The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-09-18
EXPLORERS in SOUTH UTAH
Source of Cotton Cloth is Discovered
by Men of University of Utah

by Men of University of Utah
Discovering five new natural
bridges, finding six new mummies
and collecting more than 600 speci-
mems from the cliff dwellers' ruins
and from the cave mems novels,
Prof. Byron Cummings, head of the
biological department at the uniVer-
sity of Utah, returned Sunday from
the 1914 archaeological expedition in
to northern Arizona Members of
the party received reports from the
Indians in the vicinity of Ell Captain
that much Wild cotton was growing
in several of the valleys. They at
tempted to reach the wild cotton
fields, but were unable on account
of the roughness of the country. The
Indians promised to send stalks of
the wild cotton to the university at
once The wild cotton discovery is
one of the greatest in the cliff dwell
ers' country, as it, if true, will clear
up the mystery as to where the pre-
historic men obtained the cotton to
manufacture the cotton cloth found
around mumies.
| The highest natural bridge in
Monumental park was discovered by
Professor Cummings and his party.
The bridge is $50 feet from the arch
to the water, but it is only 100 feet
between the abutments. A second
| bridge was discovered which is 308
| feet from the arch to the water and
| 275 feet between the abutments.
Four of the new bridges which were
discovered are in Utah and one in
Arizona. Professor Commings does
not believe that any VIII tie man has
been to the bridges previous to this
time, but the existence of the natural
bridges was known to the Indians in
the vicinity.
Some Mummies Damaged
The mummines which were obtain
ed by the party were found both in
the cliff dwellers' abodes and in the
cave mems rooms. Some of the
mummies are fine specimens, but
several have been damaged by in
sects and rats. While no rats were
found in any of the ruins yet evil
dences that rats had damaged the
mummies were found. Rat nests
and parts of kernels of corn which
had been partly eaten by rats were
found. Among the prizes which the
party discovered was a large ola
five feet in circumference which was
half filled with corn. The ola is
of beautiful design, being of the
black and white variety and larger
than those which have been discov-
cred heretofore. The corn in the
ola is estimated to have been placed
there more than 1000 years ago. 1t
is the same variety of flint corn
which the Indians raise there at the
present time with the exception that
the kernels are red and white and
sometimes a blue kernel is found.
Professor Cummings discovered
eighteen new cliff ruins varying in
size from six to sixty rooms. All
were excavated and explorations
were made. The mummies were
found in part of these ruins and the
OLA was found in the larger of the
buildings" To the south OF the Ell
Captain country there were discover
ed fifteen ruins which will be exca-
waited on the archaeological trip next
year. Professor Cummings is MAX
ing a study of the difference be-
tween the cliff jewellers and the cave
men. The skulls found in the cliff
ruins show that the dwellers' babies
were carried on boards. The back of
the skull is fattened. The mummies
found in the cave men ruins have
perfect skulls, showing that they
were either carried on basket work
or in the arms. 1t is thought by
Professor Cummings that the cave
men were the ancestors of the cliff
jewellers.