The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-10-24
CLIFF JEWELLERS OF ARIZONA.
A Fine Collection of Relics, Shown .
Their Life and Habits.

street and Eighth avenue, the other after
noon showed reporter an exceedingly
interesting collection which was recei we'd
at the museum within few days. IL is
an assortment of over 200 distinct speci-
mems illustrating the mode of life and of
DEATH of the ancient Pueblo INDIANS.
The collection was made and donated to
the museum by DIR. Edgar A. Mearns.
assistant surgeon in the United States
army now stationed at Fort Verde. A.
I. Here he has been for nearly three
years, and has occupied himself with
searching for and exploring the wonder
tul cliff dwellings and other ancient re-
mains so common in that region. The
collection which he has sent on TO the
museum is exceedingly fine and interest
ing. 1t embraces articles illustrating the
art Of war as carried on by these aboriri-
nal inhabitants of America, their various
domestic manufactures. their manner Of
hunting and the food upon which they
| lived.
From the great depth at which tie
articles were found. the immense lapss
of time since these villages were in active
operation and teeming with life, NAV lie
estimated. Some of the articles wore
found at depths ranging from two to fix
feet; in the caves they were covered with
dust and guano formed by the millions &c
bats which inhabit these dreary recesscs.
while out in the open plain they were
covered with volcanic dust and sco.ia
washed down from the neighborine
heights. The caves are situated far 10
sometimes hundreds of feet) on the sides
of the canyons in which all the streams Of
that region are found. They are prob
ably artificial and were made by the
ancient inhabitants as projections against
wild beasts and their human enemies.
Among the most interesting specimens
in the collection just received are seven
large lava or sandstone mortars, called
metates by the Indians of the present
day. They were and are still used by
the modern MeXicans for grinding corn
(malzel preparatory to making it into
cakes The method of grinding was
exactly similar to that of the common
mortar and pestle. But the chief in
terest attaching to them is their great
size, several being one and half or two
feet i'll length and a foot i'll thickness;
also the unusual depth to which they
have been followed or scooped out. This
depth shows the unremitting toll, energy
and patience of this primitive race, who,
with but another stone as tool, gradu-
ally followed out, by hours and DAYS Of
labor a block Of stone of the hardest
kind to depth of several inches Each
mortar is accompanied by several pestles.
also made of lava. sandstone, and some
OF greensboro, a variety Of lava.
Another exceedingly interesting set of
specimens are the axes, of which there is
a large number of examples. Among
them are a few, which Professor Bick-
more states he considers to be probably
unique. These are stone battle axes,
with pointed end like an awl, instead
Of the usual flat edge. In the collection
Is an assortment Of cloth fabrics, and
among them is a needle, found in a piece
Of the cloth. This, unlike our modern
needles, although yet very sharp, is of
wood, being nothing more or less than
the sharp, needle like leaf of member
of the pine family of trees The thread
is still in position just as it was left by
some aboriginal lady Of fashion, long
since dead and gone
Besides these articles already noticed.
the collection includes pieces Of wicker
and basket work, almost as it came from
the hand of the maker, specimens of corn
grains and cObs, ends, bone avis and pins,
stone arrow and spear points, fashioned
both from splinters of Obsidian volcanic
glass; and from chalcedony hammers,
arrow sharpeners, stone knives and
many other articles made both
from stone and bone. whose
uses are sometimes not wholly
clear even to the skilled archaologist.
Among the various tools there IS small,
round piece of wood, whicS Professor
BicllmOre explained was evidently in
tended to produce fire A soft pithv
stick, being inserted in a hole i'll the first
piece Of wood and quickly twirled back
ward and forward, the rapid motion soon
sets it afire
Besides the corn and seeds the food Of
the ancient Pueblos is also shown by
large assortment of lonesome whole,
some fractured. and some mere splinters.
When found they We're in sucha position
and condition as to show that they were
the remains Of feasts. Other bones, such
as those Of man, have also sometimes
become mixed with them. Some of the
animals whose bones can be recognized
are the elk, mule deer, antelope beaver.
spermophile and gopher (both species of
rat), turtle, snake, turkey, cottontail and
jack rabbit, mouse, musquash, and many
others.-New York Evening Sun.
N ,-I-a..