Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-09-28

Human Interest and Scenic Beauty.
He said that the explorations in
the Rito de los Frijoles this summer
were really local undertaking, un-
der the direction of the Archaeological
Institute Of America, one OF whose
aims it is to direct just such local
work. The Rito de los Frijoles he
described as eighteen to twenty miles
west in an air line from Santa
Fe, three hours ride from the Den
yer and Rio Grande station of Buck
man. He predicted that in a few years
1t would be an even pleasanter trip
than today, and emphasized that he
is absolutely certain that it will be-
come great resort for not only scien.
lists, but also for the great general
public. Although he has spent many
years in the archaeological fields of
America, from Canada to Central
America, he did not hesitate to pro-
nounce the Rito de los Frijoles as
one of the most interesting canyons
in America, both in scientific as well
as human interest of the ancient cul-
ture that here had its seat and ex-
celled in scenic beauty by few, If any,
others. 1t is truly wonderful spot,
and is bound to become a popular
pleasure ground for many, many
travellers. The Archaeological Park
of Colorado is greater in extent, has
more spectacular ruins, but lacks
the unity OF the Frijoles, is not the
thing apart from all the other can
yons, does not create the well-defined,
vivid impression of the New Mexico
canyon.
A Buried Civilization.
The ancient civilization of the
Frijoles has been known to us
through the writings of Professor
Bandelier, who lived in this city in
the early eighties and here wrote
many of his works. He was the pio-
neer archaeologist of the southwest,
and Professor Hewett paid him a gra-
cious tribute. But Bandeliers writ
ings are purely descriptive; he did
not command the means for exten.
lsive excavations and it is only by
this latter method that the civiliza-
ton hich lies buried can be brought
to light and studied. Professor Hew-
EFT, too, had known and visited the
ruins of the Frijoles in past years,
but not until he put the spade in the
ground this summer did he realize
the vast extent of these ruins and
the real character of the culture they
represented.
A Striking Gorge.
The speaker then described the re.
gion as one approached the gorge
tfrom the camp of the Ramon Land
and Lumber Company, from which
a road has been built by this enter.
Uprising and generous company to the
very rim Of the Frijoles Canyon, the
north walls of which drop an average
Of five hundred feet from the mesa
above. 1t is cut through the soft
tufa rock which flowed aeons age
from the Jemez range of volcanoes
now extinct. 1t is in this range that
the Frijoles rises, but 1t is only the
lower three Of its twenty miles that
are Of special interest to the archae
ologist. The north canon walls are
broken Bye a bench forty to fifty feet
wide, while from the base of the cliff
slopes talus down to the valley
where purls the beautiful mountain
stream, which lower down, not far
from it's junction with the Ric
Grands, drops in two magnificent
falls of seventy and eighty feet tc
the level of the upper edge Of the
White Rock canon, a most wonderful
gorge in itself, at some points fully a
thousand feet deep. A new trail
leads down to the Frijoles from the
Itop of the cliff, but the traveller be
fore descending should gaze upon the
marvellous scene that spreads before
him deep down in the gulch, where
lie the ruins Of the great pueblo, now
partly excavated.
The Great Pueblo.
This unique ruin is roughly cir
cular in shape; is built in accord
ance with definite plan around {
court. The structure is seven rooms
deep and contained originally from
700 to 500 rooms, while at presen1
about 400 rooms can be restored, O
which Professor Hewett and party
excavated forty SO as to clearly
demonstrate the type Of the ruin
This differs from the other haphaz
lard structures Of pueblo ruins, th'
latter resulting from additions to th'
original building by the addition o
rooms as the girls Of the family O
1.-THE clan were married, 1t being thu
custom for the bride to build a room
4. adjoining her mothers home, int
which she moved with her husband
1 In this great pueblo Of the Frijole
| there were three kivas or cefemonia
.Irooms within the court. The smallest 0
4 these, thirty feet in diameter, ha
ibeen excavated and resembles th'
| estufas or kivas Of the modern pueh
4 lnas with their shaft and vent hnl,