Arizona republican., 1898-05-17

buildings may have been temple. In these objects of high art are found. also a few skeletons of priests or sha-
 men surrounded by the paraphernalia
 of their offices.
 Skeletons of more important folk
 (next to the priests) are usually turied in floors or walls of rooms Of the main dwelling; or they may be buried in some room which has been aban- doned. Other bodies were crsmated and the ashes and bits of calcined bones placed in large elias either in small mounds near the large ones, or in a common burying ground.
 A preliminary examination, such as we conducted, of these ruins deals largely with the relics. It is through their interpretation that the archaeo- logist learns much. And the handi- work of pre-Columbian man of the Salt River valley is most interesting. While this man belonged to the stone age, yet be was capable of executing some remarkable fine carvings in shell and upon stone In this class of arti- facts the Salt River valley excels. His pottery was mostly plain and in the form of cooking bowls, water ollas, dishes and small ruins. His stone axes cut out of granite rocks are usu- ally highly polished and of good form.
 South and east are numerous rock pictures. These have been frequently described. They represent suns, snakes, various animals and ccmpli- cated and symbolic designs. The lat ter include lightning, the four corners r,f tL<. v-t1 (0r, xxyiudrl ond tho Swastika cross. This strange symbol typifies the fire. sun and four corners worship. It is found all over the world. The arms are of equal length, but there is short projection at each end. Some of the same designs found on cliffs and large boulders along the foothills are reproduced upon small and medium sized stones found in and on the ruins. The cuttings upon these are often fresh looking. Yet this is no evidence that they are modern, for stones do not weather here as in more moist regions. MT. Tait, who has dug in the ruins more than any other man in this region, and Doctor Griffith of Philadelphia both noticed the peculiar freshness of the cutting on many of the stones. Both of these gentlemen have dug up lime rocks and other stones Qavas, etc.) from ruins carved in the likeness of animals or reptiles or human beings which appeared to have been made but few years ago. Yet they were unquestionably ancient. Human idols and other efigies, espec- ially in the softer stones, show this peculiarity and when I first began collecting here was inclined to throw away some of my best objects on this account.
 The ruins upon the Pima reservation and these north and east of Tempe have yielded up many gods or idols. For the most part rather rude, yet they evince considerable skill in con caption in execution. The large num- bers found would indicate that the people carried their gods or images to three or four ruin groups and there inferred them Shell bracelets, Sel- dom found whole, made from ocean and fossil shells are scattered by hun dreds over the ruins. Frogs, small effigies of wolves or birds are some times found and appear to have been fetishes or charms. Onyx relics and frogs set with turquoise were discov- cred by MT. Cushing.
 Obsidian arrow points are fairly numsrous. No obsidian is found near the Salt river. Efigies of the South American llama and of parrots have been dug up. Thus the commerce or trade of these people was considerable. Mortars and matates are fairly numer- ous and range from a few pounds to 100 in weight
 Serpent and sun symbols would in dicate that these people worshipped both, and possibly fire. For defensive weapons they had the bow, spear, slung shot, and circular perforated club head. The more delicate stone rings were not weapons but may have been used in games or served an un- known purpose.
 The Salt river tribes occupied .