New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-26
ANCIENT TOWNS IN ARIZONA.
REMAINS UNEARTHED THERE BY Or, J. WALKER
FEwKEs FOR THE SMITHSONIAN
/ aSsengers,

| FEWKEs FOR THE SMITHSONIAN
| Washington letter to The st. Louis Globe Demo
Crat.
| The Smithsonian Institution will soon publish
| a most interesting account OF excavations re-
| Gently made near WinslOw. AriZ.. under its au-
| spices the result Of which the discovery Of
| many things u archaeological importance DR.
| j. Walker Fcwkes had charge Of the digging
| which unearhed portions Of the ruins Of four
ancient and long buried cities. The aboriginal
| inhabitants of the region have traditions 10 the
effect that the towns IN question were the dwell
ing-places Of remote ancestors Of their own, and
the finds made incidentally to the excavations
seem To- show that this belief is presumably cor
rect. Up to comparatively recent date the
walls Of the ruined buildings rose TO a consid-
cradle height. but the MOrmons in constructing
| the nearby Sunset city itself in ruins util-
| lied the stones for their houses.
one ~ these buried cities. To which the most
| careful study was given. was evidently pueblo
Of great size. Of a rectangular Shap" and in
closing plaZls. From this ancient ruin.
represented only by huge mound, were taken
several hundred beautiful objects Of prehistoric
! handiwOrk They wer" obtained from the ne
CrOpOs or burial place Of tn" pueblo in the
very shadow Of which the dead wrr, Inferred,
not being carried ava! To- any distance. Almost
every grave was indicated by fat stone slab.
which lay above a skeleton. Many II these
stones were perforated with round. oval
square holes some Of the bodies We're extended
AT length. while others had their knees drawn
up - the hr asst
Many vases and pots were obtained which
bore strange designs. mostly representing myth
illogical birds and beasts Their sign icance. as
Illustrating the mythology If the poop, 20 whom
the pottery belonged. H. asDrrtiinub'r t. some
extent from tho traditions siill current among
the living ab0rglveS one IL IN. wholly unique,
IS painted on the bottom Of Il bowl ON one side
OF thu rim is represented thu upper part Of a
man. and below. in tn interior II the bowl are
two footprints. ~ If the man mai l"aped into
the receptacle From these a llne Of footprints
=.
at thu opposite rim. behind figure of the lower
body and log. of man crawling put II the
bowl ON the opposite side
ON auoth = piece If pottery food basin. is a
figure Of 4 spider. representing the my theological
spider woman. Sh' Is an earth god IS. bride
Of the sun ana IA" mother ~ the twin war gods
Tho priests made elaborate prayer sticks.
some of which were several feet long. and
white and black pigments. the sam" those
used by their descendants They priced for
ceremonial PURPOSES quart crystals stone con
Cr"tious and fragments IF obsidIan. They were
acquainted with bells made OF copper They
had rittlrs pf s,l shells. and Wor" f.inges -
shells ou the margins ~ their garments 10
cen, mouidlS tEr' made Use of stone slabs paint
ed wiki animals
The warriors were armed with bows and ar
rows tipped with stpu" and uh~ii.an points
They had clubs. stone hammers and axes. They
made needles h3ikius and avis oi bird stones.
antelope thir and iihs. which th"t sometimes
carved in imitation of animals. The women
were adopts IN iN" mttuidt turt 81 'di th"nNhre
vessels which they decorated with elaborate
figures i'm several oplorS They wee familiar
with the art II glazing pottery. ard practisei
etching ~ the same 20 very lim Il extent.
They buried their dead just beyond the outer
home walls. and deposited with them various
Notivc offerings. pottery. baSkrtry. ceremonial
and other par1phernalia. having first painted
the face and wrapped the body in mating. The
symbols On their pottery indicate thar they rec
ognZcd the sun and spider a. powerful deitics.
They "orshippod tn" rain. clouds. lightning.
snake tadpple frog ana various mythical birds.
Tn, entertained idea of 4 future life and
associated ne dead with rain gods.