The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1892-03-11
&c nNsLLEas o. ARIzoNA.
= Fine Collection of Relies, showing
Their Lifo nnd Habits.

= limo Collection of Relies showing
Their Lifo aad Habits.
Professor Albert S. Bickmore, tho SUI
perintendent of the American Museum
of Natural History, at Seventy-eighth
street and Eighth avenue, the other after
noon showed reporter an exceedingly
interesting collection which was received
at the museum within few days. It is
an assortment of over 1900 distinct speci-
mems illustrating the mode of life and Of
death) Of tho ancient Pueblo Incians.
The collection was made and donated to
the museum by DR.. 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
full 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 illush ating the
art Of war as carried on by these aborigi-
nal inhabitants of America, their various
domestic manufactures. their manner of
hunting and the food upon which they
lived.
From the greaS depth at which the
articles were found. the immense lapse
of time since these villages were i'll active
operation and teeming with life, may be
estimated. Some of the articles were
found at depths ranging from two to six
feet; in the caves they were covered with
dust and guano formed by the millions of
bats which inhabit these dreary rccesscs,
while out in the open plain they were
covered with volcanic dust and sccria
washed down from the neighborin3
heights. The caves are situated far up
sometimes hundreds of feeG Oh 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 protectors 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
metatcs by the Indians of tho present
day. They were and are still used by
tho modern Mexicans for grinding corn
(maizel preparatory to making it into
cakes. The method of grinding was
exactly similar to that of Che common
mortar and pestle. But the chief in
terest attaching to them is their great
size, several being one and half or two
feet in length and a foot in thickness;
also the unusual depth to which they
have been followed or scoopel out. This
depth shows the unremitting toll, energy
and patience Of this primitive race, who,
with but another stone as a tool, gradu-
ally followed out, by hours and days Of
labor, q block of stone Of the hardest
kind to depth of several inches. Zach
mortar is accompanied by several pestlas.
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
large number of examples. Among
them are a few, which Professor BicB-
moro states he considers to be probably
unique. These arc stone battle axes,
with q pointed end like an awl, instead
of the usual flat edge. In the collection
is an assortment Of cloth fabrics, and
among them is needle, found in a piece
of the cloth. This, unlike oln. modern
needles, although yet very sharp, is of
wood, being nothing moro or tess than
the sharp, needle like leaf of member
Of the pine family Of trees. Tie thread
is still in position just as it wa5 left by
some aboriginal lady Of fashion, long
since dead and gone.
Besides these articles already noticed,
the collection includes pieces If wicker
and basket work, almost as it came from
che hand of the maker, specimens Of cora
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, stono knives and
many other articles made both
from stone and bone, whose
uses arc sometimes not wholly
clear even to the skilled arcbmologisJ.
Among the various tools there Is a small,
round piece Of wood, which Professor
BiC6mOre explained was evidently in
tended to produce fire. A soft, pithy
stick, being inserted in hole Il, the first
piece Of wood and quickly twirled back
ward and forward, the rapid motion soon
sets it aiiro.
Besides the corn and seeds the food Of
the ancient Pueblos is also shown by a
largo assortment of Eones--Gomc whole,
somc fractured. and some mere splinteru.
When found they were in sucha position
and condition as to show that they were
the remains of fcasts. Other bones. such
as those Of man, have also sometimes
become mixed with them Some Of tho
animals whose bones can be recognized
arc the elk, mule deer, antelope, beaver.
s2crmopllile and gopher (both species Of
rat), turtle, siSaEc, turkey, cottontail and
jack rabbit, mouse, 1lusquash, ond MANY