The Coconino sun., 1926-06-04

That one of the largest and
oldest ancient pueblo Indian ru-
ins in the southwest has been
discovered within a hundred
yards of the old Grand Canyon
road just beyond the point
where that road forks from the
Flagstaff WinslOw road, and
that it is to be reconstructed by
the federal government was the
announcement of ]. Walter
Fewkes, chief of the ethnolOgy
bureau of the Smithsonian In
stitution, Washington, ID. c., at
Tuesdays meeting of Flagstaff
Rotary.
That one of the largest and oldest
ancient pueblo Indian ruins in the
southwest has been discovered within
hundred yards of the old Grand
Canyon road just beyond the point
where that road forks from the Flag
staff Winslow road, and that it is to
be reconstructed by the federal gov
ernment was the announcement of j..
Walter Fewkes, chief of the ethnol-
ogy bureau of the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition, Washington, D. c., at Tues
days meeting of Flagstaff Rotary.
DR.. Fewkes' hearers were aston
ished. To not more than one or two
of them had it previously been known
that this ruin existed, though it is
only little more than six miles from
Flagstaff and close beside road ev-
IL lafe 1-f
times month.
This ancient ruin covers several
acres and antedates the ancient Cliff
Dwellings in Walnut Canyon, Dr.
Fewkes said. The main walls have
crumbled away, or were torn down,
many years ago, and much of the
material removed. But the founda-
tion outlines are perfect and with his
knowledge of Indian architecture of
that tribe and period, it will be pos
sible for Dr. Fewkes to faithfully
and accurately reproduce the struc-
ture. He said that he believes DIR.
Lord, chief of the U. S. budget, and
the congressional appropriations
committee will provide the funds
necessary for reconstruction and that
it will go speedily forward.
Several men are excavating there
and in the four days since they be-
gan, Dr. F'ewkes said, so Indian
bowls had beef recovered as well as
a large amount of broken pottery.
There is an extensive prehistoric In
dian burial ground adjacent to the
ruins.
DR.. Fewkes called attention to the
financial advantage the reconstruc-
ton of these ruins will be to Flag
staff. Much more easily accessible
than the Walnut Canyon Ancient Cliff
Dwellings, they will for many hold
greater interest, because of their
greater antiquity and also because OF
their superior form of architecture:
He said that when the restoration OF
the Mesa Verde ruins began several
years ago, practically no tourists vIs-
tied them; now the visitors number
more than 5000 annually.
DR.. Fewkes began 26 years ago to
explore and make records for the U.
S. government of the extensive pueb-
10 ruins northeast of here between
the Tuba City road and the Little
Colorado river. Only recently Pres
ident Coolidge set aside 2,20O acres
out there as the Wupath national
monument. Following the restoration
of the ruins nearer Flagstaff, some
of those in the Wupath group VIII
be restored.
These pueblo ruins all were lnhaD-
tied by the Hopi Snake clan, whose
villages are now scattered over the
Hopi reservation 80 and more miles
northeast of Flagstaff.
This country Immediately surround
ing Flagstaff seems to have been the
first home of the Hopis. During the
winter solstice, when from their pres
ent main village at Walpi the sun
seems to drop into the depression be-
tween Mt. Elden and the San Fran
cisco peaks, near Flagstaff, they be-
Iieve that it is retiring to the under
world, from whence they believe the
Hopis came and to which, they De
Geve. they return after death. Then,
at this time of the winter solstlce, IN
great religious ceremony they I'M
More the sun not to remain in the
underworld, but to return to them ;.
"Within a few months from now,
declared DR.. Fewkes, you'll see rls-
mo a building as nearly as | can
make it a replica OF the pueblo tnat
stood there before the white men
came"
DR.. Fewkes said that the runs
plainly show the outlines of the round
kiva, where the men toregatnte27Teo
their council or club room. Inen
tbere IS the square room in which the
women stayed, did their work and
Slent
Nothing can give me greater
Measure" !" DIR. Fewkes said, than &c
cali the attention of the world to the
antiquities of this region. A.,
Dr.. Fewkes was introduced to the
Rotary club by ]. c. Clarke OF rag,
staff. curator of Wupath natlona
monument and the one who has done
more than any other Flagstaff mar
to collect facts and acquaint sclen
lists with our Indian antiquities.
1 Hr rraG