Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-10-26
PREHISTORIC .
RUIN FOUND
Called Pipe Shrine House
From Pipes Left There
After Cere1norials.

WaShtnxton-Dr. ]. Walter Fewkes,
CHIEF ofSthe Bureau OF American Eth
nlofogy. Smithsonian institution. who
recently returned from q season
Of archeoiostcal neld work on the
Mesa Verde National park, Colorado,
reports tho unexpected uncarthing Of
2 most interesting and instructive pre-
historic ruin to which he has given.
the name Pipe Shrine House," be-
cause q the large number Of tobacco
pipes which We're found scattered in
e circular shrine Just as they had
been thrown there during ceremonial
rites, untold centuries ago.
The Mesh Verde park was reserved
from settlement some. years ago by
congress- on account Of the numerous
Sltn dwellings, IN 1ts canyon, but later
It was discovered that there were as
many pueblos on the otsh top Of the
mesa as In the cliffs. These have Jared
badly from the elements. on account
OF exposure. and Ae now reduced to
mounds without walls above ground.
For some, years DIR. Eewkes has
be9A active In unearthing and clearing
out these souvenirs of our precursors
on the western plains OF the continent,
and 1t has been through his efforts
mainly that tho ruins have been pre-
served. ,Excavating several OF the
mounds that were taken to be natural
FORMATIONS It was found that they
we're In reality the moplderlng heaps
OF fallen houses and. temples.
Mummy Lake."
Last May DR.. Fewkes undertook
the excavation OF, q mound in the
neighborhood OF what Is known to
many motor tourists a. Mummy lake.
The results OF his excavations were
as instructive as interesting and un-
expected. l.s
Out OF tho mound emerged a rec
tangular building about 20 feet square
and one story high, accurately orient
ed to the cardinal points OF the com
pass. with a circular tower formerly
Is to 20 feet high. like a church stee-
PIE, midway in the western wall. This
tower is supposed to have been for OBJ
~servation, and as 1t is, very important
for an AGRICULTURAL people to deter
mine the seasons Of the year, it was
probably by watching the sun as 1t
arises or sets that they determined the
time for planting and for other events.
In the middle of this building was
found q, circular room twenty feet
In which were found more than q
dozen, clay pipes, numerous stone
knives, pottery, idols ana other OBJ
Jects. Pipes of this kind have never
before been found on the Mesa Verde
and as oil THO Indications point to the
belief that after the rite Of smoking
they were thrown into the shrine, the
ruins were called Pipe Shrine House
Mountain Eon sixIne.
A few feet SOUTH Of the building,
which was not q habitation but spe-
cialized for ceremonies, there lie ia
square o Or shrine dedicated tc
the mountain lion,-a stone image o.
which was found surrounded by wa.
ter-worn stones and other strangely
formed stones.s A similar shrine |.
found on the northeast corner Of Pipe
Shrine House in which, among other
objects. vas q small iron meteor1te
and O slab OF stone on Which Is de.
picted a symbol OF the sun.
The cemeteries OF the pueblos OF thu
Mesa Verde are situated near thei'
southeast corner. land while the bur.
falls in them have as a rule been re-.
moved by ,pandals, several interments
Were found in the cemtery near Pipe
Shrine House. One OF these was left
without moving a single bone and ar
enclosure with a weather-proof ROOF
was erected over It, SO that a visitor
can view a skeleton more than SOC
years old with food bowls and other
pieces Of pottery Just as they were
when left by relatives that long ago
This Is said to be the first time care
has been taken to preserve for inspec.
ton q rre-Columbian skeleton Of ar
Indian In his own cemetery. -
4. $500 -