. 

 
 
 
Mark Howe 

"Life is how you make it, the future is how you leave your past." 




> Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:23:45 -0500
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Chipicil Cross
> To: [log in to unmask]
> 
> This string kind of interested me and after a phone conversation with the
> curator from the Museum of South Texas History I found out that Chipicil
> tile is a type of building material endemic to Northeast Mexico and deep
> South Texas.  The major components are lime, sand, and small gravel.  Oral
> tradition has it being created as a result of Indian raiding in the late
> 19th century in which structures were lost to fires.  It would be used to
> make roofing tiles, floor slabs, mortar or wall paste.  She said the pieces
> they have at the museum look like fragments of cement or concrete.
> 
> Hope this helps,
> 
> Rolando L. Garza
> Archeologist/Chief of Resource Management
> Palo Alto Battlefield NHP
> 1623 Central Blvd., Rm 213
> Brownsville, Texas 78520
> (956) 541-2785 ext. 331
> cell (956) 466-5490
> fax (956) 541-6356
> 
> 
>                                                                            
>              Barbara Hickman                                               
>              <Barbara.Hickman@                                             
>              TXDOT.GOV>                                                 To 
>              Sent by:                  [log in to unmask]                    
>              HISTORICAL                                                 cc 
>              ARCHAEOLOGY                                                   
>              <[log in to unmask]                                     Subject 
>              >                         Re: Chipicil Cross                  
>                                                                            
>                                                                            
>              07/27/2012 02:09                                              
>              PM                                                            
>                                                                            
>                                                                            
>              Please respond to                                             
>                 HISTORICAL                                                 
>                 ARCHAEOLOGY                                                
>              <[log in to unmask]                                             
>                      >                                                     
>                                                                            
>                                                                            
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't recognize the name either. The article below mentions chipicil
> slabs. The STAA library is at the University of Texas at San Antonio Center
> for Archeological Research. I would try to get the article from CAR or ask
> Tim Perttula directly.
> 
> Record 673
> Perttula, Timothy K. "The Historic Ranchos at Falcon Reservoir on the Rio
> Grande." La Tierra, Volume 30 No. 3&4. Southern Texas Archeological
> Association
> Summary: A documentation and discussion of the preserved architectural lay
> out of some of the 18th-20th century ranchos in Zapata & Starr Co.
> 
> 
> Barbara J Hickman, Staff Archeologist
> Archeological Studies Program
> Environmental Affairs Division
> Texas Department of Transportation
> 125 East 11th Street
> Austin TX 78701
> Telephone: 512.416.2637
> Fax: 512.416.2680
> 
> 
> 
> 
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