Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-08-28
Aztec Ruins.

The ancient ruins which are scattered
all over this country are some of the
strangest unwritten pages of history
Our fertile valleys have been densely
inhabited and highly cultivated by an
enlighted race of people centuries ago,
while the ruins of the houses, c0rrals,
towns, Notifications, bitches, pottery
ware, drawings. nOn-interpretable wri-
tings, ect., go to show there have been
many arts cultivated in those days which
are now entirely lost to the human race.
Their houses have been built of most ev-
cry kind of rock, from small boulders to
the finest sandstone. Some OF the finest
of these ruins, and the most perfect are
located fifteen miles up the Animas riv-
er, or about thirty miles below Animas
City, in large valley, fifteen miles long
by seven wide, on the west side of the
river. This valley has been covered
with buildings of every size, the two
largest ones being 300 by 600 feet, and
about 800 feet apart. They are built of
small sandstone laid in adobe mud, the
outside walls being four feet and the in
side walls from IT to feet. In the low
er story portfolios foot square have
been built for defence There are rooms
now left and walls for about four stories
high still standing. About the second
story, on the west side there has been
balcony along the entire length of the
buildings. No signs of door are visi-
BILE in the outer walls, and the ingress
must have been from the top, in the in
side there being passages from room to
room. Most Of them are small, from 8
by 10 to II by IA feet, the doors being 2
by 4 feet. The arches over the door and
portfolios are made of small cedar poles
two inches wide, placed across, on which
the masonry is placed. The sleepers
supporting the floors are of cedar, about
eight inches through, and from 20 to so
feet long and about three feet apart. A
layer of small reund poles is then placed
across the sleepers, then u layer of thin
ly split cedar sticks, then about three
inches of dirt, then layerof cedar bark,
then another layer of dirt, then carpet
of some kind of coarse grass which forms
the floors. The rooms that have been
protected from exposure are white
washed and are ornamented by draw
ings and writings. In one of these rooms
the impression of q hand dipped in
whitewash on u joist is as plain as if it
had been done onl 7 few days ago. In
another room there are drawings of ta-
rantulas, centipedes, horses and men,
One room in the eastern portion is quite
a curiosity, 1T being perfectly round and
must have been used as hall. 1t is
abut 20 feet across. In some of these
rooms have been found human bones,
bones of sheep, corn cebs, goods, raw
hides, all colors and varieties of pottery
ware.
These two large buildings are exactly
the same in every respect. Portions Of
the building plainly show that it has
been destroyed by fire, the timbers be-
ing burned off and the roof caving in,
leaving the lower rooms entirely pro-
tected. The rock these buildings have
been built of must have been brought
long way, as nothing to compare to it
can be found within 20 miles. All the
timber used is cedar, and has at least
been brought twenty. five miles. Old
bitches and roads are to be seen in every
direction.
In conversation with the Navajoes in
regard to these ruins, they say that their
fOrefathers came there five old mems
ages ago $500 years. and these ruins
were here, and the same then as now,
and that they have no record of it what
ever.-COlOrddO Springs Gazette.