Photo Essay: Restoration at Kiva F, Gran Quivira, New Mexico

Once completed, the restoration of Kiva F is open for visiting by the public. Today, archaeologists believe that the mortar should be very close to the original, but not so close that it cannot be distinguished from the pieces of original fabric left in place. Replacement materials are typically 'marked' in some fashion to avoid confusion. The idea is to have an authentic reconstruction to be authentic, but not to hide the reconstruction work.