Las Vegas optic., 1914-12-21
SPRINGER 5 WORK
ADDS To BIG
COLLECTION
LAS VEGAS MAN CONTRIBUTES
RESULT OF RESEARcH TO
SMITHSONIAN

Santa IFe, Dec. 2l.--1-lie annual re
port on the explorations and field
work of the Smithsonian institution,
which came to hand yesterday is OF
much interest to New Mexico.
In the first place it devotes space
and illustrations to the special field
explorations maintained by Frank
Springer of East Las Vegas, associate
in paleontology in the United States
National museum The purpose OF
these explorations is to obtain addi-
tional material for use i'll Mr. Spring
e1's monographs upon the fossil erin
oidea now in course of preparation,
but they also result in important ac-
cessions of excellent specimens for
the completion Of the exhibition series
in the hall of invertebrate paleontol-
ogy in the national museum.
In the second place an interesting
review of F w. Hodges, ethnologist-in-
charge of the bureau of American Eth
nology, archaeological explorations in
western New Mexico, is printed with
Illustrations from fine photographs
taken by Jesse Nusbaum Of the School
of American Archaeology at Santa Fe.
The group of ruins especially describ-
ed, are those on a mesa rising from
the southwestern margin Of the Cebol-
lita valley, about 20 miles south of
Granta, Valencia county, and only a
few yards from the great lava flow
that has spread over the valley to the
westward for many miles. While no
very definite information regarding
the origin Of the ruined pueblo has
yet been obtained there is reason to
suppose that it was occupied by am
cestors of the Tanyi or Calabash, clan
of the Acoma tribe, and is possibly
the one known to them as Kowina.
These ruins consist Of a number of
housegroups forming compound,
built on an almost impregnable height
and designed for defense, not only the
groups but the individual houses have
the form of Notifications, while the
vulnerable point of the mesa rim is
protected by means of rude breast
work of stones. The outer wall, which
protects the whole mesa, is built of
exceptionally fine masonry, probably
the finest work to be found IN ancient
pueblo ruins of the southwest The
building stones have been dressed to
shape, matched for size, and their
faces finished by pccking, with such
labor as to inform the belief that this
ancient village was designed for per-
manent occupancy Altogether the
work proves of great interest, and it
Is surprising to note the one failing,
on the part of the early builders. They
seem to have been unaware of the
necessity of breaking the vertical
Joints in the course of masonry, thus
causing many weak spots in the other
wise excellent walls. Among the
special features Of interest which Mr.
Hodges discovered were burial cfst
where skeletons, pottery and the re-
mains of a mat were found, three
small cliff lodges situated in the sides
of the cliff several ceremonial rooms
or kiyas associated with the ruined
houses, and the remains OF the early
reservoirs of the inhabitants.
The third feature is the contribution
Of Mrs. Matilda Coke Stevenson Of
Santa Fe, describing Strange Rites
of the Tewa Indians" Mrs. Steven
son continues her comparative study
among the Tewa Indians Of the Rio
Grande valley and illustrates it with
photographs she herself has taken ID
San Ildefonso, Nambe and other near
by points. She found a close relation
ship among all the Pueblo Indians, es-
pecially in their yards from the great
lava flow that has spread over the val
lev to the westward for many miles.
While no very definite information
regarding the origin Of the ruined
pueblo has yet been obtained, there
lis reason to suppose that it was occu
pied by ancestors Of the Tanyi, OF
Calabash, clan of the Acoma tribe, and
is possibly the one known to them as
Kowina