The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-08-08
INDIAN ART. RELICS.
VALUABLE REMAINS FOUND BY PRO-
FESSOR STARR IN NEW MEXICO.

Carved Stone Figures Found Which Dis
play the Skill of the Indian ScuIptOrs.
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 fu-
ture researches. Though in that coun-
try but a little more than two weeks
Professor Starts explorations have
proved eminently satisfactory, and he
found time to visit and examine some
of the enchanted mesas of the Cochiti
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 i'll 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 a complete model made of
this cave, the history of which is al
most entirely unknown, but which is
supposed to have been a stronghold of
the fierce Cochitis.
Some of the paintings in 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 it 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, it will
bring important results, as at the top of
the mesa were found objects of untold
value to science and to 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 to
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
evidently fetiohes of the Chochitis, and,
although somewhat disfigured by time
and prehistoric vandals, were in re-
markable state of preservation and bore
excellent likenesses to the originals. 1t
was decided, as the images could not be
removed to the plain below, to take
plaster casts of them, and this was
done, although not without heroic effort,
as water with which to mix the plaster
had to be carried on the backs of the
professor and his helpers from the can
yon below. The temperature was some
thing frightful and added not little
to the dangers of the undertaking. But
the indomitable will and courage of the
scientist carried the day and the casts
were finally made. They will ultimately
be exhibited i'll the Walker museum of
the university.
Photographs Of regions seldom, if
ever, visited by white men were Sc
cured, and they were not expected. Pro-
fessOr Starts main purpose in making
his trip was to secure photographs of
the Pueblo Indians, but the nonarrival
of the official photographer turned his
attention to other channels When,
however, the photographer joined the
party i'll the canyons of the Rio Grande,
he made up for lost time and many ex-
cellent views were obtained. Lack of
time alone prevented the professor from
making trip to the Mesa Encantada,
or Enchanted mesa, whose top is clouded
i'll mysterious legends.
Owing to the ignorance and supersti-
ton of the Pueblo Indians and their
suspicion of everything done by the
whites it was extremely difficult to get
any reproductions of-their likenesses,
but Professor Starr succeeded in secur-
ing 10. The collection includes types of
both sexes and all ages. They will be
colored true to the shades of the origi-
nails and will be on exhibition in the
museum. The mthropologist says that
he thinks the busts he has secured are
the finest in existence. He does not
think that i'll the world there is finer
collection of busts of Indian tribes than
those he has secured from the Pueblos.
He also expects to secure two life size
figures illustrating the national aud
sacred dance which is held annually In
July. Mr.. Melville, the modeler, has
been left in New Mexico i'll charge of
the enterprise, and he has instructions
to proceed to San Felipe, Lagun and !
Acoma for other models.
Professor Starr expects to return to
New Mexico in the fall, when he will |
also journey into old Mexico New
York Herald.
New Musical TnatrumaDf