The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-01-27

the Undated Pre-CoIumbian History
of North America-Method Is First
to Be Applied to Study of the Chaco
Canyon Ruins-Has Mystery of Do
tective Story.
Living trees and cut timbers may
become the mute calendars of much of
the undated pre-Columbian history of
North America, as the result of a new
means of time determination to be
first applied to the study of the Chaco
canyon ruins, explored by the National
Geographic society.
OF the accomplished people who
built the remarkable communal dwell
ings in northwestern New Mexico, de-
veloped a relatively high civilization
and left traces of marvellous engineer
ing feats and exquisite art objects, 1t
has been said regretfully they had no
calendars such as the elaborate time
keeping devices of the Mayas of Cen
trail America.
1t seems they had, but did not know
it. Recent study OF tree growth shows
that trees not only register the passing
years by their rings; but the contour,
thickness and conformation of these
rings indicate climatic changes from
year to year. Moreover these changes
are cyclic.
Have Story to Tell.
"Oh, that they could tell their
story" many a nature lover has ex-
claimed as he gazed Mt some tree pa
-triarch which had outlived many gen
erations of human beings. All along
the trees could tell their story; but
mankind is just learning to read it.
DR.. A. e. Douglas of the University
Of Arizona inc the Carnegie insti-
tute has developed a method which
science now recognizes as a trustwor-
thy process of reading tree records of
time and climate. Despite the remark
able accomplishments of the National
Geographic s0ciety's expeditions to
Pueblo Bonito beautiful Valley of
Chaco canyon, the leader, Neil M.
Judd, admits that no evidence has
been found to give a satisfactory an
swer to the question most often asked,
"How old Is the ruin?"
WAS IL oOO, OF i-UU n. H., OF even
longer ago than that. looking down
from sheer canyon cliffs the Wander
ing Jew might have seen children at
play on the roofs of the giant Pueblo
Bonito apartment house Ito mention
only One) and their elders at work IN
their garden plots Of squash, corn and
beans? Or fashioning some of the
beautiful pottery or tiny ornaments
which resemble earrings of 1922? Or
worShiping with elaborate ritual in the J.
clustered kivas?
OF course there are nc thousand
year-old trees among the pines and
jumpers of New Mexico or Arizona.
The oldest ones yet found are from
400 to 500 years old. The question
then arises: How bridge the gap be- 4
tween these trees and the spar of
years represented by the timbers used |
IN the roof supports of Bonito's excel !
lent masonry? :
Therein lies the romano of the
expeditions for which the
Geographic society has just s
made a grant of $1,000 a year for :
three years. The quest has all the |
mystery of a detective story, the in i
of a Baconian cipher, yet its i
working out will furnish valuable fact 6
well as mental enjoyment. I
Detective Methods in History Study. Il
Briefly. the method of study contem- h
plates getting cross sections of the old s
est living trees, then obtaining from {
)ther pueblos, of more recent supposed L
late, timbers which overlap the newly 4
trees in time period, then working r
ever backward with older and older 8
,pecimens until those are found which Z
correspond, in their cyclic indications, {
o those of the Chaco canyon pueblOs. Fl
Walpi and Oraibi, in Arizona, and z
,uni and Acoma, in New Mexico, the Z
mentioned being the oldest con- .
.inuously occupied pueblo in the South Il
vest. will be visited in an effort to n
latch together tree sections which will
AIRY the forest almanac back to dat Y
ng distance of the far more elaborate nj
canyon ruins. Is
A second line of study will concern IS
self with a study of buried stumps Y
ear Flagstaff. Ariz., and other stumps NJ
west in recently washed-out 81
alleys. These. too. may furnish rec 3
rds Of seasonal changes which will y
clip in fitting together tree diagrams ~
f time. ri
The National Geographic society's z
rant of $500 annually for three ii
to carry ON this special phase OF z
tudy is in addition to the explora- Y
nns tending further to disclose the U
fe. manners, customs and remnants III
f the handiwork of the early Ameri- 2
IN apartment-house builders. y