The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-05
SEVEN IN ONE.
DISCOVERY OF AMERICAN cIviLIzA-
TON TEN THOUSAND YEARS AGO.
Los Muertos, In Arizona-seven Cities,
Seven Great Houses, Priestly
Council OF seyon-Revelations for
Modernists.

From The New YORK heralu'
American civilization 10000 years AGO.
This is what the Iiehmenway expedition
is bringing TO light In the salt River valley
After all there is nothing marvellous
about the discovery.
Psychologists have recently uncarthed
the bodies Of potentates with records re-
vealing that the fostermother of Moses
was as real person as the lady who now
shines so lustrously In the White House.
In fact, science Is daily revealing re-
markable data for modernists TO ponder
over.
Why not, then, an ancient American
civilization?
The Chinese, Assyrians, Greeks and
Egyptians had science TO enable them TO
prolong their influence In the world. The
Muertos, ancestors OF the present Zunis,
had civilization without scientific knowl-
| edge. Herein is the difference which prob
ably accounts for their mysterious disnp-
pearance or extinction.
LATE DISCOVERIES IN ARIZONA.
As the San Francisco lirdmiaer remarks,
a scientific work is peculiarly continuous.
II lacks the dramatic light and shade usu-
ally demanded by tho newspaper reader.
When Mr.. Gushing began his invcstga-
ton OF the existence, architecture and re-
iigion OF the great pueblos, he little ex-
pected he would so soon establish line OF
cultures with the ruined cities extending
from Arizona into Mexico, but this he
has now done. In bringing about solu-
tion Of the great problem Mr.. Gushing and
his confreres applied TO the ruins two
chronological axioms OF the greatest im-
portanoc.
First-That IL Is moi so much from the
standpoint Of civilization rs from that Of
sayagery that the culture OF primitive
people must be viewed.
Sccond-The ruins OF primitive people
should bo explained quite rs much ON So
Geological rs on Typographical grounds.
BIOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.
The ruined cities are situated in the Salt
River valley. On one side rise the Sierras
de fEncantacion, the Superstition mount.
aims, beyond which again rise the pinal
mountains and the majestic Four peaks.
To the east the valley loses itself in the
gorgcs and canyons OF the salt river. To
the west IL widens TO an extensive plain,
watered by the ella and il tributaries.
Tho city OF Phmnix, with its gardens and
cultivated fields, sufficiently attesis the
present fertility Of the section. Mention
has been made Of the vast irrigating sys-
tom Of the inhabitants Of Los Muertos Let
IL now suffice TO say that this system Is
represented geographically by series OF
ancient dams about two or three miles
apart, from which, ON both sides of the
river, ran the ancient canals, connected by
tributary Accquias, into II vast network
OF waterways extending over an area OF
fifteen 10y twenty miles square. In the
inicriices OF these canals were situated
the ancient cities Of the salt river system.
THE PRIMITIVE CITY.
| When Gushing first began his work he
wns under the impression that lac was
dealing with but one city. In need Of n
name, he called IL Los Mucrtos. But rs
the settlers, attracted by his investigations
10 the fertility OF the valley, hogan rapidly
to make their clearings, the discovery was
made that with not one, but with many
cities, the investigator had 10 deal By
the time this fact was thoroughly ascor
tanned the essential character Of the firsI
city excayated, Los Mucrtos was deter
mined. II presented, indeed. q singular
appearance. IL consisted OF an aggrcga
ton Of large pueblos closely grouped to.
pcthcr around central temple, or citadel
building. Each pueblo, which WIS capa.
bic OF accommodating from 1000 10 I, 0O0
souls, according TO liz size, was invariably
accompanied by n largo tribal oven, often
from fifteen 10 twenty feet wide aud ten
feet deep. Another invariablo accompani.
ment al the pueblo was large mound
called by Mr.. Gushing for the first time Q
pyral mound, from the fact that Il was the
funeral pyrc upon which the remains o
the inhabitants were crcmatod and thcil
aghes sacrificed 10 the waters. Each pyal
mound Is situated on the brink oil the
pueblo reservoir, which was provided with
gates connecting II with the special canal
which supplied the pueblo with water.
EVIDENCES or CIVIC GOVERNMENT.
There was something peculiarly strange
In this arrangement The explanation
could only be found IN the sociology OI
the people and in their religious 1shii,
aud beliefs. A unit of los MncrtOs clilI1I[
was a pueblo with H. pynl mound, triba
oven and reservoir. OF these units th,
cities were composed. Hut what shall h,
said OF the temple building, with IL wild,
halls, many stories, aud ceremonial courts
Was not this undoubtedly the evidence o.
civic government This u the conclusion
and Il il scll-eyidcnt, but still n stranger b,
an inquiring and scientific mind was th,
presence oil 10 many other cities exactly
similar In architectural aud Typographical
arrangement, connected with each othci
by the same system Of irrigation, eaci
provided with the same central tempt,
building. Why, within a limited area
should the people bound together by th'
tic OF common interest, people
obviously Of the same race and belonging
10 the same civilization, group thei
cultures In series OF small cities, whei
every suggestion Of scli.dcicnse and asso
citation would appear Ia demand mucl
closer unity7 No solution founded II
political reason or controlled by topo
graphical considerations can account 10
the anomaly. The solution Of this anomal!
by the Hcmmenway expedition WIS
happy accident, and vet II directly re
, suited from Systematic scientific study.
TnE Ymsr cLEw.
When Mr.. Gushing was living nj Znn
Prof. Adolph Bandclier nov the historial
OF the Hemmenway expedition, was puf
n suif< his chronological studies in that quar
4 ter. Mr.. Gushing, from his initiation int
, the Zuni tribe and priesthood, was recog
, nizcd az an almost absolute authority Il
/. all matters conocning this interesting an
! primitive people.
Among other questions, Prof.. Bandclie
I. asked him this ode:
"Why do the Zunls speak Of the master
= Of the SIX great houses The Iuni tow
, isone gigantic pueblo. What do they mea
/ with their six great h0uscsr
, az do NOT Lnhuu aid Mr. Cuehino