Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-07-27
THE ANCIENT PUEBL0S.
REMARKABLE DISCOVERIES IN AN
ARIZONA VALLEY.

manner there has been going on for some
thing more than a year, in the desert lands
of Arizona, a work Of exploration and scien-
tific investigation that, by reason of the
peculiar field entered upon, the originality Of
methods adopted in its prosecution, and the
Importance of the results that are being at
tanned, is destined to rank among the fore
most enterprises of its kind that the world
has known.
The original Investigations pursued by Mr..
Frank A. Gushing among the Zuni Indians
about seven years ago have now become
matters of history, and their great value
from an archaeological point Of view has
long ago been recognized by scientists in all
parts Of the world. Mr.. Cushing settled
among these Indians, became one of them by
adoption, was initiated into their sacred rites,
and gave years to a thorough study from the
inside of the history of these people as shown
in the traditions that had been handed down
from generation to generation, and in the
forms and ceremonies of their mysterious
ritualistic societies.
A WoMAN's ENTHUSIASM
His work attracted the attention Of Mrs.
Hemenway, who had long been interested in
the Indian people, and she recognized the i'm.
portance of having, for the first time in this
country, special cultus studied and an an
cient civilization rehabilitated and brought
within the scope of modern investigation.
Happily endowed with wealth, she came to
the assistance of Mr.. Cushing, and with cor
dial sympathy and enthusiasm organized the
expedition that has been so effectively and so
modestlY working.
For over year, then, this expedition has
been hard at work excavating and collecting,
and the fruit of this long period of labor Is
now on its way eastward. 1t comprises sew
eral thousand specimens Of pottery domestic
utensils, Shell work, ornaments, stone imple-
ments, skeletons, etc. A few of the skeletons
will be deposited in the Army Medical mu-
scum at Washington, but the collection prac-
tically in its entirety will come to Salem.
What final disposition will be made of it
is not yet determined. Professor Edward
s. Morse, of Salem, has from the outset been
deeply interested in this unique enterprise,
He has just returned to his home after sew
eral weeks spent in the camp of the expedi-
ton, whittier he went on a special tour to ex-
anime the field of work.
CAMP HEMENwAY.
The country which was selected for ex-
ploration and excavation does not offer
many allurements in the way of comfortable
living. The heat is intense, the dust is stiff
ling, the water is warm and muddy, and the
baneful fly is numerous. The expedition has
camped about ten miles from the city of
Tempe, A. T. In and about Tempe are
abundant indications of tropical climate in
trees, varieties of cacti, and vegetation gen
orally. The valley in which Camp Hemen-
way is situated is broad, level expanse,
smooth as parlor floor, hard and dry and
variegated, with punches of sage brush, the
mesquite, scraggy trees, and beautiful
flowers. For twenty-five miles this fat sur
face stretches away, and a carriage could be
driven anywhere over it. The soil is light
and dry, and all about little whirlwinds of
dust are seen moving along. The fauna and
the fora are of semi-tropical character.
Camp Hemenway consists of several COM
modious tents pitched about quadrangle.
A few small trees try in vain to give shade;
flag waves from a tall staff, and at dis
lance dozen mules are tied. Far away
mountain ranges shut in the valley. The
quadrangle is roped about and on the smooth
earth floor stone implements Of various kinds
are arranged in groups awaiting classified
ton. In several large tents rude tables and
shelves hold specimens of pottery. Excava-
lions have been made far and near About
the camp and temples houses, graves and
communal ovens have been uncovered, until
the life of this ancient people stands revealed
as plainly as though the record had been
written down in words.
A CLUSTER OF CITIES
It appears that this valley lin which the
camp is, as we'll as other valleys throughout
that section of the country was centuries
ago the home of large population, which,
from the general character of the dwellings
which have been exhumed, has been esti-
mated to have reached in this vicinity alone
probably not short of 100000 individuals
The houses of these people were built in
groups of cities, only the merest traces Of
which now remain. The buildings, it is sup
posed, were overwhelmed by earthquakes,
after which the disintegrating elements re-
duced them to dust, SO that now nothing Is
left but low mounds, ill defined heaps Of
earth, and irregular lines Of old canals.
Once this valley sustained a cluster of
cities situated several miles from each other
Between the cities the work of agriculture
was carried on and traces of an elaborate
system of irrigating canals have been found.
These canals run in every direction, and they
turned the dry desert into fourishing and
productive garden spot. One canal has been
traced seventeen miles, another in neigh
boring valley seventy-nine miles, and there
are others of even greater length. In their
construction these public works represented
what must have been then an almost incred-
ible amount of labor. They were built ter
raced, so that water would be retained in
them all the year, and their surface walls
were baked, until they were almost water
proof by burning brush piled upon the pud-
died and plastered mud that formed their
sides. The canals served a busy population,
and certainly only great population could
have constructed them or indeed even had
need of them.
DWELLINGS OF THE PEOPLE.
In the middle of each city massive struct-
ure, with thick walls and six or seven stories
in height, stood as fortress. Around this
were grouped the dwellings of the people,
large blocks with fiat roofs and terraced to
the height of three or four stories. Sufficient
has been discovered to enable the investigat-
ors to practically reconstruct the general
appearance of these cities, and to clearly des-
ignate the character of their architecture and
the methods Of life of the people, even to
minor details. The men engaged In the chase
and in agriculture, while the women at
tended to household duties, and made, dec
GRATED and baked the pottery, the tradi-
tional knowledge of which has even been
handed down to the Zunis and to other Pue-
bios of today.
They were hard working race, as is evil
denced by the great mechanical and engineer
ing undertakings in which they engaged, and
they particularly showed great deal of
mechanical skill in the fashioning OF imple-
ments of stone and bone and in the making
of shell ornaments. They were in a large
sense cooperative people, as appears from
the communal ovens that belonged to each
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block Of buildings. A distinct clan occupied
each building, and in large ovens were cooked
enormous quantities of food for the common
use the general method of cooking resemb-
ling that of the New England clambake.
The central edif1ces were the temples, where
dwelt the hereditary priests, whose store
rooms held the tithes of grain and other
crops, while other rooms were set apart for
sacred or public purposes. In times Of war
this building became the citadel of the place
and might we'll have been impregnable.
LABELED AND cATALoGUED.
Every object is carefully labeled and cata-
logued, and in the catalogue every circum-
stance concerning its finding is noted. Pho
tographs are made Of the excavations and
rbioofc fo,,pd P1anc ora also mazda IF tho