The Monticellonian., 1915-04-22

IL dreds Of years preceding the
march of the eonquerors from
Spain, prehistoric race of people ex-
listed and evidently t1ourished In the
region of the great Rio Grande, now
marked by the ruins of ancient pueb-
los, occasional shrines and idols
carved in stone, somewhat crudely
perhaps, but indicating the art of a
prehistoric band, traces of which may
give light to past civilization.
1t has been estimated recently by
Psychologists that this ancient civili-
cation dates back at least 1000 years
and possibly 1900 years.
The origin of this prehistoric people
is mystery which has not been
solved but recent excavations in the
Rio Grande area of the Southwest, in
a section characterized by examples
of early glazed pottery, give promise
of Illuminating the concealed history
of past civilization-days when the
pueblos now in ruins fiourished in
New Mexico and along the Rio Grande.
An expedition under the leadership
VI ANtio ". ANCiSOlls dlClSOioSISl
plorer, and conducted under the aus
pices of the American Museum of Ma
tural History, has returned recently
from the arid region of the Rio
Grande, and excavations there among
the ruins of old pueblos have yielded
many rare specimens, emblems of an
ancient civilization. 1t is believed
that the pottery finds unearthed by the
archeologist will prove key to the
development of this early civilization,
at present enshrouded in mystery.
Modern Cliff DwelIers.
Within the area where the work of
the expedition was conducted by the
archeologist no fewer than $50 ruins
exist, many of which range in size
from 100 to 1000 rooms In addition
to these ruins the archeologist found
many dwelling places followed out in
the cliff walls, dwelling places which
date back possibly 1000 years. In
one of these followed dwelling places
Mr.. and Mrs. Nelson established their
headquarters. They became cliff
dwellers of the twentieth century
while delving into the history of the
past.
The mesas there rise to a height
over the fiat desert country, where the
ruins of pueblos bear traces of the
early civilization, the powders carved
with prehistoric photographs, crude
drawings representing various animals
the deer, horse, the thunder bird
and occasionally human being. The
plumed or horned serpent often ap-
pears in these ancient photographs,
probably a symbolical design. The
coyote, the bear and hunters equipped
with shields, bows and arrows are also
revealed in these fantastic picto-
graphs.
Pottery In the Ruins.
While excavating among the ruins
of an ancient pueblo, about thirty
miles or more southwest of Santa Fe
Mr.. Nelson found in a refuse heap
layers of different examples of pot
terry. At the base of this heap he
found examples of painted ware In
the layer above different types of
glazed ware were disclosed, and in the
last layer of this pottery the pieces
found correspondent with the period of
the Spanish occupation. From about
1850 to the present time-the modern
period-,no glazed ware existed. only
painted examples of the potter's art.
Areheologically the old heap of ruins
has yielded the most important dis
covery of the museums expedition.
1t is now possible since Mr. Mel
sons discovery of these various types
of pottery, some of which are prehis-
toric, to classify these ancient pueblos
in New Mexico into three or four diff
ferent chronological groups. Thus
this old pottery. which dates back
1000 or 1000 years, may lead to the
unraveling of prehistoric times. 1t may
prove the key to the mysterious pre-
historic period. Something may be
learned by the Psychologists about the
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