The argus., 1896-01-16
THE MOUND OF DEATH.
A Legend of the Moqui Tribe OF In

Slaughterings in this country like
those in Armenia; a Christian vii
lage wiped out in a single night and
the people burned and tortured
The idea seems incredible.
Yet such a massacre, in which
more than 600 people lost their lives,
occurred in northeastern Arizona in
the year zoo. The site of the mar
tyr village is marked by great heap,
Which is known by the Indians to-
day as the @Mound of Death" Up
to now, however, nothing has been
known definitely about this mound.
The old Spanish records spoke of
the destruction of the town of Ava
tobi, at the period mentioned, by
seven other Moqui towns that COM
bined to attack it, but there was no
other information, save such as
could be derived from aboriginal
legends. But an investigation set
ON foot by the bureau of ethnology
has brought everything to light, and
digging in the mound has revealed
plenty of evidence respecting the
tragic catastrophy.
Ethnologist ]. Walker Fewkes has
just returned to Washington from
the investigation. During the last
summer and autumn he has been en-
gagged in a general examination of
ruins in the neighborhood of the
present Moqui villages. There are
seven modern villages of these Indi-
ans who number about 1900 souls.
Formerly they were much more
numerous than at present, occupying
perhaps one-fourth of Arizona. All
around them are mounds which are
the remains of towns deserted and
extinct. OF these the most remark
able are the ruins of Awatobi and
Sikyatki.
Awatobi signifies "Place of the
Bow People," According to the
Moqui legend it was destroyed be-
cause wizards lived there. The peo-
pie of the town welcomed the Span
ish priests and accepted the Chris
tain religion. From this cause arose
much trouble. The rain stayed
away and so many annoying things
happened that the seven other vii
lagos decided to wipe out Awatobi.
They combined in a night assault,
when most of the men of Awatobi
were engaged in religious exercises
in subterranean ceremonial cham
Der. The invaders, being admitted
By fnnach t3nough the gates, sur
rouna1ed - -fnd chamber
and having cut on all 1nslms Of .es-
cape for the occupants, throw blaz-
ing faggots down upon them They
also cast in quantities of red pep
pers to add to the tortures of the
burning victims. Most of the peo-
pie of the town were massacred,
though the children and a few of
the women were saved.
DR.. Fewkes made up his mind to
dig into the Mound of Death" If
there was any truth in the legend,
he ought to find evidence. He per-
suaded an aged Indian, who seemed
TO be well acquainted with all the
traditions of the tribe, to accompa-
ny him to AwatJbi and point out |
the approximate location of the
'kiva," or ceremonial eAamber, re-
terred to in the story. Then, with
The assistance of force of natives,
digging was begun. To remove the
debris and superintendent sand of
he mound was big job, but the
abor was we'll rewarded, for the ex-
.avation at length disclosed the
walls of the "kiva." 1t was a room
If large size and at the bottom
we're found great quantities of hu-
nan bones, evidently representing
cores of individuals. Many of the
zones had been charred by fire. In
hort, it was demonstrated that the
egend was no idle tale. Here,
,aught like so many rats in trap,
perhaps nearly 100 men met their
ate under conditions the most hor-
ible that could be imagined. Not
ar away, near the gate of the town,
)r. Fewkes found evidences of an