The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-18
THE COLORADO MUMMIEs.
America Is SeIf-supporting Even In
the Production of Mummies.

ST. Louis Glohe-Democrat.
Few people, perhaps, are aware of the
fact that within the state of Colorado are
found the remains OF a prehistoric race,
preserved by a system OF embalmng
which while somewhat different from
that OF the ancient Egyptians, has proved
equally effective in combating the ravages
Of decay. Many know that southwestern
Colorado was, hundreds of years ago.
popula ted by a race OF cliff dwellers and
the ruins of their homes on the Rio San
Juan. near Mancos, are annually visited
by thousands OF inquisitive tourists. 1t
is not generally known, however, that
these people attained to such a degree of
perfection in the art of preserving the re-
mains of their dead that even now, CEN
turtles after they were placed in the tomb,
the only Indication of the lapse of time is
in the withered and dried-up appearance
OF the skin.
In the rooms of the state historical So
ciety, at the capitol building are four OF
these mummies, the most interesting
specimens vet discovered. Those who
have read with interest the results of tho
labor of, Psychologists In Egypt. whose
every discovery of this character is dis
CusSed in the journals and magazines
throughout the world, will be repaid by
visit to the capitol building. Were the
history Of this strange people known and
their records preserved The four mummies
in the rooms of the historical society
might prove TO be the remains of a family
equally royal and renowned in their own
country with Rameses or Cleopatra in
Egypt That they form a family group
is evident. There are the father and
mother and two children the latter prob
ably three To five years of age. Not Ill
the dead IF this race We're thus preserved.
In an adjoining cave are hundreds Of hui
those who did not rank high enough In
the cliff dwellers' world 70 be thus care
fully protected from the effac.ng fingers
Of time. It is. therefore. not lnproba BILE
tha; this family was Of royal blood.
The extraordinary fineness OF the en-
balming wrappings is a further evidence
OF this fart. Unlike the ancient Egyp-
iians, this wrapping consists. not of many
folds but single garment carefully
sewef 20 shut out the air. The emhalm-
ing ~obe In which the remains are shvoud-
ID is composed Of a groundwork Of cord
made Of the fibre OF the yucca plant and
closely woven In this are interviewer
feathers. or rather the finest down from
some species Of bird. Each feather Is
carefully woven in an upright position.
and so closely are they placed tina.
neither air nor water can penefrata The
cloth To make one Of the robes with the
crude methods employed sI being done
by hand. must have been labor of years
and il is probable thut they were almost
Of priceless value. Tens of thousands OF
feathers would be required for each robe.
This feather cloth is evidently indie
structihie showing no signs Of decay T.
is Of ligst brown color. with occa sionai
srreaks % white.
OF the mummifs. that OF the mother
and child are The best preserved The
womau's long black hair hangs down
over her shoulders and teeth and skin
are in perfect state of preservation.
Put the most remarkable specimen Il
that Of ere Of the children which ap-
pears - have heeu about three wears OF
age Were II not for the peculiar narch
rnent-Ytke appearance OF the skin Il would
seem that the child had beeu dead but a
few days Even the lips have nor de-
caved ard the fact that The eyes are
missing Is not no.Icea r}e for The closed
ids are stin Intact. Hair and eyebrows
are preserved s-eniHg3y as in life The
frontal development % the head Of .his
child Is most remarkable bulgins out
over the eyebrows. a quite unuzual case
eve~v Indication Of more than ordinary
irteiivsnee-
Ano her remarkable specimen IS thu. ~
n W. born infant from which the wran-
ming has been entirely removed ana IN
which there Is not the slightest trace -
decay.
Tnev w.r. a dinInative race tha "a
mains w.r. discovered in a tomb go. 80
more than four fees in length. These 20.
mains were discovered in A tirnh e,,. :,
the solid rock and carefully sealed a. tho
mouth As In the tombs Of the rov,I
Egyptians. were placed jewels and ar