Arizona republican., 1922-06-13


Visiting prehistoric ruins is now a
popular pastime with vacationists
who believe in seeing America first.
Out in Colorado in the Mesa Verde
National park we have prehistoric
remains that compare favorably with
ruins anywhere. both in picturesque
ness and mystery The Government
has for some years been engaged in
excavating and repairing them and
they show promise of becoming one
of the standard sights Of America,
in a class with the Washington Mon
ument, Niagara Falls. the Statue of
Liberty, and Pixies Peak.
Only recently have Americans been
awakened to an interest in home
grown antiquities. In 1907 when the
Mesa Verde reservation was estab-
lished by the Government 25 tourists
came TO see it's wonderful dwellings.
Last year $500 visitors were shown
the sights of the park.
Each year more of the Mesa Verde
ruins are in shape for public inspec-
tion DR.. FeWkes, who is chief Of the
Bureau of American Ethnology of the
Smithsonian Institution, spends his
summers directing excavation and
restoration work, with the twofold
purpose of promoting scientific
knowledge and of interesting Ameri-
cans in the markable past of their
country.
Scientists have never been able to
prove definitely whence the cliff
dwellers of southwestern Colorado
came. or how they learned to be stone
masons of such skill, or why they at
last abandoned their stone towers
and fan1taIaS ND nj raraarp6
1t is supposed that they were the
ancestors of some of the modern
southwestern Indians who live in
pueblos, or community houses. At
one time some scientists thought that
the AZtecs of New Mexico taught the
Mesa Verde cliff dwellers to build
with stone. But now it has been
practically agreed that these pre-
historic Americans developed their
own building craft.
At first they were cave men. seek
ing shelter in natural caves in the
sides of the canyons. Then they be-
gun to pull stones about and place
them for greater protection. What
are supposed to be their early at
tempts at building are simple shell
ters made of huge stones set on edge
From making these rude huts the
We're constructing horizontal mason
ry with stones laboriously fitted into
place. At last. this. is the story read
by scientists in the varied types of
ruins which plainly illustrate differ
ent stages of skill.
Ancient Communists
Circular square and semi circular
towers, some 25 feet high, were built
by these Indian craftsmen. Rooms
were arranged in tiers to form COM
munity houses. There were temples
with affairs and outlets for smoke.
Then the stone builders vanished, and
so complete was their disappearance
that even the Indians of the region
have only vague traditions as to their
existence
A clue to the age of the Mesa Yer
de cliff dwellers was noted by DR..
Fewkes in excavating the sun
Temple ruin in 1915 A great red
cedar tree was growing in the annex
to the temple. 1t roots had pene-
trated into the rooms. so that it was
necessary to cut them off and to fell
the tree in the work of restoration.
A stump of the tree was left, how
ever. and $50 cannular rings can be
counted
DR.. Fewkes adds $50 years as a cons
servative guess for the time of the
temples construction and use before
trees, would have grown in it's de-
serted rooms. From such evidence
he thinks it likely that the ancient
Pueblos were in existence about
1900 A. D.
After the diappearance OF these
early communists the rock villages
were left to be gradually worn down
in x11f, ,,1ic n
1883 two herdsmen who We're hunt
ing lost cattle discovered among the
cliffs what seemed to be towers and
walls of city. Closer inspection
showed that the structures were the
remains of an old cliff dwelling. a
community house with 200 family
living rooms and % rooms for wor-
ship The herdsmen named it Cliff
Palace.
Soon after their discovery the Mesa
Verde remains We're found to have
commercial value, and vandals be-
gan looting the rooms OF pottery,
bones and bits of fabric. The walls
We're badly damaged and founda-
tions undermined by the reckless
collectors.
In 1907 the Government reserved
the tract of land to protect it from
further plundering. Congress made
appropriations. and DIR. Fewkes at
once began to restore the damaged
ruins and to put them into condition
for visitors to see. Horseback trails
were the only way of reaching the
ruins at first, and few tourists had
sufficiet enthusiasm to make the 80
mile trip from Mancos. Since then
automobile roads have been built, and
small hotel has been opend. Ran
asat