Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-02


1@HE mere mention of cliff dwellers
causes the mind of the average
American to drift westward, to
wander to that part of the great occi-
deut where the CORNERS Of two states
and two territories meet in n friendly
handshake. AS a noted investigator
once said. "A goOdfy portion of the
great ciir AREA may be covered with
silver dollar IL placed on an ordinary
map over the point where the states of
Colorado and Utah and the territories
or Arizona and New Mexico meet"
It has made a lasting impression ON
all students, for it is to them what
Egypt and its ruins are to Europe. A
land Of antiquity, rich with the remains
of an almost forgotten past. A land
enveloped in cloak of dust with which
kindly nature has hermetically sealed
her treasures.
The damp-proof caves containing the
tombs OF the old ''cliff kings" are a
rich heritage to the anthropologist, for
neither heat nor cold. rainy season or
drought could harm the remains placed
there centuries ago by loving hands
Thus we have preserved for the seri-
GUS study Of the savant and the won
dering admiration of thousands Of low
ers of the beautiful and wonderful the
rare textiles that formed the burial
wrappings Of ancient rulers. Hundreds
of destructible objects which under or
dinary conditions would have been
swept away by the ruthless hand of
time await the explorer in a practically
unchanged form.
The atmospheric conditions prevailing
in many of the burial caves were such
that the bodies did not decay. The dry
dust and impregnated earth absorbed
the liquid portion of the body, which
in time became thoroughly dessicated.
The skin retained an unbroken surface.
and as the successive layers dried it
assumed parchment like covering
that enteloped the bones and other
parts which had tissues strong enough
to remain after the process of absorp-
tion was completed.
RIStCHh anu WOQCEn EInUdIIllHQ
In ancient Egypt they preserved their
dead by means of an elaborate system
of embalming. They planned for time
and eternity, and lavish indeed were
the attentions bestowed upon the kings
and queens in order that their bodies
might stand as physical monuments for
the edifcation of untold generations.
The old cliff dwellers of the southwest
had no thought of the future of the
earthly body when they left their loved
ones to the silence of the caves. Had
they realized what the future would
bring forth perchance they might have
buried their dead in the rock crevices
Of the open mesas, as do their descend
ants of the present day.
The so-called mummies from the
western caves have been known for
many years. They have been noted OBJ
jects of interest in many of our muse
ums, and have called forth more than
a mere morbid interest from visitors.
In many instances special features
claimed attention. There is one body
in the American museum that was cut
in two and then sewed together again
with cord made from human hair. The
mere fact of their having done such
work is of interest, but when observa-
tion and study have caused the ex-
plorer to bring forth facts that would
tend to show that the operation was
no doubt of a ceremonial nature and
that the cord, which is over a quarter
of an inch in thickness, was probably
made from the hair of clan relatives.
the. to some, revolving object presents
new claims upon the attention.
The body of child buried with its
little cradle board is a document that