File:Foodstuffs were stored here for distribution to the community. Prior to the coming of the Spanish, the local diet consisted of (26966a2d-e21b-408f-9f9a-eb04ff5dffce).JPG

360 panoramic photo of adobe building with large stairs, row of pots, pedestals, open ceiling with series of holes for support beams

Foodstuffs were stored here for distribution to the community. Prior to the coming of the Spanish, the local diet consisted of squash, beans, corn, game, and wild plants. The Spanish brought domestic sheep, goats, and cattle, adding protein to the diet. They brought wheat, which could be grown in winter, as well as fruit trees, such as apricot, fig, quince, and pomegranate, providing a pleasing dietary variety. The stairs led to a second story where additional food and animal fodder were stored. The food was kept in baskets and clay pots for later distribution. The mission had a communal system of growing, collecting, and distributing. How were fruits, fleshy foods, and meats preserved without refrigeration or canning? Extensive use of the hot desert sun and dry climate was made in preserving many foods for year-round use. Fruits, meat, and grains were all dried before placing them in their respective containers to be used during the nongrowing season.

• Keywords: 360 panoramic; tumacácori; tumacacori; storage; food; pots; granary; convento