The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-04-20
ANCIENT
PEOPLES

because p06re were u006FInoQ II al
sacred cave of a prehistoric people in
whole eggs of this bird, Oh because
there were brought to light large cir
cular s~ubteranean houses OF q sort
never before discovered by modern
white man, that a general summary
by DIR. Walter Hough, of the United
States National museum, OF b re-
suits OF an expedition to the valleys
of the Upper Qua and Salt Rivers is
important and interesting. The re-
suits are important because of he c-
curate story that may re built up
around these proofs of a certain de-
gree of civilization the pictures of
life, habits, arts and industries Of pre-
historic tribes. that all this material
outlines to the archaeologist N eth
n%ologist.
DR.. Hough's account of the results
of this trip is published as a bulletin
of the bureau of American ethnology
of the Smithsonian Institute under the
direction of which Institution the Ma
tional Museum is also conducted.
The region traversed is in south
western New Mexico, and southeast
ern Arizona. Most of it for a number
of years has been carefully guarded
by the government in o u forest re-
serves and an Indian reservation.
1t is believed that the region was
deserted by its Inhabitants long before
the middle of the sixteenth century,
when the ~gold-seeking expedition of
Coronado and his adventures passed
by these ancient and puebloS.
| Many generations afterward rowing
bands of Apaches secured the terri
tory, probably keeping away many
| possible settlers, and, in fact, it was
not until 1886, % years ago that these
| renegade tribes were paciied through
the establishment of military posts.
What Became Of the People.
1t is a matter of conjecture as to
what became OF the people whose vii
lagos are so The climate
is generally healthy, except for oc-
| casional fevers that are not serious.
/ Exploration of the ruins, SC far Is this
has been accompanied shows that the
pueblos were not abandoned on &C
count of Internal warfare or attacks
from outside enemies. There is rea-
son to believe hat failures of food
supply were less prevalent in early
times b since occupancy by white
men, but starvation may have been a
factor in the decline in population in
certain localities. h most potent
cause, however, is believed to have
existed in the social organization of
the people, which in that isolated
country may have prohibited marriage
within the clan, as is the case among
the existing Pueblo tribes.
In several pueblos on San Francisco
river, a branch OF the ella, there was
silent evidence of the gradual decline
of the race The exploring party ex-
amined the cemetery which was built
as usual outside the walls OF the pueb-
10 village. Going into the pueblo, they
found burials in the outer rooms
Penetrating still farther they came
upon other burials in inner rooms,
shown to have been made at a later
time by the lack of offerings of pot.
terry or trinkets placed with the dead.
Still farther in other rooms, the need
Of them gone had evidently bee Civ
en- over to sheltering the departed
members of the clan. The evidence
invariably shows that no sudden cata-
clysm overwhelmed the pueblos, nc
hasty di~sorganized abandonment took
place, no wars decimated them, but
rather that. like a r they passed
through the successive stages OF
growth, decline and decay to final ex-
tinctfon.
Their Resources.
These people had at ham many diff
ferent kinds of stones with which to
build their houses heavy volcanic
rocks for the walks, strong creamy
white stones for floors, lintels and
fire boxes, amy minerals, clays for
pottery, pigments for its decoration
and materials for weapons. There is
lno evidence hat they knew how to
work metals.
There were trees of many sorts to
furnish firewood, bows, arrows, bask
ct sticks, etc. the bark for bedding.
tying, preserving the fire, cordage and
| costumes. Reeds were made into ar
row shafts and flutes, tule was WOW
en- into mats and willow grass and
other plants turned into sandals, bas-
kets and mats. Fiber, food, drink,
medicine and dyes were derived from
wild plants, and corn, beans, squashes
and gourds were cultivated for means
of subsistence. Cotton was grown in
the warmer localities for clothing and
sacred purposes.
The animals OF the region at that
thine included the elk, deer, antelope,
bear, mountain lion, turkey, grouse
| and pigeon, and furnished them with
| skins, plumage, a~ntlers, claws. hoofs.