The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-11-01


fessor Hewett again planned the work:
but his absence in Europe during tne
early summer prevented his being with
us until late in July. However. A v.
Kfdder, a graduate of Harvard. ana
student of archaeology. Joined US at
the beginning and took charge OF the
scientific work of our expedition
Party Makes Camp.
Two weeks were spent in exploring
the canyons leading into Montezun1a
canyon on the west, namely, Long,
DEVILS. Ruin and Alkali canyons, ana
deciding where we had best conduct
the excavation of a ruin. Many very
promising places We're found: but many
could not be thought of because of the
absence of water and pasturage- The
season was very dry and it was dlffi-
cult to find green grass and water
where last year they existed in album
dance. Finally it was decided to I'M
! cover part of a very large pueblo on
Alkali Ridge at the head of Ruin can
yon. Alkali Ridge is sandy rise of
ground covered with cedar and pinon
and an occasional open park of grass,
and extends about north and south be-
tween MonteZuma and Alkali canyons.
BY going across the ridge to the rim
of Alkalf canyon about-two miles from
the ruin we made good camp near an
excellent spring and about twenty-five
miles from Monticello, our base of
supplies.
Here We were Joined a little later by
Mr. De Fritsch and Mr.. Parsons. two
Harvard students from New York
City, who assisted Mr.. Kidder in col
lecting data and classifying specimens
as the work progressed. With the aid
of seven workmen the north wing, or
section. of this extensive pueblo or viii
lage was uncovered and the living
rooms and storeroons. with their as
ISOLATED kivas, were cleared out This
proved to be a very old vein. The
blocks of sandstone that were exposed
on the surface were so worn and
rounded that one would not think at
first sight that they had one day been
squared and shaped for a wall. and
the blocks that had fallen into the
rooms We're packed so tightly by the
| lapse of time that il was difficult 10
loosen and remove them even with q
pick. At the other or south end of the
ruin kiva and it's surrounding rooms
were also excavated to see If they
manifested any different characteris-
ties or a later period of occupation
than those at the north end. But
these seemed equally old and showed
no marked differences in construction.
AS far as is known, this is the first
piece of scientific digging done in
San Juan county. Relic hunters have
dug over a great deal of ground occu-
pied by these ancient people, and es-
pecially in the caves. where thev
wrought great destruction; but they
have kept no records and often have
failed TO see that there was a scienti-
fic value in the things they were ruth
leSsly destroying few of these van
dals are still plying their nefarious
trade from time to time, but we trust
the lew will soon check their career.
Burial Mound Opened.
The burial mound. situated close bv
the north wing, had been opened in
several places by pottery hunters. but
the balance of it was uncovered. au6
II produced a good number of skele-
tons and many specimens of excellent
pottery. bone implements and charms
From these rooms and burial mounds
we obtained $50 museum specimens for
the state university museum and a
box of skeletons sent the Smithsonian
Institute in Washington. In addition
20 these. ms ny specimens were OBJ
tanned while we were engaged in ex-
ploration work. and good number of
others were contributed by citizens of
Monticello, who have become interested
IN our work and wish 10 see the stat,
museum grow. Miss Kate Wood gave
a beautiful mug of unique design and
shape j. E. Rogerson turned over to
US decorated bowl found to repre-
sent duck with outspread wings. and
a beautifully polished granite mano or
grinder George Adams contributed
the finest metate or mortar that 7
have seen. 1t is symnetrically SHAPED
both outside and in, and certainly does
credit TO the stone carver of that day.
Bishop Jones added two fine axes and
two ceits. J. NJ. Redd gave us a very
inc specimen of a polished sanda,
stone, and Mr.. Bailey a large fossil
taken from the remains of one of the
prehistoric monsters of the deem. DIR
John Williams of Moab contributed y
oowl OF light yellow ware quite un-
common among the ancienfs. This Is
the way state museum grows. MANY
2 man is allowing q rare piece of not
Terry or an excellent stone implement
TO be knocked around and DESTROYED
which would be very valuable for
study if placed liz museum accessi-
bic to all.
Cave kiva Explored.
After spending five and half weeks