Evening star., 1914-07-05
CIGARETTES IN USE i
BY ANCIENT PUEB60S
Evidence Is Discovered by ExpAor-
ers in Arizona and New q
Mexico. e

That cigarettes were used by the van
cient Pueblo Indians seems established
by the investigations of the ancient
pueblos, or villages, of the upper Gila
river region of New Mexico and Arizona.
But they were probably symbolic offer
ings, for those found at Bear Creek cave
were in the form of hollow reeds stuffed
with aromatic herbs which burned with
a pleasing odor, according to recefie
report on the Museum-Gates expedition
made public by the Smithsonian Institu-
ton.
DR.. Walter Hough of the United States
National Museum states that among the
thousands of interesting and valuable OBJ
jects connected with the lives of the
early inhabitants. were found dried vege-
tables, fruits and other "perishable" ar
ticles, even a desiccated turkey. Early
historical reports show that the Pueblo
Indians raised turkeys. but the discovery
of the desiccated bird and chicks, it is
explained, proves concluSively that tur-
keys were kept in captivity, probablS
for their feathers. which were used IN
the manufacture of native garments.
EXAMPLES Of Handicraft.
With other things. upon excavation of
d
of a row Of ruined stone abodes on the
banks of the Tularosa river. a tributary
of the San Francisco river. was found a
brush made Of grass stems bound in a
rude bundle, similar to those in use by
the Pueblo Indians Of today. In one cor
ner near a rock mass, were found some
small bows and arrows. with other offer
ings. indicating the location Of an ancient
shrine.
From the rubbish and debris the re-
mains of several mammals and birds
were identified; among them deer. prong
horn, bison, Woodchuck, mice, rats, musk
rats, rabbits, lynx, fox. skunk. bear, a
hawk, an adult turkey, chicks and eggs
and many feathers Of other birds. all of
which occupied the cave at one time or
another or were killed and stored there
by the early Indians. Ears and scattered
grains of corn of smooth and short
grain. yellow, blue and carmine, but
much faded with aging, were also found.
as well as the remains and seeds Of
gourds, sQuaSheS, beans, other vegetables
and fruits and nuts.
Specimens of Pottery.
In the Tularosa cave there was pot
terry of a rude form, while from several
large open-air pueblos examples of a very
fine finish and ornamentation were col
lected. The designs on the bowls COM
monty consist of four elements based on
the world quarters. the bottom usually
being circular and blank. Other designs
are of combined Matched and solid color
or of a checkered variety. Many small
collections of pottery were found in caves
and springs, where they had been depos-
tied as offerings.
In the religion of these early inhab-
itants the bird had an especial signfh-
canoe and is found in nearly all their
ceremonies. appearing as solid image
in pottery and carving. depicted on
surfaces as a fetish. but more fire.
quently its plumage is used in one way
or another.
In a great sacred cave on Blue river
were found bows. arrows. painted rods.
baskets, miniature pottery. cigarettes.
cotton cloth. beads. painted tablets.
etc. deposited in pit shrines on the
floor of the cavern. These were OBJ
jects offered to the supernatural be-
ings and show the extremely compli-
Gated character of the ancient native
worship.
Much Of the territory covered by the
report has never been scientifically ex-
plored before. and the maps. field notes
and natural history collections will
throw much light on the life of the
ancient peoples of this region.