El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-10-23
INSCRIPTION ROCK
is PHOTOGRAPHED
New Mexican Relic Exposed
to Vandals-Camp Place
For Early Explorers

Washington, D. c., Oct. 23.-F w
Hodge. ethnologist in charge Of the
bureau Of American ethnology Of the
Smithsonian institute, has returned to
Washington from an expedition to New
Mexico, conducted under the joint
auspices Of the bureau and the School
Of American Archaeology at Santa Fe
Early In September Mr.. Hodge pro-
ceeded to Ell Moro, or Inscription
Rock, in western New Mexico, where,
with the assistance Of Jesse Y. Nus
baum, Of the School Of American Arch
Geology, paper impressions and photo
graphs Of the inscriptions on the rocks
were made
Ell Moro is an enormous sandstone
rock rising a couple Of hundred feet
fantastic forms as to give it the ap-
psarance Of a great castle, hence its
Spanish name.
Camping Place for Explorers.
A small spring formerly existing at
the rock made it convenient camping
place fer the Spanish explorers Of the
itth and 18th centuries. and the smooth
face Of the castle" well adapted it to
receive the Inscriptions Of the conquer
CTS OF that early period.
The earliest inscription, and histor-
lcally the most important is that Of
Juan de Onate, cOlOnizer Of New Mex
leo and the founder of the city of Santa
Fe In 1906. It was in this year that
Onate visited FL MORO and carved this
inscription on his return from a trip
to the head Of the gulf Of California.
There are 10 other Spanish Inscriptions
Of almost equal Importance among
them that Of Don Diego de Vargas,
who in 1892 reConQuered the Pueblo
indians after their rebellion against
Spanish authority in 1880, The paper
Impressions, or "squeezes," have been
transferred to the National Museum
where plaster casts will shortly be
made Of them for permanent preserva-
ton.
Exposed to Vandalism.
Although FL MORO has been made q
national monument by proclamation Of
the president, there is no local custO-
dian, consequently the rock is exposed
TO vandalism and the inscriptions, so
important to the early history Of the
southwest are ever threatened with
destruction by the thougthIess visitors,
who scratch their own insignificant
names in dangerous proximity to these
old records of early exploration.
MI Hodge later Joined Dr. Edgar l.
HewetL director Of the School Of
American Archaeology, on an expedition
to the JemeZ valley, about IS miles
northwest Of Albuquerque, where ex-
caTatiOns were conducted in the ruins
Of a large stone pueblo known as
AnoLlumQua, which measures about
about 100 feet by 600 feet. and is
situated on mesa rising 1900 feet
above JemeZ river. This pueblo was
year 1922, when, according to early
Spanish records, II was abandoned on
account Of the depredati0ns of the
Navajo indians. Seven years later It
was rebuilt and reOccupied at the in
stance OF a Franciscan missionary. and
II remained inhabited for some time
before 1880, when it was permanently
abandoned.
Find Many Skeletons.
Excavations. chiefly in the refuse
heaps which formed the cemeteries Of
the town, brought to light about 125
skeletons and more than 200 pieces Of
pottery, mainly in fragments because
the occupants had the custom Of kill
ing the vessels deposited with the
dead by heaping large stones upon
them. All the fragments were care
fully preserved, however, and are now
on their way TO the National Museum
where they viii be repaired and made
aTaliG Die for study Most Of the pot
terry bears decorations in color, and
some of it shows close relationship to
pottery found in ancient ruins in north
western Arizona. Studies by the bu-
reau Of American ethnOlOgy among the
indians of the latter region show that
some Of their clans came from the
Jemez country, and the archaeological
studies in the Jemez valley likewise
show early connection between the Oc-
cupants Of these two areas In addition
to the pottery, numerous objects Of
bone, stone and shell were found.
Among the most significant Of the
finds are the remains Of a necklace &C
companying the skeleton Of a child,
consisting Of "A Venetian glass beads.
suDstantiating the early Spanish rec
ords that the old pueblo was occupied
within the historical period.