Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-08-19


historic Race-No Room Approach
ing It In Beauty and Perfection Has
Ever Been Discovered In America.
Another big discovery-the most
wonderful yet-in the form of seal
ed-up room, has just been made at
the Pueblo ruin in Aztec, New Mexico,
which Is in course Of excavation by
the American Museum of Natural His
tory of New York city.
DR.. Clark Wissler, curator of the
museums department of anthropology,
recently reported by letter, to his asso-
ciates i'm New York:
1.-THE room Is in perfect condition.
The Interior is plastered and painted
in brilliant white with dull red side
borders and running series of trl-
angular designs. No room approach
ing this in beauty and perfection has
ever been discovered in America.
There are several adjoining rooms that
seem to have some relation to this,
but it will be some time before they
can be dug out.
"What we have is obviously the
holiest sanctum or shrine of these pre-
historic people. There is not much in
it, all the sacred objects having been
removed from the altar. But q sacred
serpent Is carved in wood over the
ceiling. 1t is Pm feet long and Of
the finest workmanship. Nothing like
this has ever before been found, to
my knowledge. On the ceiling beams
are imprints of hands made by rubbing
white paint on the palms and fingers
and then pressing down upon the
beams. Several strands Of beautiful
ly-made rope hang from the ceiling
presumably for the support Of hang
ing objects. On the floor were large
number of nicely-cut stone slabs, one
Of which was PA by IN feet and X
inch thick.
"This room will be carefully pro-
tected from visitors and will be one
of the best exhibits here.
Lead in Culture.
"There is q painted room in one
of the cliff houses In Mesa Verde park
that has some resemblance to this but
does not compare with the one we
have just found. This room Is, how
ever, one more suggestion that the peo-
pie who lived in the cliff houses were
the founders of the culture at Aztec
and Bonito.
Doctor Wissler writes that the ruin
Is now most impressive, a large part
Of 1t having been uncovered by the
American museum excavation party
which has for five seasons past work
ed under the direction of Mr.. Earl 81.
Morris:
"Since the greater part of the west
side is now uncovered, one can get
full sweep over this immense complex
of stone walls and quaint doorways.
"Our excavations have revealed one
calamity that befell this city. The
greater part of the east and north
sides were swept by fire. We cannot
be sure that this was due to one big
fire, but it was most likely so. The
ceilings were Of wood, supported by
great logs of cedar and spruce over
laid by split cedar and bark. These
fell down upon each other and lay In
the lower rooms In great charred
masses. No doubt many precious OBJ
jects went out in this great fire. AS
l have said before, we found the
bodies of several unfortunates caught
In the rooms.
fI.a Qra NJ oh fbn xIynd
side, we find a large number of rooms
with their ceilings still intact and
household utensils on the floor just
rs they were left.
Much Timber Used.
II have spent some time estimating
the amount of timber used in building
this city. There were the logs of
some 200 pine trees 30 feet long and
about IL inches in diameter. About
600 cedar logs Of the same size. but
averaging 10 feet in length. (The ce-
dar here rarely produces longer
trunk.) About 1900 straight, beauti-
full poles of pine and cotton wood.
Finally there is not less than 100 cords
of split cedar splints for covering the
ceilings. All this wood was worked
with stone. From this 1t is clear that
these people were good 'lumberjacks."
"a Mexican who has been working
for US just came in to report that he
has uncovered q skeleton. Upon ex-
animation we found that the body had
apparently been buried in fallen
room at the edge of the ruin. A little
lower down we came upon the skele-
ton of his grandchild (O probably
about five years old.
'This reminds me that we have
named the extreme southwest corner
of the ruin 'Potter's Field Among
the bodies buried here no utensils or
implements have been found, and they
are not wrapped. This was also a
poorly-built section. The rooms con-
tain very little. Further back the
rooms have fine stone walls and the
burials show every sign Of wealth.
"a few days ago at the west side
of the ruin the digging Of post hole
brought to light the stone wall Of
kiva below the level Of the ruin. This
seems to belong to small but much
older ruin that preceded"
The seasons plan Is to work out
the main remaining portion Of the
west side of the ruin.