The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-02-13
new MEXICO HAD
OLD CIVILIZATION
Peeos, NJ. NJ, Was Center of CNiliza-
ton at Time of Europe's
Middle Ages.

(By Associated Press)
SANTA FE, n. NJ, Feb. 1l.--When
Europe was plunging through the ter
rors OF the middle ages and along
about the time Attilla. the Hun, was
ravaging the civilization of Rome, an
other civilization OF a different type
was in fairly well perfected state in
western North America The center
or this civilization as well as center
of trade was Pecos, ". NJ. about 25
miles east Of Santa F'e.
This was determined definitely. ac-
cordlng 20 Dr. A. v. Kidder. by exca-
vationG conducted By himself and as
sistants last summer. Or. Kidder was
aided By DR.. Il. A. Hooton, a special
ist in uhysica! anthropology and DR..
Carl r. Cutie, who had just returned
from his exploration among the Ma
yos IN Central America.
The scientists opened more than 800
graves and examined some LOCO skele-
tons. Homes had beer built upon
ruins OF previous habitations and the
bodies of the dead buried in the ruins
had increased to such an extent that
the Indians OF Pecos, some so years
ago, deserted their 1,000-year- city
and moved TO Jemez because the wa
ters had become contaminated
Cliff dwellings of a thousand rooms,
well preserved specimens of the past
civilization and unusual examples of
early day-pottery and household uten-
siis were recovered, according TO the
report on the excavations recently
made public.
Castenada, the chronicler of Coro-
nado's explorations $50 years ago.
mentions but one pueblo at Uecos, OBJ
vously the north house. Excavations
last summer showed that there had
been a pueblo at an early period on
the site of the south house, which had
been abandoned and reduced to a
mere heap OF ruins before the coming
Of the Spaniards. In the interior of
the mount there was uncovered one
ground floor chamber In excellent
preservation. Its roof was almost in
tact; from the beams still hung the
bark loops that had been used TO sus-
pend goods Of the owners and on one
-blackened log is a series Of
handprints. large and small. slapped
on In whitewash.
To explore the extensive north
house. which originally must have had
more than 1000 rooms and walls of
high, trenches were started simultane-
ously at the east entrance and the
west edge OF the mesa. The western
trench was run along bed rock and,
after passing through burials four
feet deep encountered the foundation
walls Of an early building. the pres
ence of which had not been suspected.
This was cut through and the trench
AT nit xx-ain
to be treasure house Is feet deep, 10
feet wide and 20 feet long, built in a
natural crevice in the mesa. Along
its edge was neatly made coping
wall two feet high and it resembled
somewhat the cenotes at Chichen liza
and elsewhere in the Maya field i'm
Yucatan. The cistern yielded an un-
usally full and unmixed collection OF
artlfacts and pottery from the earli-
est time to the Pajaritan or Fourth
Glaze period, When the cistern was
cleared II was bridged over and the
trench was continued. Another zone
81 skeletons was discovered, and some
Of the best pottery thus far found was
taken from the graves.
In another trench ruins were en-
countered similar to those of the pre-
historic walls Of the palace of gov
ernors at Santa Fe, built long before
the coming Of the Spaniards. The
similarity was traced TO the ruins
upon which the Santa He structure
had been constructed and which had
been built by Ornate or his successor
in 1908.
Other trenches revealed a large Sc
ries OF cooking jars, painted oilas and
zone nest Of ceremonial pots wedged
between rocks and vet quite undam-
aged. With these were many hand
some shell ornaments. two sets OF
bone flutes. two very large tobacco
pipes, one Of them deliberately carved:
SO buffalo horns, part Of a wooden
dance headdress and many other
specimens.
In one place were found two under
ground Sivas or ceremonial chambers.
Both were built in the earliest time,
about the beginning of the Christian
era one or them later serving as
burial place.
BY careful observation OF the STRAIT
!acd filings in the lower part of the
rooms, coordlnated with an intensive
study Of the successive ipcrements Of