The Dolores star., 1924-01-18

no written language Their weapons and tools
were of stone. They sandals and baskets
They shaped stones into regular forms and laid
masonry that has resisted the ages. They evident
ly advanced in civilization during their residence
In Mesa Verde
There hundreds Of cliff dwellings in the
canyons of Mesa Verde Among the more famous
are these: Spruce Tree House, with ia rooms
and nn estimated population Of $50: Cliff Palace.
about three times the size of Spruce Tree House
Balcony House. remarkable defensive site; Fire
Temple, a house of worship; Square Tower House.
On the surface Of the mesa several pretentious
structures have already been uncovered and 9TH
ers await the excavator Sun Temple has 1000
feet of walls. Far View House. probably pueblo
is 100 by 1i3 feet
And now Jesse L. Nusbaom announces that he
has found In Mesa Verde relics of people who
antedated the Cliff Dwellers.
Mr.. Nusbaum Is superintendent of Mesa Verde
National park under the national park service,
bureau Of the Interior department He is also
archeologist of note and has been Identified with
researches in Guatemala and In various parts Of
the Southwest. He served as q major of ordnance
In the World
Visitors to Mesa Verde the coming season will
have chance to see these relics In the park
museum. And 1t may be that Superintendent
Archeologist Nusbaum will have more to show
He ie now showed in for the winter at Mesa Verde
But he Is not alternating On the contrary en-.
couraged by the national park service, he Is de-
voting every energy to the search for relics
Here are some Of the things Superintendent
Nusbaum had to say about his discoveries Step
House, before he went into winter quarters:
The Rock Springs Trnil leading to the
west side of the park has made It possible to visi,
many Of the large ruins never before accessible TO
park visitors said Mr.. Nusbaum. "On this tra!,
at ruin called Step House. enough evidence was
found on the surface to establish the fact firmly
that even before the beginning of the ChristInn
era. Indians made their homes in the same caves
in which the Cliff Dwellers later built their homes
above the ruins Of this early civilization
Evidence of this civilization. which is known
TO archeologists as that of the post-basketnakers
has been found in northeastern Arizona and In
northwestern New Mexico. but has never before
been found in Colorado
These postbasketmakers were the first people
to begin the making of pottery. and shreds of their
crude ware have been examined. 1t was found
that cedar bark used to temper the clov ond
prevent 1t from cracking during the process of
drying Naturally, in the burning, this was dc.
stroyed and as a result the pottery was of more
or less crude and porous variety 1t Is undecornt-
ed and is the earliest type of pottery now known
to exist in the Southwest 1t is of an adobe color
with rather pinkish or yellowish cast"
Mr. Nusbaum has In his possession specimens
Of this pottery as well specimens of baskets
that these ancient people made. Most of the
baskets are Of the fne-coiled variety
There Is only one culture in the Southwest n,
the present time that Is known to antedate that of
the postbasketmakers." said Mr.. Nusbaum. "Al.
ready IN the museum collection at Mesa Verde
specimens are on exhibit which have been collected
in the park and indicate that the earlier basket
maker people likewise inhabited this region. II
such is the case, possibly this winter basket
maker cave may be located and the history Of
primitive man In Colorado will be carried back
to period OF possibly ten centuries before tho
birth Of Christi
One of the finds In the park that makes Mr.
Nusbaum reasonably sure that that region wa.
once inhabited by peoples Of the earliest known