The sun., 1919-10-19
BURIALS OF AZTEC
CHILDREN FOUND
Chambers Encountered in Ex-
cavatiOn of Pueblo Ruin
i'm New Mexico.
CONDITION is PERFECT
Americans Museum Reports on
Latest Discoveries i'm
Southwest.

Three years ago Earl II. Morris repre-
sentng the American Museum of Natu-
raj History. undertook The excavation
of an ancient Pueblo ruin in Aztec, n. NJ
The work was begun at the public spir-
tied suggestion and through the courtesy
of II. d. Abrams, the owner of the prop
erty, and is being financed from the
Archer NJ. Huntington fund for survey
ing the southwestern United States. Mr..
Morriss early finds aroused considerable
public interest, and the aztec rum be-
came widely known as the first American
apartment house.
During the past month the museum
party has uncovered new section of the
ruin, revealing several rooms filled with
sand and fallen debris These rooms
were In perfect condition, just as left by
the last occupants. The ceilings were
standing and the objects left by the in
habitants scattered about on the floor.
Nothing had disturbed them except the
fine layer of dust sifted over all One of
the rooms had been filled to the ceiling
and was found to be burial room. Mr..
Norris wrote briefly to DR.. Clark Wissler.
curator of the department of Anthropol-
ogy at the American Museum, concerning
his most recent findings
I'm the second story chambers there
was large accumulation of dry refuse.
One of these yielded some excellent spec
linens of textiles and burial with
wrappings in very good state of preser-
walton. Above .the refuse in the other
room there was upon the fallen third floor
a surprising number of stone implements,
several bone tools some beautifully
worked wooden boards, seven coiled
basket plaques (three well preserved) a.,
and a digging implement with handle of
wood and blade of mountain sheep horn.
BuriaIs of Children.
'1n the refuse beneath this layer we
nave to date found the burials of FIVE
children (three with wrappings per-
fectly preserved), four baskets in ex-
cellent shape, a wooden dipper some
beads and various odds and ends Three
fourths of the deposit is still to be gone
over. The outer covering of the wrapped
bodies is particularly interesting. Each
body was placed upon rush mat. Then
the sides were folded inwacd and one
doubled upward. The whole was then
tied into long package, with cord or
yucca strips. AS yet l have not opened
any Of the bundles, SO do not know what
the interiors may contain besides the
bones. These finds certainly are impor-
tant. They are different from anything
we have previously uncovered
AS a result of the excavations Aztec
has become popular resort for visitors
About one hundred miles southeast OF
the famous Mesa Verde Park Gin which
the finest cliff houses are to be found }
and not more than a two hours ride from
Durango, Col, the ruin at Aztec is an
attraction to all automobile tourists
During the present year more than 1,20O
persons visited the ruin. In contrast to
the tiny cliff houses OF the park the
great Pueblo ruin, with it's 800 square
feet of area and its 400-odd rooms is
wonderfully impressive. The greater
part of the remains is now uncovered
and visitors may walk over the tops oil
the massive walls. gazing down into the
many chambers.