Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-09-21
TIE JEWELLERS IN CAVES,
A eHlLAoELPHIAN's FINDS IN ARR.
IONA AND NEW MEXICO.
Taos Indians and the Axtses Skeletons.
Ancient implements OF War and Peace
and Other Interesting Discoveries Of a
Two Months Expedition.

wo Months Expedition.
Professor o. z. Phillips, OF the Bio
logical Department OF the University Of
PENNSYLVANIA, by his excavations and
researches among the homes of the laos
Indians and the Aztecs i'll Arizona and
New Mexico has contributed much that
Is new to the archaeology OF the aborgi-
mes and the cave-dwellers of later
period. While the expedition failed to
establish that man lived in the tertiary
age. during the lava period, implements
OF industry and pottery. and personal
ornaments were found i'll the cliff homes,
showing that the ancient jewellers were
of high order of civilization.
The expedition extended over two
months, during which time extensive ex-
cavations were made in the Mancos
canon and Puye district, with the object
OF determining. by the reported lava de-
posits-which were said to have covered
up human skeletons-if man lived i'll the
tertiary age. The party failed to I'M
earth any human remains beneath the
lava, which was characteristic OF the
tertiary period. and as consequence the
theory was abandoned. In the Puye dis
trict in Arizona, twenty-five Indian
skeletons were found. also number of
implements of war and peace.
The Taos Indians, near Santa Fe.
represent the typical communal life as
1t existed centuries ago. Here over 400
Indians eked ont an existence by cult
waiting the soil. Neither civilization nor
the march Of progress westward has in
vaded the primitive homes OF these soli-
tary nomads. Setting aside the slight
changes which the element OF associa-
ton during the past three centuries has
had upon the pueblos, there is scarcely
an appreciate variation in their distin-
guished habits and customs. The Pue-
bio Indians arc more diminutive and re-
fined than the other tribal groups. show
ing the Aztec invasion has had great CT
feet on their physical and intellectual
side.
In religion the Taos are intensely
dcmonstrative. which is true also in
their relations with one another. The
plane OF morality also is high and rigid.
Every essential virtue must he observed.
When the laws OF morality are broken
the offended is banished from the vii
lage.
The Taos Indians have most peculiar
customs. When n man becomes GER
tain age he can become member OF the
Council This Council elects a Governor
and war captain. Every morning the
Governor goes on the roof of the high
est building and calls out what each
man is TO do that day, and woe to the
man who darcs 20 refuse the bidding.
The high building. or State House, is
over 400 years old, having been partly
demolished in 1870, by the invasion OF
the Spaniards.
The Mancos Canon is in the same
state of ruins As when the Spanards
drove out the original jewellers. The
many-roomed houses, after much dig
ging. revealed many articles Of personal
adornment. pottery and implements OF
industry, which. j, is believed show that
high state OF development existed in
this country over three centuries ago.
The Puyc district contains a cliff a
mile long honey conbed with caves of
ancient dwcllers. The top is the ruins
OF house an acre high. The most care
f,il excavation were made in this dis
trict, with the object OF establishing the
fact that man lived in the tertiary age
This idea is based on the notes of an
United States surveyor. Captain Mar
row, to the effect that while surveying
there he found cliff dwellings into which
the lava flow had run. No lava was
found in the cliff dwellings by the
Phillips expedition, however.
In the broad southwest territory is
also the petrified forest. 1t covers sew
eral thousand acres and petrfied trees.
six inches to six feet in diameter, are
found lying on the ground. The wood
is hard as flint, and out OF it emery
stones are made.-Phiiddciphia Record.