Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1872-08-27
ANTIQUITIES OF The WEST
Arazona's Buried Cities.

A correspondent Of the n. Y.
WORLD, gives the following graph
ic description of the buried Cities
of Arazona.
Arazona presents an immense field
for scientific research, not alone on ac-
count of her vast mineral and pros
pective agricultural wealth, but here
the lover of antiquity can range and
revel his glory. Her ancient ruins are
an attractive feature. These ruins are
always on the summit of a mound or
hill. Excavations had first been made
Ave or six feet in depth; these are
walled up on either side. The floors
are made of strong cement of cili-
ciOus nature. The space was then di-
vided into from four to eight apart
ments, with stone or cement parti-
tions. The roofs are made by depos-
iting from three to four feet of earth
upon horizontal cedar poles, which
rests upon cedar posts, and over all a
layor of flat stones. / have examined
many of these ruins on the exterior,
but have been able only to see the in
the interior of two passages. In one
of the passages found a human skel-
etOn, portions of which have i'm my
collection. The room into which this
passage led contained many alias, or
large and small earthen pots. These
contained charred corn, heens, walnts,
and berry resembling the blackberry.
The corn is a very small grain, OH a
cob. The walnuts are of the size of a
large haZlenut. l have secured speci-
mems of everything these ruins con-
tain, and of which are composed. /
found here a number of arrow points
made of jasper, moss agate, and obsidi-
an also, stone axes, hide-dressers, and
ornaments manufactured from vari-
Gus stones, including turquoise.
But what of the habits, modes of life
the knowledge of architecture and me-
chanics of these early inhabitants of
this region? The Ontology of this
country is interesting in the highest
degree. To one passing hastily
through the region once inhabited by
races now entirely extinct, opportuni-
ty is only had for q casual eXamina-
ton and observation of their history /;
and most of what is discoverable must
be wrenched from the unyielding rock,
or the no more accessible and surely
do more reliable testimony of the ira
ditiOns of the Indian tribes now in
habiting the country. The many
stone implements teach one indisputa-
ble fact-that the early inhabitants of
ArazOna were workers in stone. | find
their stone axes, hide-dressers, arrow
points, their mills for grinding corn,
variOusly wrought ornaments. &C., &c.
A most remarkable and at the same
time interesting discovery has been
made in a mountain less than q dozen
miles from this city. which bears upon
the subject of the earlier inhabitants
of this part of the country. / refer to
the tunnels run into mountains, cut in
some instances in the solid rock
bitches have been dug
along the sides of the mountain for the
distance of many hundred yards. All
of this work has been done in the hard
granite rock. Now, what implements
did these men of the stone period use
for the execution of these labOrious
works? We find nothing but stone
implements. They were performed
the immense excavations were made
by the slow process of wearing away
the granite by stone hatehets and axes,
in the hands of thousands of these
primitive workmen, picking away for
many years with their hornblende Ak
es. Little by little the softer granite
yielded to the stroke OF the ancient ar
tisan, until the work was completed [: |
and here it stands, an eternal record of
the people who performed it. In the |
C.l
discovered immense ruins ofcities and |
and the bitches distinctly |
outlined indicate that the irrigation of |
The lands for some purpose-agricul- |
lure it Is presumable-was carried on |
% a great extent. In the Salt River |
Valley is a stupendous work, i'm n
rood state OF preservation. 1t
s a ditch 100 feet wide, and twen-
" feet deep, leading from
Ioint near the river and extending
twenty-five miles down the valley.
This immense ditch is at certain points
,ut through the solid rock! To what
ise did these people apply this mighty
rench? Was it, indeed, for agricultu-
al purposes, or was it n fosse or meat
o prevent the approach of an enemy?
rhe Cave men-Of whom so little is
Snown, only that they preceded the
roltecs and were workers in stone
arried the matter of agriculture to n
yery limited extent, If indeed they had
my knowledge whatever of the adap-
alton of the earth's surface to the cul-
ivation of seeds and grains and the
Of the same to the susie
rance of man. But the stone age
comprises the Toitecs and the Aztecs.
With the Cave men and these certain
v had some knowledge of husbandry,
g is evidenced by the well-preserved
eeds and grains found in the ruins of