The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-06-21
THE CLIFF JEWELLERS.
Curious Remains Of a Once Intelligent
People-The Cliff Dwellers: How,
Where and When They Lived.

seen curious remains and relics or a Dy-
gone race called the 'Cliff Dwellers," not
| the "Cave. Dweliers" of the Stone age.
AS the places where these remains and
relics are found show that the habita-
tions of these people we're houses built
in sides OF great canons or gorges and
not in caves or holes in the rocks or
ground, hence the difference in the name
attached to the jewellers" These two
great collections Of ancient relics, and
many others added to them have been
brought together into II exhibit in a
building in the south end of the worlds
fair ground at Chicago. The building,
however, is a miniature representation
OF Battle Rock Mountain in the south
western corner of Colorado, in the can
ons of which these Cliff Dwellers houses
and relics are found. This building or
rather tumulus, is 200 feet long, 60 feet
high in front where you enter the estufa
or opening, and on top it slopes back to
the common level. Running over it
among the peaks are devious paths and
cropping here and there u be seen
burros. the sure-footed pack-animal OF
the Rockies, and other animals resem,
bling the goat.
You enter this mountain and the open
ing represents the canon which cuts
through: this section In Colorado, and
similar ones for 400 miles in Utah, Ari-
n New Mexico and Mexico, over all
which country the remains OF this curl
IL prehistoric race are found. Within
the canon, on either eide, will be great
gaps or lodges in its sides where glacial
rivers have washed out broad areas OF
softer rocks, leaving the harder bed
above and below still projecting. 1t was
in these gaps in the face OF the canon's
steep sides that the Clif-Dwellers built
their houses. And they buiss them
much as we would do under the same
circumstances They used dressed
stones laid in mortar or cement, built
the face wall from the lower ledge to b
upper, and then run back the two end
walls to the. depth OF the
natural excavation. Thus they con-
structed a large and substantial
house-in one instance measuring TOO
feet long and 10 feet high in front. Many
OF these houses are reproduced IN a
diminished size, but exact scale,
even to the measurement OF the bricks
and stones used in the construction and
their places in the sides of the canon be-
ing otherwise fac smile reproductions
AS the family of the Cliff Dweller I'M
creased he subdivided these large rooms
into smaller ones, and if a member died
he was doubled up with his knees under
his chin, wrapped in a fine cotton cloth,
then in a species OF feather cloth, then
in a coarse mating and, finally. for a cot
fin, rolled up in a network OF reeds open
at the head and feet. Thus enveloped
the body was deposited in a corner OF a
ROOM, some vases with corn, grain, per
haps wine or water and a few articles for
his future journey, proving they had an
idea of q future life, were placed beside
him and the whole walled close about.
In this condition they are found to-day,
perfectly preserved specimens OF mum
mics. even to the soft brown hair on the
head and whiskers of the cheek. We
saw several such perfectly preserved
mnmm;es. and to our credulous mind
they were the most wonderful exhibit
OF the whole exposition. The perfect
state OF preservation Of these bodies, fab'
RIGS. grains, etc., is accounted for by the
extremely dry places in which they arr
found. No damp or moisture couit
reach them, entombed in rocky walls
and finally covered feet deep under
dry dust-the accumulation OF ages-at
, mospheric action could not affect them
These people were agricultural IN the
. calling, home-lovers in habit. The
!. doubtless built in these almost inaccest
ible places to escape the marauding SAY
age bands. Their dwellings q thousan
feet below the top Of the q . 90
eral thousand above the bottom, WEI
reached by dangerous paths down u
x cliffs, and this to-day Is b cause
% their long obscurity.
y But time and space will fail US to u
= of their painted earthenware,l jars. bow
q many OF them beautiful in their crud
Iii ness, their ornaments, implements
lp- house, field and chase, made OF stor
&C. bone, wood or fibre. Not a vestlge
ne metal is found among their relics. w
!" ems OF the most perfect skulls mamie
their intellectual strength. They ia
finely shaped foreheads, must have be
natural born orators, and gave every 9
dence OF a peacable and law-aoidl
IN race. There are over a thousand rel
to attest their knowledge OF art n
ence, and we naturally wonder when
Law where and how in the past ages they !
,ap Loc;r and WHARF in the 0yOlut