The northwestern bulletin-appeal., 1925-01-03
new FACTS ABOUT
ANCIENT AMERICA
Pre-Columbian Apartment
House Yields Store.


Washington, ID. C.-Neil NJ. Judd.
leader of the National Geographic So
ciety's expedition to Pueblo Bonito,
the pref Columbian apartment house"
Of Chaco canyon, New Mexico, has
brought back to Washington an amaz-
ing array Of exquisite art objects
and domestic utensils which shed new
light on an early metropolis Of Indian
America.
Perhaps the most beautiful piece In
the collection is a turquoise necklace
of $500 pieces and four pendants
the only complete specimen of such
a necklace known. The method by
which the Indians ground down the
tiny pieces, and bored them out to
be strung on sinews, has won the
admiration of modern jewelers. who
have seen it. The four pendants are
remarkable specimens of turquoise.
deep blue, and with them. Mr.. Judd
said. he could have purchased every
Indian horse in San Juan county.
Jewels Mounted With Pine Gum.
Other unique objects dart are Jet
rings, perfectly rounded, on which are
mounted tiny carved turquoise birds.
The mounting was done with pine gum,
the adhesive Of the American ancients,
which lasted through the ages the
rings lay buried in the pueblo ruins.
To get these, and other tiny pieces,
the geographic explorers have sifted
tons Of debris, after building a minia-
ture railroad, and set mule-drawn
steel dump cars to work hauling out
the rubbish.
Recovered by this tedious process are
some Of the closest woven and finest
specimens of Indian basketry yet dis
covered. To preserve these required
the utmost de1terity, for often upon
exposure a zephyriike breeze would
dissipate the specimens. The hope Of
preserving them lay In waxing them
Immediately upon their exposure.
Historically one of the important
finds Is a double basket, the like Of
which has hitherto been unknown in
ruins other than cliff dwellings, and the
use of which has not yet been de-
termined. II may furnish another clue
to piece out further the habits, GUS
toms and religious beliefs of these
aborigines. Although they left no
written words, nor even any picto-
graph records that can be deciphered,
they attained civilization as interest
ing as the early cultures along the
Nile and in Mesopotamia, yet distinc-
tive from all Old World peoples. Al
ready the daily life of the Bonito
dwellers has been pieced out patiently
In great detail.
Rouge Still Intact.
THAT object looks like vanity
viewed the collections.
"Not only that, but here is bit Of
the rouge the Bonitans used" replied
Mr.. Judd, and he displayed lump Of
reddish clay, which still will color the
flesh. These makeup" devices were
used by the Bonitan men, however,
rather than their women, and they
served principally for the beautifica-
ton of participants in their dramatic
religious ceremonies.
Pipes also are in the collection.
Some of these were pleasure pipes"
resembling very much the short, large
bowl English models. Others resemble
cigar holders, with fiaring bowls, and
these were used to make clouds in
the Bonitan's kivas or worship cham
bers.
Objects which shed light on the
economic habits of the Bonitans are
Che fieshers, with jet and turquoise
tnlays, used to remove flesh from the
skins Of animals; flint knives. which
are Clipped down with infinite skill
and patience; and bone needles, used
In sewing skins.
The broad area of communication of
these ancient peoples is disclosed by
objects found in their apartments"
which were brought from points as dis
tant as the Pacific coast and the val
ley Of Mexico.