The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1922-12-26
FINDS ANCIENT
"PIPE SHRINE"
Or. FeWkes Uncovers Ceremonial
Temple on the Plains
of Colorado.
FILLED WITH TOBACCO PIPES
What Were Supposed to Be Mounds
Are Found to Be in Reality Moul-
derine Heaps Of Fallen
Houses and Temples.

Westinghouse. j. Walter FewkeS,
chief Of the bureau of American eth
nology, Smithsonian institution, who
returned recently from archaeological
field work on the Mesa Verde national
park, Colorado, reports the unexpected
unearthing Of a prehistoric ruin to
which he has given the name Pipe
Shrine House" Tie name is the result
OF a large number Of tobacco pipes
found scattered In a circular shrine
just as they had been thrown there dur
ing ceremonial rites untold centuries
ago.
Mesa Verde park was reserved from
settlement some years ago by congress
on account Of the numerous cliff dwell
ings in its canyon, but later it was dis
covered that there were as many pueb-
los on the open top of the mesa as in
the cliffs. These have Jared badly
from the elements, on account of ex-
posture, and are now reduced to mounds
without walls above ground.
Find Ancient Building.
For some years Doctor Fewkes has
been active in unearthing and clearing
out these souvenirs, and it has).been
through his efforts, mainly, that the
ruins have been preserved. Excavat-
ing several of the mounds that were
taken to be natural formations, it was
found that they were in reality the
mOldering heaps of fallen houses and
temples.
Last May Doctor Fewkes undertook
excavation of a mound i'm the neigh
borhoOd of what is known to many
motor tourists as Mummy lake. The
results of his excavations were inter-
esting.
Out of the mound emerged a rectan-
gular building, 20 feet square and one
story high, accurately oriented to the
cardinal points Of the compass, with
circular tower formerly 10 to 20 feet
high, like church steeple, midway i'm
the western wall. This tower is sup
posed to have been for observation.
and, as 1t is very important for an
agricultural people to determine the
seasons of the year, it was probably
by watching the sun as it rose or set
that they determined the time for
planting.
A Ceremonial Lodge.
In the middle of this building was
found a circular room 20 feet deep and
about the same I'm diameter, i'm which
were found more than a dozen clay
pipes, numerous stone knives, pottery,
idols and other objects. Pipes of this
kind never have been found on the
Mesa Verde. and as all indications
point to the belief that after the rite of
smoking they were thrown into the
shrine, the ruins were called Pipe
Shrine house.
A few feet south of the building,
which was not habitation, but special
lied for ceremonies, there is a square
room or shrine dedicated to the noun
tain lion, a stone image Of which was
found surrounded by water-worn and
other strangely formed stones. A sim
liar shrine is fousd on the northeast
corner of Pipe Shrine house, in which,
among other objects, was a small iron
meteorite and slab Of stone on which
is depicted symbol of the sun.
The cemeteries of the pueblos Of the
Mesa Verde are situated near their
southeast corner. and, while the burials
In them have as a rule been removed
by vandals, several interments were
found near Pipe Shrine house. One of
these was left without moving a single
bone and an Enclosure with a weather
proof roof was erected over it, so that
a visitor can view a skeleton more
than 500 years old with food bowls
and other pieces Of pottery just as
they were when left by relatives.
This is said to be the first time care
has been taken TO preserve for inspec-
tion a pre-Columbian skeleton Of an
Indian in his own cemetery.