Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-08-02
Figure of House PrieSteSs,
Prayer Sticks, Hundreds
of Bodies, Prehistoric
Utensils Discovered.

OkIitOIiO GtONOhC Cus
Especial Correspondence 10 The Journai.)
Huni, n. NJ, Aug, IA life size
figure OF a house priestess, many
hundred years old. was unearthed
near this place by Frank w. Hodge,
who is in charge of the excavation
of the ancient village of Hawikuh.
The prieSteSs was found buried UNI
der the ruins OF the stone walls Of
the town and was removed with the
greatest of care. The head was
made Of terra Gotta and the body
of straw, with a covering of baked
clay. The figure is being prepared
Tor shipment to the Museum of the
American Indian, Heye Foundation,
OF New York City. under whose
auspices the researches are being
conducted at Hawikuh.
Another find uncovered by Mr.
Hodge and his associates is two
bundles of prayer sticks covered
with yucca fiber.
The Zuni diggers helping Mr.
Hodge on the work became very
much excited about the prayer
sticks and said prayers to them.
one of the Old Indians said
prayer, claiming the sticks We're
his fathers. An took pains to
breathe in the sacred spirit from
the sticks.
These prayer sticks have their
prototypes in use in the Zuni VII
lage today, and are very carefully
guarded by four priests, and are
used in their most sacred ceremo-
MES. They are know as "et-o-nay'
in the Zuni language.
Buried in Sacred JAR.
The prayer sticks were buried IN
a sacred water jar beautifully dec
Grated and covered by a slab of
stone. The waite" jar had Il hole
in the bottom, or was KILLED" asl
are many of the jars being un-
earthed which are found buried
with food for the use of the spirit
in the next world.
Many hundred bodies have been
found. some with interesting arti-
cles of food and raiment, while all
manner of pottery, stone axes, avis,
knives, arrow heads, dishes and1
utensils are daily uncovered.
In the part Of the village now be-
ing excavated many articles of iron,
copper, bronze, glass beads and |
china plates are found, showing |
that these rooms We're occupied |
during or after the advent of the
Spaniards.
Associated with Mr.. Hodge are
T.. r, Coffin, who Is the photogra-
pher of the party and makes care |
full Photographic records of all the !
before and after their re-
moyal from the debris of the
houses, and Jesse Nusbaum, who
the ancient church ana
monastery. Nusbaum was especial
ly fitted for this work by his eX-
perienee in uncovering the old
church near Pecos, N. NJ, not far
from Santa Fe.
Buildings We're Burned.
The excavating of the church and
monastery shows that these build
ings were burned, as all the timber
of the roof and floor as well as the
carved wood beams forming the
steps leading up to the altar, are
charred and burned.
The monastery was large affair /
of many rooms and is supposed 10
have contained the water supply |
of the village. The water has not
been discovered as yet and It's To-
cation lies buried in the ruins, per-
haps an eternal mystery.
The excavations of the present
summer are made especially to de-
termine facts about the structural
features of the village. In many
places it was verified that there
were at least three villages. one
built upon the other and separated
one from the other in its existence
by a lapse of time covering good |,
many years. In digging down in
the houses the excavators have
come upon the roofs of previous
homes and in the floor depth of
these roofs of still other houses
have been discovered.
Unable 10 Estimate Life.
Mr.. Hodge was unable to esti-
mate the age of the oldest life at
Hawikuh or pre- HaWikuh, Tor that
was the name of the village that
the Spaniards found there when
hey came in the sixteenth century.
But there is scarcely any doubt
that the oldest houses date back
lbout 900 years.
The finding of so many burned
homes has verified the Zuni ira
lition of the place being raided by
he Apaches in the seventeenth
century. But even though the pu-
eblo was burned and virtually de-
,troyed by the murderous Apaches,
he work done this summer has
shown that the floor beams, IRE
places and seats, as well as many
IF their utensils, are still in
good state of preservation.
Hawikuh is closely linked with
he early history of this country
Is the place where Coronado
his army of young Spanish
Glue bloods and introduced the
first sheep, cattle. goats and
horses to the southwest. The Zunis
to kill Coronado here
but he was saved from death by
Captain Cardenas, who afterwards
discovered the Grand Canyon OF
A arizona. From this place Coro-
1ado wrote his famous description
IF the people and customs of the
Indians to the yiceroy of Spain.
others who visited this region were
yastano de Sosa and Antonio de
Espejo in 1888. while Juan de
Onate was here twice, once in 1898
and again in 1904 and 1905.
Onate's Visit Recorded.
Onates visit is recorded on the
south wall of FL Moro national
near Ramah, where he
eft the inscription in which he
Jays he passed by the place In 1906
IN his return from discovering the
sea of the south or the Gulf of
4ower California.
On Inscription rock also is re-