Ellsworth American., 1919-07-02


ing Water Some 1000 Years Before
i Christ-Each Succeeding Genera
ton Has Helped Make Dwellings
More HabitabIe.
Refutation of the common belief
that apartment houses are a develop
rnent of modern methods In building
and that the idea of housing 80 to so
families under one roof was thought
OF hrst in the nineteenth century, is
contained in an article on 1.-THE Cone
Dwellers of Asia Minor" published in
the National Geographic Magazine.
The late DIR. J. r. Sitlington Starrett,
traveller and explorer, the author of
the article, presents history of his
inspection of the land of the Troglo-
dytes whose homes in the Cappadocian
valley were shaped by the erod-
ing action of flowing water some
1000 years before Christ. and stand
today, "waIk-ups'' 1t is true, but never
theless natures own apartment houses.
The habitations are cone-shaped.
Pumice stone Is the material of which
they are made, and to protect them
from the action Of rain nature pro-
vided them with roofs of lava that
was beIched from nearby volcanoes.
Compared to those Of more modern
civilization, the homes of the cone
dwellers lack much that makes for
comfort Needless to state, they are
not provided with lighting systems,
running water, elevators, superintend-
ents, dumb-waiters and bellboys- But
in their favor Is the fact that no rent
need be paid nor leases signed; no
neighbors' children can disturb one be-
cause the floors are os thick stone, and
burglars find business unprofitable be-
cause once the Troglodytes family
turns in for the night, the STAIRS is
pulled up after them.
Improve Their Homes.
The present generation of Trogio-
dytes has improved on the dwellings
left them by their ancestors. In fact
each succeeding generation has done
its bit to make the stone houses more
habitable. For instance, Doctor Star
rett explains that in some locations,
where the simple cones were the orig
inal dwellings, the Troglodytes have
improved the situation by building ia
cades of pumice stone in front of
them.
Apparently the cones already were
standing when the forefathers of the
present Troglodytes entered the Cap
padocian valley. They were solid, how
ever, and considerable work was nee
essary to make apartment houses of
them.
Primitive tools We're used to cut en-
frances and once the first hole was
made, the workers spread themselves,
so to speak, and proceeded to enlarge
the space inside. The entrance tun-
nels branched Off into rooms; windows
were then cut, and the Troglodytes
moved in. Everything portable that
was owned by the Troglodyte was car
ried into his apartment and stored
away in the store room.
The mere fact that a cone already
was inhabited, made no difference to
Troglodyte who liked its appearance.
If he found friend living inside, he
burrowed a home under or over that
friends home. In many instances,
Doctor Starrett wrote. cones were
found to be or to have been used by
four or five families. The entrances
were found level with the ground in
many cases, while on the other hand
there were cone dwellings the en-
frances to which were located far
above the surface.
Evidently the Troglodyte of ancient
times was long-fingered, strong
toed individual. Small clefts in the
surface of the cones side were used
in climbing to and from the apart
ments. Many of the Troglodytes Of
today, the article explains, use pole
In entering or leaving the house.
Use Pole for Stairway.
And the modern Troglodyte, using
long wooden pole as means of en-
tering his home, shows little progress
in architecture None of his ances-
tors were brought up to the fresh-air
habit. Their sleeping rooms for the
most part We're not constructed so
that air might circulate. Examina-
tion of the interior rooms indicates
that the TFoglodytes of the pre-Chris-
tian era were content to live in al
most total darkness.
So today their descendants pay lit
tie attention to light and air. Fresh
air and sunlight find their way into
just one room. That is located at the
II
ways In inky blackness, unless the oc-
cupants of the house lets the wind and
rain exert their forces on his walls.
Thus window may force its presence
upon them.