The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-10-20
Aztec Ruins.

| Inc anclchJ ruins Whicn are scattered
all over this country are some Of the strang-
est unwritten pages Of history. Our fer
tile valleys have been densely inhabited
and highly cultivated by an enlightened
race Of people centuries ago, while the
ruins Of the houses, corrals, towns, fortif-
cations, bitches, potteryware, drawings,
non-interpretable writings, ETC., 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 every 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 river, or about thirty miles be-
low 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 larg-
est ones being 300 by 600O feet, and about
300 feet apart. They are built of small
sandstone laid in adobe mud, the outside
walls being 4 feet, aud the inside walls
from / ! to 3 feet. In the lower story
PORTFOLIOS a 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 building No
signs Of door are visible in the outer
walls, and the ingress must have been from
the top, in the inside there being passages
from room to room Most Of them are
small, from s by 10 to II by IA feet, the
doors being 2 by feet. The arches over
the doors 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 80 feet long and about three feet apart
A layer of small round poles is then placed
across the sleepcrs, then layer of thinly
split cedar sticks, then about three inches
of dirt, then layer of cedar bark, then
another layer of dirt, then a carpet of some
kind Of coarse grass, which forms the Aoors
The rooms that have been protected from
exposure are whitewashed, and are orna-
mented by drawings and writings In
one of these rooms the impression of hand
dipped in whitewash, on joist, is as plain
as if it had been done only few days ago.
In another room there are drawings of
tarantulas, centipedes, horses and men.
One room in the eastern portion is quite a
curiosity, it being perfectly round and
must have been used for a hall. 1t is
about 20 feet across. In some Of these
rooms have been found human bones,
bones Of sheep, corn-cobs, goods, raw hides,
and 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 de-
stroyed by fire, the timbers being burned
off and the roof caving in, leaving the
lower rooms entirely protected. The rock
these buildings have been built of must
have been brought long way, as nothing
to compare with it can be found within
twenty miles. All the timber used is
cedar, and has at least been brought TWEEN.
ty-fve miles, Old bitches and roads are
to be seen in every direction.
In conversation with the Navajoes in
regard to these ruins, they say their fore
fathers came there FIVE old mems ages ago
600 years, and these ruins we're here,
and the same then as now, and that they
have no record of It whatever. Colorado
n