Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-05-20
Ancient Ruins in Arizona.

A letter to the ST. Louis Republican
gives the following interesting account OF
some ruins recently discovered in Arizona: :
\ careful examination of some extern
sive ruins. found some miles east of Flor
ence. on the Gila river, has been made.
Lieutenant Ward was the first explorer
who came upon the desolate remains of a
once imposing architectural pile. 1t has
been deserted perhaps for more than 4
thousand wears. and has been crumbling
away in the wilderness. The Apache even
never pitched his tent upon the spot so
thicklv strewn with fragments of the work
of a perished race. The principal ruin is
a parallelogram fertilization, six hundred
feet in width by sixteen hundred feet in
length. The walls, which were built of
stone. have long been overthrOwn and are
overorown bv trees and vines. In many
places mere ridge indicates the line OF
the wall, the stones having disappeared be-
Meath the surface. Within the inclosed
area are the remains of Il greater structure
two hundred feet by two hundred and sixty
feet. constructed of roughly-hewn stones.
In some places the walls remain almost
perfect to a height of some twelve feet
above the surface. On the east side of the
qranda casa there are two openings of an
oval shape which doubtless served the pur-
pose of windows On the inner sides OF
the wall of the palace, for such it doubtless
was. there are vet perfectly distinct trac-
mos of the image of the sun. There are
two towers. at the southeast and south
west corners of the great enclosures, still
standing. one of which is twenty-SlX and
the other thrty-one feet high. These have
evidently been much higher. rs the broken
tops and the amount of debris near their
base Indicate A few copper implements,
some small golden ornaments being
an image of the sun with n perforation III
the midde-and some stone utensils, and
two rudelv-carved stone vases, much like
those found at Zupetaro and Copau. in
Central America. are all the works of art
vet discovered. No excavations have beer
made rs vet to determine fully the extent
and character of these ruins.
"The ruins are situated in small plain,
elevated nearly two hundred feet above
the bed of the Gila. Just west of the walls
of the fortification there is beautiful
stream of water having its source in the
mountains. which crosses the plain, and by
a series of cataracts falls into the Gila
about two miles below. The fragments Of
ton of civilization among the builders o
these ruins analogous to that of the ancient
Peruvian, Central American and Mexican
nations. The country in the vicinity o
this buried palace is particularly wild, ane
unusually desolate. No clue to the build
ers of this great fortified palace, with 1T
towers and moat. has been, or is likely
ever to be discovered. One thing, how
ever, is apparent. that this whole countr,
was once peopled by race having high
er grade of civilization than is founo
among any of the native tribes of the latel
ages. But whether this race were the an
cestors of the Pimos, or some extinct peo
pie, is not, and cannot certainly be known
/ The ruins on the Gila are another uncov
cred Palenqeu, another Copau, an Atla1
exposed at last to bewilder and confound
1t is understood that these extensive ruin
will be thoroughly explored within tn
present year."