The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-19
A CLIFF JEWELLERS ROMANCE
story Of = War Caused by q woman Amonr
-RrehfgtOfio RaOe.

A CLIFF JEWELLERS ROMANCE.
story Of . war Caused by q woman Among
Q Prehistoric Race.
DENVER. Col. May l6.-Recent researcbe,
conducted by arohseologists and students
from Western universities have brought 10
light some new facts about tho cliff dwellers
In southwestern Colorado.
The first discoveries we're made FORTY
years ago by two cattlemen named Wethsr-
ell, who had for months travelled tho valley
only TO 0 n day tho surprise Of seoIne
a great building on n Of the cliffs Of the
Mesa Verde. The sun happened to be
shining Just right and this enabled them
to discern what had previously escaped
their observation.
Climbing up they found o great etructur.
Of $50 rooms and scattered about II othnr
houses and ruins OF great extent. MumnIes.
bits Of pottery, feather cloth, balls OF salt
hung In bags Of corn huskB and rude utensils
Of various kinds were scattered about. In
mounds they dug up war clubs, arra+
heads, needles. Tint ornaments and burnt
corn.
After the WethereTls came other expIpr.
ers. and many Of the museums of the world
have been enriched by the finds there made,
Not long ago an investigating party dis
covered west Of La Plata River q Rroup Of
cliff houses Of which NJ Government report
had ever been made. These have been the
subject OF the recent investigations.
The now collection consists Of about dfty
houses perched on rock shelves which en-.
tend at intervals to O height OF 500 or ON
feet above the bed Of the ca1on. Seen from
below they look like swallows nests and
many Of them could not be reached.
In a valley five miles further along isolated
ruins were found. Excavations made dIs.
closed more mummiesj stone ornaments,
bones and pottery.
Thirty miles below Durango; just over the
New Mexico border, the ruins Of a once
extensive village have been discovered
About the centre of Il 10 o signal and defence
tower equipped with protective devices Of a
character different from any previously
found.
Instead Of a single circular wall this one
has three, with spaces Of about seven feet
between them. The exterior wall has
a diameter Of hfty-two feet, and II is con.
nected with the interior walls by GROSS
walls. The last wall Of defence could be
reached only by ladders. and WA prac.
tically ~impregnable In the days when tho
club and spear formed the CHIEF weapons OF
attack. The walls are Of sandstone i'm
bedded IN clay mortar.
In other ruins great quadranglea were
found. In the wall crevioes the mortar
still bears the imprint Of fingers. Most
Of these stones were carried up from the bod
Of the canon.
So far as investigations have Disclosed.
the ruins OF the Cliff jewellers arc scattered
over 100 900 square miles in Colorado.
Arizona, New Mexioo and Utah. The great
Of who they were and how they
were annihilated still puzzles the scientists.
They figure that 1t could not have been fam
inc since great stores OF corn have been
uncovered, nor could they have migrated
no other race possesses the marked
characteristics OF art and architecture
by the cliff jewellers. Traces of fire
AVE led to the conjecture that their destruc-
ton must have come through a volcanic
eruption.
The later investigators take no stock
In the old theory that the Pueblo Indians,
who now oooupy a part Of the dc TERRITORY,
are descendants Of the cliff jewellers. Their
decorative pottery symbols are entirely
different. The older race had great com.
many stories, and faced with hundred
OF square yards of tool dressed rock. Tn"
Pueblo live in houses of sun dried brick.
The walls OF many Of the cafons and
houses are covered with ~hieroglyphics.
in these hieroglyphios has recently
been revived by the assertion Of Prof. i. \.
Porter OF Boston that he has been able TO
decipher one Of these inscriptions.
Last fall Homer Wright Of Montrose went
out to Shavano TO wander among the ruins
He took his camera with him. and OF what
In HnOHvn no fha Oraaf niNf,frn rnOlr ha toni
number OF views. These were later
to post cards and the latter
sold broadcast. One happened 10 fall into
Prof. Porter's hands. He has recently
to Wright for more cards, asserting
that he has discovered the clue.
These pictures are rude drawings Of
various animals, some prehistoric, Others
apparently Of bear, deer, spears, strangely
ney scenes. According TO Prof. Porter the
ancient dwellers Of Shavano Valley had a
over q woman.
The chief OF three tribes loved her,
and when the contest ended all had been
killed, including the princess, who was hit
n the eye by a fine pointed arrow. A MUM
Der OF ARROWS such as are shown in the
were found some years ago at the
base Of the wall.
Prof. Porter says the card he has showed
out one Incident in the history OF the people
The photograph did not include a hun
iredth part Of the picture covered wall,
Prof. Porter promises TO come TO Colo.
during the summer and continue his
1eoiphering.