Evening journal., 1919-10-25
Old AZTEC RUIN
SHOWS PUEBLO LIFE
Excavators for American
Museum Lays Bare Noted
Stone Age Relic
HOUSE iOF MANY
ROOMS PRESERVED

NEW YORK, Oct. 25.-With three
quarters Of an ancient Pueblo ruin at
Aztec, N. NJ, to be excavaled, Earl H..
Morris, representing the American Mu-
scum Of Natural History, recently has
uncovered a much larger and more in-
teresting dwelling than any heretofore
entered.
This work, which has been on for
three years, is being done through the
courtesy of II. D. Abrams, owner OF the
property, with financial aid from the
Archer NJ Huntington fund. 1t was
Mr. Morris who unearthed the ruin
which became known as "the first
American apartment house"
During the past month the museum
party has uncovered a 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 inhabitants 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 a burial
room. Mr.. Morris writes briefly to DR..
Clark Wssler, curator of the depart
ment of santhropology at the American
Museum, concerning his most recent
findings
"ln two second-story chambers there
was a large accumulation Of dry refuse
One of these yielded some excellent
- nd 4. al 4srff
wrappings In a very good state Of
preservation. 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) and a digging implement
with handle Of wood and blade OF
mountain sheep horn.
I'm the refuse beneath this layer we
have to date found the burials of five
children (three With wrappings per-
fectly preserved, four baskets in excel
lent 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 interest
ing. Each body was placed upon rush
mat. Then the sides were folded in
ward and one doubled upward.
"The whole was then tied into a long
package with cord Of yuea strips. As
vet have not opened any or the
bundles. SO do not know what the in-
teriors may contain besides the bones.
These finds certainly are important.
They are different from anything we
have previously uncovered
AS a result OF the excavations Aztec
has become a popular resort for visitors.
About 400 miles southeast of the famous
Mesa Verde Park (in which the finest
cliff houses are 10 be found and not
over two hours ride from Durango,
Col, the ruin at Aztec Is an attraction
to all automobile tourists. During theI
present year more than 1900 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 It's 400 odd
rooms, is wonderfully impressive
The greater part OF the remains is
now uncovered and visitors may walk
over the tops OF the massive walls,
gazing down into many chambers. Very
are these walls-approXl-
mately three feet thick and built OF
dressed sandstone. carried piece by
piece by the tireless builders from the
uuarries. OF which the nearest lies "a
miles from the ruin.
This prehistoric people had no beasts
OF burden. The cedar logs, from TO
70 inches in diameter, which support
the floors and ceilings OF all the rooms,
were also conveyed from a distance, for
no such trees grow in the vicinity OF
Aztec, nor are there any indications
that they have ever grown there. But
IL one follows the course of the Animas
river toward It's sources in thel noun
tains he will, after a journey OF 400 to
$50 miles. reach an ancient forest where
great cedars grow.
This river passes within few rods
Of the ruin. II is. therefore, safe to
infer that the ancient builders of the
present ruin iourneyed to the forests
above. cut these huge logs and RATED
them down the stream. As they lived
In a stone age and had no tools Of
metal. these logs were worked with
stone axes Their ends are cut smooth
and square, and one can still see on
their surfaces the marks of the stone
tools.