The state herald., 1895-10-11
THE CLIFF JEWELLERS,
A Queer People Who Lived in Colorad
Before Columbus Was Born.

A Queer People Who Lived in Colorad,
Before Columbus Was Born.
No history of Colorado would be com
plete without a description Of the cllf
dwellers and their houses.
People are accustomed to speak OF
4 the old buildings at Santa Fe and st
Augustine as the Oldest In tho United
States, but they are quite modern
structures when compared with hun.
dreds that may BIO seen In Southwestern
Colorado and the adjacent portions of
New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. These
dwellings, which are built In the caves
of the cliffs In some cases hundreds Of
feet above the bottom OF the canon and
almost inaccessible, are many OF them
In a good state OF preservation, being
protected from the elements by the
overhanglng ledge. They were made
of stone laid In mortar and are usually
square or rectangular. In size and
height they conform, of course, to the
shape Of the ledge on which they were
placed.
Some Of them contained only one or
two rooms, while others would rival in
point OF numbers many n pretentlous
hotel. The rooms We're small and en-
tered by low doorways not more than
three feet high. Where house hal
more than one story the distance be-
tween the floors was usually little less
than six feet. 1t is not likely that they
wero used rs permanent residences but
were probably house OF refuge when the
tribe retretcd when pursued by n SUI
perior enemy, or where the women
and children retired when the males
were away on A hunting or other expe-
dition.
AS to the antiquity of these buildings,
no deflnate date can be fixed. They
were built hundreds and possibly thou
sands Of years ago. The Gin jewellers,
| as Is shown by tho skeletons found bur-
led, were somewhat shorter in stature
than the Indians who live In that part
of the country to-day. and much farther
advanced toward civilization than any
of the tribes, except those living In the
pueblos.
Their pottery is very interesting and
shows considerable art In Its manufac.
ture and decoration. They were I'M
doubleday an agricultural race. us corn,
bean and squash rinds have been found
In the houses, and probably poultry
raisers, too, rs quantities of turkey
bones are there also. A great many
mummics have been unearthed In tho
rear rooms OF the buildings which show.
ed that they treated their dead kind
ly. The body was first wrapped in n
soft blanket made from feathers and
rabbits fur which was carefully sewed
on. Then came covering of mating
made from r,ishes and outside of this a
wrap of withes held together by strings
passed through holes about six inches
apart-a rude Venetian blind. The
bodies were wrapped In n kneellng pos
ture with the knees drawn up against
the body, No embalming process was
employed. The bodies We're laid away
in n dry place and the climate did the
rest. No iron has been found In the
dwellings, and nothing to show that
they We're n warlike people. The study
OF these ruins is most interesting and
presents an opportunity for chronological
research that is not cqualled In this
country.
In the great historical parade at Den
yer, October 18th, the first day OF the
Festival Of Mountain and Plain. there
will be float with a full-sizc represen-
tation of cliff dwelling.