Arizona weekly citizen., 1896-04-11

lA.F. Banta, inArgus.l

[A.F. Banta, inArgus.l
Scattered over greater portion OF Ns-
vajo and Apache counties, and more es.
pecislly along the valley of the Rio Colo
RADIO Chiquito little Red River are
numerous ruins Of a prehistoric peoples.
In the immediate vicinity of st. Johns,
county seat os Apache county, are ruins
OF two considerable towns, no doubt
containing at one time population OF
three thousand or more souls each.
These people whoever they were that in
habited this southwest country 10 the
centuries past, were without doubt phal-
lie worshipers, for in our Investigations
some years since We discovered images
of both ''orgsns;" one particularly fine
SPECIMEN had been carved out OF bssslt,
and was about eighteen inches in length
by six in diameter at it's thickest part;
this fact proves it's antiquity, for it clear
ly shows them to have been contempos-
ary-in religion at least-te the older
races of mankind. Writers Of acknow-
lodged authority upon this subject tell
Us this form OF worship was OF the first,
if not actually the very first practiced
by the human race in its infancy.
Wherever these ruins are found, eth
in New MEXICO or Arizona, they invari-
bly, show their Irincipal entrance to have
faced the "rising sum-" Here again is
another significant fact, clearly proving
tho ounlufi~ Nj fhpnn.yh uuhlch
these people had passed, as have all the
human family, in their laborious ascent
OF the ladder of civii;zation-their reli-
gion like sll others, keeping even pace
with their civilizinR progress; (s) the
caves and other similar sbodes; (b) ex-
cavated holes in the ground, coverings
made OF the skins Of animals; (c) stable
hsbitstions constructed of looee stone
laid 10 mud mortar. Their religion fol-.
lowing in like order; (a) the phallic or
worship of the Reproductive forms in ma
ture; (b) the Sun, Moon and other heaven
ly phenomena: (c) fire-sy "a holical.
With these people as ia today among
the ''pueblos," rs also among all races
in the pist, when change in religion
is taking place, the old form" is more
or less blended with the new" thus we
ind their dwellings, indicate the "sun
worship" and the 'imaQes" aforemention-
ed, show the two modes OF worship not
yet entirely separated. The present
Pueblo Indian is fire worshiper," yet
there still remains more or less mixed
up with bis religious rites which are
practiced in the secret underground ''es-
tufas," evidences Of the ancient phallic
religion.
Twelve miles south of st. Johns on
the west bank OF the Little Colorado
river, near the present village ct San
Cosmo. are other extensive ruins. On
the opposite Of the river from one Of
these ruined towns, and near the cum
NIT of eerrito, is q large crevice or is
cure extending into the little mountain"
perhaps sixty or more feet, and which is
from three to ten feet in width. In the
summer of &c, accompanied by VIM.
Bradbury, the writer made partial ex-
ploration OF this repository OF Indian an
tiquities. We took with US several can
dies and crawled into the cave through
q very narrow and hidden aperture; once
inside We could stand erect. Here we
found hundreds upon hundreds, perhaps
thousands. of bows RnG arrows, many OF
them showing reptiles painted on them
10 colors as bright as they we're the day
put Cd; many of them we're tiny as il for
use OF children; also baskets, stone axes,
stone hammers, this last used as an i'm
plemsnt OF war and OF the chase, ga oc-
casional one was found with belve at
tsched showing manner OF and material
by which it wss made fast to the "hsm-
mer;" we also found specimens OF tor
quois, polished and with holes 10 them
as for ear and nose ornaments; peri
Wrinkle shells, and a peculiar lead usso
by all eborisiues wherever met with as
''wampud." Unfortunately some year.
since an ignorant MexIcan-ignorant of
it's archaeological vafus-set lire to THU
valuable mass ct antiquities and the
whole were destroyed. II is we'll to
state hers that 10 order was observed 10
ths storage II these "house hold gods"
but ell seemei tn have been pitched in
to the place as II done Ia a great hurry
and under excitement.
At the summit OF this cerrito there is
evidence CT wall which encirclsd the
top enclos Dg Il space perhaps TIVE N.Y.
i've feet in diameter; 10 the center OF
this enclosure was perfect globe twelve
inches Ia diameter, which had been cut
out OF bssalt. E5ciroiing this ''littie
mountain" perhaps twenty yards above
it's base, is tho remains of another wall.
And the whole OF the lower part OF the
cerrito, extending out fifty yards or
more over the plain, ia literally covered
with small broken stones as if thrown
there by singers"
Farther south near the town Of Spring
ervills, are other ruins possessing the
same physical characteristics, here we
find these people to have possessed en-
cheering skill and to have already" solv-
ed the water problem" for they had con-
structed immense reservoirs for the "stor
age" Of the surplus waters of the Colo
RADIO. The Becker Lake" is one Of
these immense reservoirs, and the ditch
by which it is now filled is the same az
was used by the sncients.
All over the "soutb west country" are
to be found many RUNS OF this class;
not only or the plains and along the
wster-courses, but high up among the
cliffs that are almost inaccessible
without the aid OF ropes and ladders, do
we find the dwellings Of these now PIE
historic people.