Arizona state miner., 1925-06-06
Scientists Will Pass Five
Months in Flat Building
of Ancient Days.

Washington. Reconstruction of
the daily life Of a people who lived
In America centuries before Christ was
born, is one Of the tasks to which
Nell M. Judd, curator Of American
archaeology in the United States Ma
uonal museum, has set himself this
summer, In continuing explorations for
the National Geographic society.
With carefully chosen party Of ten
techn1cians as assistants, Doctor Judd
is leaving Washington to continue for
another five months what he believes
10 be the most important and culminat-
ing exploration work in pueblo
Bonfto," in Chaco canyon, N. NJ, the
beautiful village, which is the ruins
OF gigantic apartment house OF some
oO0 rooms sheltering at least 1900 per
sons about 500 years before Columbus
discovered America.
The study of American archaeology
Is only about seventy-five years old,
and the most notable contributions to
this subject have been made during
the last twenty years. During the
last seventeen years Doctor Judd has
been doing conspicuous work in this
line. for the last fourteen years with
the National museum and directing
work OF the National Geographic So
c1ety. He has organized and directed
twelve archaeological expeditions and
has pursued his studies all over the
Southwest and into Central America.
Summarizes His Aims.
Summarizing some Of the more I'M
portant purposes he hopes to achieve
In this the fifth year Of his explora-
ttons under the National Geographic
society auspices in Pueblo Bonito and
Chaco canyon, Doctor Judd says:
Il. We should reach quite definite
conclusions as to how long ago this
ruins Of great apartment house was
abandoned, or built, which will prob
ably be some 500 years before Colum-
bus landed on American soil. We are
endeavorfng to establish the date of
an interesting comparison Of tree rings.
"2. We ought to establish the differ
ences between the two distinct peoples
who lived in that single apartment
| house, judging from their cultural OBJ
jects, chiefly pottery, basketry and
| jewelry.
SO. We are trying to ascertain the
approximate length of time Chaco can
yon was occupied by prehistoric peo-
ples-extending back probably several
centuries before Christ.
81 We are trying to solve the rea-
sons why Americas first big apart
ment house was abandoned. We know
there were persistent attacks by hos.
tile nomadic people and serious agrl.
cultural problems. So one phase OF
our work this summer will be a close
study of prehistoric agriculture.
$50. We will endeavor to find the
upper end Of an old arroyo, or water
channel, which discovery would be ex.
ceedingly important in our solution OF
| the Bonitians problems and the,,
abandonment of the most beautifuj
aboriginal village in the whole United
States.
"If we can solve these five prob.
lems," explained Doctor Judd, "or even
approach their solution, am confident
that the National Geographic society
will have made one of the most Inn
portant, outstanding contributions tc
American archaeology"
Surrounded by prehistoric Indian
art, delicately wrought trinkets, close
ly woven baskets, beautiful pottery
and other trophies of his deIving into
the lives Of the Bonitians, which have
been deep buried for centuries, Doctor
Judd visualiZed his excavations O.
this American Luxor.
But he emphasized that while tn,