Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-08-11
CLIFF DWELLING.

CLIFF DWELLING.
sides of steep canyons in which have
been found many remains of a pre-
historic race. The remains consist Of
implements Of agricultural ana house
hold use pottery, human bones, etc.
Besides these, several entire mummies
have been found. The tools and weap-
ons are of stone or bone, and no metal
has yet been discovered. These houses
are of undoubted antiquity, but ex-
actly how many centuries have elapsed
since they We're peoDled Is still a mat
ter of doubt. The theory until recently
held is that they date back about 500
years, but deductions and observations
recently made place them back very
much further. The age ascribed to
them now varies from 1000 years to
many centuries, back TO the remote
geologic tertiary era. Proof is brought
to support each of these theories so
that 1t will take extended scientific in
vestigation to determine exactly the
age of these mysterious houses and of
their contents. Whatever their age is
it is high time to take steps to preserve
them intact. Here, as elsewhere in
our relic hunting land, the vandal has
been and has removed some of the
rarest specimens of pottery and human
remains. The women of Colorado have
organized the Movement to preserve
them and expect congressional action
in aid of their efforts.
1t is coniectured that these dwell
ings We're constructed on such steep
deelivities to afford protection against
marauders. The houses. as they have
been unearthed and explored, are very
similar to those constructed by the Pu-
eblo Indians of today, and the relics
tools, weapons, etc.-also bear close re-
semblance to those in use by the Pu-
eblos and the Zunis. From these facts
it seems to be established that the cliff
dwellers We're the ancestors of the lat
ter tribes. TO account for the deser-
ton of their homes in the canyons it is
fairly well established that some cat
aclysm overwhelmed them and drove
them forth. The canyons seem to have
been split open by an earthquake,
which would account for the finding of
rocks bearing marks of human work
manship at the bottom of the cliffs.
Another theory is that they were COW
cred by an eruption of lava from some
neighboring volcano. The Ute Indians,
upon whose reservation the canyons
containing the cliff dwellings are stu
ated and from whom the effort is be.
ing made to purchase or lease them,
will not enter the houses. They seem
to hold them in superstitious awe. The
cliff jewellers were probably akin TO
the mound builders of the east.
The houses are built in caves, fire..
quently in such manner as to be even
with the face of the rock of the can
yon, which is in places 500 feet high
If, therefore, the houses were built
after the canyons were formed, the
cliff jewellers had to reach their houses
by climbing, which is a long and diff
cult task. The houses vary i'm size
One has been found with more than
300 rooms. Most of them are very
much smaller than this; but, as very
many of the smaller canyons have not
yet been explored, it is impossible to
estimate the population. 1t may have
been very great.
The skulls that have been found are
Of various shapes. and several have the
back part of the head Aattened, with
forehead correspondingly pushed for
ward. 1t seems to have been a custom
with these people to compress the head
In this way. All the indications are
that the people were of n peaceable
disposition and cultivated the ground,
II may be that they had their fields
elsewhere and lived in the canyons
through fear Of invasion. Stone res
ervoirs. apparently used for irrigation
and In well preserved condition, have
been found. There are many stone
and bone implements Of daily use, bone
needles, closely resembling the modern
steel article, knives of different shapes.
avis of various sizes and bone saws,
as well as agricultural implements.
Altogether the cliff dwellings are
very interesting and would take many
columns 10 describe. They offer to
the ethnologist a rich field for investi-
CATION and may throw much light upon
the early history of the country.
CHARLES W. MILLER