The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-08-05
INDIAN ART RELICS.
VALUABLE REMAINS FOUND BY PRO-
FESSOR STARR IN NEW MEXICO.

! A Remarkable Painted Cave, a Supposed
Stronghold of the Fierce Cochitis.
| Carved stone Figures Found Which Dis
play the skill of the Indian sculptors.
After a successful trip of exploration
among the Pueblo Indians of New Mex
leo Professor Frederick A. Starr, head
of the anthropological department Of
the University of Chicago, returned re-
Gently TO Chicago literally loaded down
with valuable data of their prehistoric
life and fund of information for flu
ture researches Though in that coun-
try but little more than two weeks
Professor STAIRS explorations have
proved eminently satisfactory, and he
found time TO visit and examine some
of the enchanted mesas of the Coohiti
Indians With the professor was f. B.
Melville, who acted as his modeler,
taking copies of the wall paintings in
the mysterious abode of the ancient Co.
chitis in Cueva Pintada, or painted
cave. This cave is only reached by
rough footholds cut in the sides of the
almost perpendicular cliff which rises
100 feet above the plain. The cave is
at the top of the cliff. Professor Starr
will have complete model made Of
this cave, the history of which is al
most entirely unknown, but which is
supposed TO have been stronghold of
the fierce Cochitis.
Some of the paintings i'll the cave are
the finest north of Mexico They are
done in red black and white with red
predominating, and in this shade are
done the painted descriptions of the
kachinas, or sacred dances For centu.
ries this cave was the Mecca of the
tribes dwelling southwark and west
ward, and the Cochitis had lived in it
many hundreds of years ago Professor
! Starr dissents from the views of some
who connect the place with the Aztec
civilization and claims that ii was the
exclusive dwelling place of the Cochitis,
} who, he believes had nothing to do
> with the ancestors of Montezuma.
} A thousand feet above the Cueva Pin
tada rise the dizzy heights of the Potre
70 de las Vegas, and the scaling of these
ramparts the anthropologist considers
one of his greatest feats While not at
all anxious TO repeat the trip, 1t will
9 bring important results, as at the top OF
| the mesa were found objects of untold
value to science and 10 history. The
place overlooks the canyon of the RIO
Grande and is practically impossible TO
> animals of any kind except the noun
tain goat. The place used to be pas
ture for the Mexican sheep, but upheav-
ais of nature have rendered the passage
! to the top extremely hazardous, even &c
man.
Two carved stone images of panthers,
evidently executed centuries ago by
sculptors of no ordinary merit, were
found on top of the mesa, surrounded by
a circle of polished stones. They were
8 evidently fetiches of the Chochitis, and
although somewhat disfgured by time
and prehistoric vandals, were In re
markable state of preservation and bore
excellent likenesses to the originals. 1
was decided, as the images could not b.
h removed to the plain below, to take
!. plaster casts of them, and this wa
~ done, although not without heroic effort
% as water with which to mix the plaste
- had to be carried on the backs OF th'
professor and his helpers from the can
:. yon below. The temperature was some
4 thing frightful and added not little
,e to the dangers of the undertaking. Blu
@ the indomitable will and courage of thu
Il scientist carried the day and the cast
y were finally made. They will ultimately
be exhibited in the Walker museum o
a the university.
j. Photographs of regions seldom, i
h ever, visited by white men were Sc
# cured, and they were not expected. Pro
"a fessor Starts main purpose III making
"a his trip was to secure photographs o
% the Pueblo Indians, but the nonarriva
+. of the official photographer turned hi
>, attention to other channels. When
). however. the photographer Joined TIT
party in the canyons OF the Rio Grande
he made up for lost time and many ex
cellent views were obtained. Lack o
IA time alone prevented the professor from
70 making a trip to the Mesa Encantada
d or Enchanted mesa whose top is cloude'
(, in mysterious legends.
Owing to the ignorance and superstl
n ton of the Pueblo Indians and thel
g suspicion of everything done by TN
l. whites it was extremely difficult to ge
!, any reproductions of their Licensees
rs but Professor Starr succeeded in secur
e, ing 10. The collection includes types
)r both sexes and all ages. They will b
y colored true to the shades of the origi
10 nails and will be on exhibition in tn
y museum The anthropologist says tina
O. he thinks the busts he has secured ar
lie the finest in existence. He does nc
g think that in the world there is fine
s, collection of busts of Indian tribes tina
l. those he has secured from the Pueblo'
is He also expects to secure two life slz
r figures illustrating the national an
~ sacred dance which is held annually
IN July. Mr.. Melville, the modeler ha
L. been left in New Mexico in charge c
Mt the enterprise and he has instruction
er to proceed to San Felipe, Lagun an
re Acoma for other models.
&c Professor Starr expects to return
III New Mexico in the fall. when he WI