Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-05-29

was their Disappearance that even
the Indians of the region have only
vague traditions as to their exist
Ience.
A clue, TO the age of the Mesa
Verde cliff jewellers was noted by
DR.. Fawkes in excayating the Sun
Temple ruin in 1915. "A great red
cedar tree was growing in the an
mex to the temple. Its roots had
penetrated into the rooms, so that
1T was necessary to cut them off
and to fell the tree in. the work of
restoration. A stump of the tree
was left, however, and $50 annular
rings can be counted. DIR. Fewkes
adds ESQ years as a conservative
guess for the time of the temples
construction and use before trees
would have grown in its deserted
rooms. From such evidence he
THINKS it likely that the ancient
pueblos were in existence about
1900 A. d.
After the disappearance Of these
early communists the rock villages
were left to be gradually worn
down and buried in sand and
debris. In 1888 two herdsmen who
, were hunting lost cattle discovered
among the cliffs what seemed toSbe
towers and walls Of a city. Closer
inspection showed that the struc-
lures were the remains Of an old
cliff dwelling, a community house
with 200 family living rooms and
twenty-five rooms for worship.
The herdsmen named it Cliff pail
ace.
Soon after their discovery the
Mesa Verde remains were found to
have a commercial value, and van
dals began looting the rooms of
pottery, bones and bits of fabric.
The walls were badly damaged
and foundations undermined by
the reckless collectors.
In 1907 the government reserved
the tract of land to protect 1t from
further plundering. Congress made
appropriations, and DR.. Fewkes at
once began to restore the damaged
ruins and to put them into condi-
ton for visitors to see. Horseback
trails were the only way of reach
ing the ruins at first, and few tour
lists had sufficient enthusiasm to
make the 32-mile trip from Man.
cos. Since then automobile roads
have been built and small hotel
has been opened. Rangers act as
guides and Americans can visit the
prehistoric ruins of Colorado in
modern comfort.
Work just Begun.
Almost every year some new
type OF ruin is salvaged from the
debris of the centuries. In 1910
the Cliff palace, which is the
largest cliff dwelling in the south
west was excavated and repaired.
In 1915 the D-shaped Sun temple
was brought to light. The next
year large community house OF
a new type was unearthed and in
1919 one of the best preserved
cliff houses in the southwest was
added to the list of Mesa Verde's
attractions. Even the WOODEN
beams OF the roof of this mouse
were still intact.
Last summer a Fire temple. evil
IDENTIFY devoted to worship and con-
servation of fire, was discovered.
DR.. Fewkes has just left for an
other summers work at Mesa
Verde and he has selected for spe.
cial attention this year mound OF
a new form. Apparently TINS struc-
ture was not a dwelling but was
used for some unknown communal
purpose. 1t is at present a pile OF
stones twenty-five feet high win
depressed center. No walls rise
above the surface of the ground
but all the stones covering the
mound show artificial work indl-
eating fine masonry.
The size, shape and past use OF
| the structure can be determines
only by removal of the accumu-
lated debris laying bare the rooms
now concealed by fallen stones
drifting sand and a dense grown
of vegetation. 1t is proposed 10
strengthen and otherwise repair
| the shattered walls so, that tourists
NAV behold one more Of the great
prehistoric Mesa Verde buildings
somewhat in its original conoltion:
Mesa Verde excavations are oi
great interest to science. a NUM-
Der of scholars have made dilier-
ent theories from the evidence 30
far unearthed.
Unfortunately the Juepios u
this section had no system OF VIII
| ing. beyond, few rude symbols
scratched on cliffs or painted on
their earthenware jars. From re-
mains found in their buried dwell
ings 1t is known that they were
farmers, coaxing a scant living out
Of the dry mesa country. Bits OF
pottery and decorated fabrics tell
us that they had strong sense OF
beauty. BY such random clues the
lost Mesa Verde tribes intrigue
scientists to further effort in the
solution of their mystery.