Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-09-30
HUMAN BONES DUG FROM GROUND
BY PRAIRIE DOG result In Tine
DISCOVERY OF two old KIvAs
Indian Ceremonial Chambers Are Found at the
Abandoned Village of Hawiku, in South
western Mckinley County; Fine Specimens
of Ancient Pottery Also Unearthed.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS TO MORNING JoURNAL)

Zuni, n. NJ, Sept. 29.-Human
bones dug from below the ground
by an industrious prairie dog re-
suited in the discovery of two very
old kivas or ceremonial chambers
of Indians long since dead by
Frank w. Hodge, who is conduct
ing an archaeological investigation
at the old abandoned village of
Hawiku, in southwestern McKin-
ley county.
A Zuni Indian employed by Mr..
Hodge in eXcayating HaWiku
CHANGED to see some human bones
in the fresh workings of prairie
dog at a place about one-quarter
| of a mile from the ruined walls of
Hawiku. The Indian was put to
work and by following with his
spade the underground channel Of
! the srairie dog finally came to the
balance of the skeleton and furth-
er on encountered a very fine
piece of prehistoric masonry,
Upon cleaning away the sand of
| centuries which entirely covered
| the wall, a kiva was uncovered
some seventeen feet wide and so
perfect in its circular lines as not
to vary an inch from the true form
| of a circle.
Excellence Of the Masonry.
Owing to the excellence of the
masonry as we'll as the nature of
the pottery found, Mr.. Hodge be-
| lieves the kivas to have been built
by colony OF Indians from the
San Juan district of Colorado, as
the walls compare favorably with
! those of Aztec, Mesa Verde and
| Chaco canyon, and are not at all
characteristic of the careless ma
sonry Of the Zunis.
Some houses built of the upper
stones of the kiva were found built
on top of the kiva, In the manner
! of the Zunis who came along evil
! IDENTIFY some centuries after the
/ liivas had been deserted, Ten bur-
ials were unearthed above the
kiva, being probably the bodies of
Zunis, The pottery as well as the
nature of the walls, indicate that
those who lived within these crude
homes were the first Hawiku peo-
Pile. Some of the kiva stones were
carried 400 yards east and were
found in the oldest homes in Ha-
WIKI.
The second kiva. about thirteen
feet wide, was found just west of
the larger one and is OF the same
substantial masonry.
Mr.. Hodge is working under the
auspices of the Museum of the
| American Indian, Heye founda-
| ton, of New York, and Is assisted
by Ed Coffin of the same institu-
ton and some eighteen Zuni In
dams in his fifth summers inves-
tigation at Hawiku.
Hawiku is of prime historical
cal importance, for here 1t was
that the earliest Spanish conquis-
Ftadores came in the sixteenth GEN.
fury in their quest for gold. First
was Marcos de Mia, followed by
Coronado in 1910 and from this
village he wrote his memorable
letter to the viceroy of Spain de-
scribIng the wonders of the new
world and the life of the Indians
in the Zuni village now known as
the Seven Cities of Cibola."
Grand Canyon Discovered.
From Hawiku, Coronado sent
forth the expedition under Carde-
mas which first visited Moqui and
proceeded through the wilds to the
west of Moqui resulting in the dis
covery of the Grand Canyon by
Cardenas.
Although an attempt was made
on Coronado's life here at Hawiku
the Europeans had the great ad-
vantage Of being mounted and
armed, the Indians never having
seen horses before nor firearms
nor armour. so the conquest of the
Indians was made with the advan-
tage in favor of the Spaniards.
It must be remembered, too, that
Coronado's colonists brought to the
new world the first sheep, cattle
and horses in America and may
we'll be said to have been the
founders of the livestock business
in America.
The first Zuni mission was estab-
lished here by Martin Arvide and
Rogue Figerado. two Franciscans,
in 1929, and 1t was In front of this
now ruined mission that the padre
Letrado was murdered on Febru-
airy %, 1882, hundred years be-
fore George Washington was born.
Letrado's death is referred to on