La Junta tribune., 1916-09-09
RUINS At AZTEC.
Now Being ENCayated and Recon.
structed--innumerab Villages
Evidence OF Their Numbers.

Evidence OF Their Numbers
!, Is unfortunate that the word
Aztec has attached itself to the ruins
at Aztec. y NJ. for there is no rel-
able evidence that the Aztecs ever
constructed or occupied naDitations
north OF the Old Mexico line.
Allowing for the variations in
construction OF the different villages
the ruins at Aztec are an exac, repli-
ca OF those at Mesa Verde. The kiyas
at Aztec. while not strung along in
line In front OF the other buildings
as at Clin Palace and Spruce Tree
House on the Mesa Verde, are on
the same plan and as at Mesa Verde
are underground
The Metropolitan Museum OF
New York has a concession from Mr..
Abrams who owns the ground on
which the ruins at Aztec are located.
and under the direction OF Earl
Morris Ga young man raised 10 the
AuImas Valley. and a very enthusi-
asttr archeologisu c force Of about
twenty men are cleaning out and re-
constructing a portion OF the ruins.
Mr.. Morris will ht up one or more
OF the rooms in the village to be used
as a museum. A duplicate of his dis
coyeries will be placed in these
rooms and they will be turned over
to Mr.. Abrams who intends to main
tain them for the benefit OF the pub
lie. The other relics will be on ex-
hibition in New York city.
The ruins at Aztec are mile
northwest of the town where the
valley meets the hills. They are
built in the open, the highest build
ing being three stories. To facili-
tate the work OF excavation now go
INK on. tracks have been laid from
the ruins to the river banks. The
dirt removed after careful sitting Is
dumped here from small iron cars
which run down the tracks by gravi-
~.
These people were probably identi-
cal with those tribes generally des-
ignated as Clir Dweliers whose vii
lages are found throughout the can
ons OF northern New Mexico and
Arizona. That the Pueblos. Hopis
and other New Mexico and Arizona
/ Indians are their descendants I firm
| ly believe. although Prof Bandelier.
an eminent authority holds TO the
contrary.
Conditions have had much to do
with the structural architecture OF
this people At Mesa Verde their
dwellings are built In caves In the
sandstone formation; at Aztec at the
edge OF the valley In the open along
the Rio Grande their habitations
were semi oval shaped. carved In the
tufa or volcanic mud OF the canon
walls.
! From the Colorado to the Rio
Grande. no matter by what name
they are known. there Is evidence
which establishes the unity OF this
race OF agricultural Indians.
There Is such similarity In the
construction OF the different villages
that escayators can draw a floor
plan OF tn. rooms before removing
the rubbish. They know where to
locate the recep,acles tina, contain
the most valuable relies. The relies
found In one yillas. are a duplicate
Of ,hos. found In another.
Tha, they were In great numbers
IL evidenced by their innumerable
villages In the territory occupied by
them. The fact that they were an
agricultural. unwarlike people ae-
counts for their proli'icncss.
What decima,ed their ranks and
left their villages In ruins Ne cannot
determine. II mirh, have been an
invasion by the Apaehes. Nayajocs.
or some other wariike tribe. or II
nigh, have been an epidemic with
which they were unable 10 cope.
r. r. wEBBER.
bayfield,. Colo. September 1st.