Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-15
Ex Smithsonian Scientist
Reveals Story OF Sun Wor-
shippers Painted on Rocks.
FINDS LARGE DWELLING
OF 10 ROOMS INTACT
J, A. JeanSsn, Studying His Find
ings, Attributes Remains
to Taos Indians.
ny THOMAS r. HENRY.

nv THOMAS n. HENRY.
Discovery Of hidden cave extending
into the depths Of great mountain In
Northern New Mexico, which evidently
served as the cathedral for the secret
mystical rites OF primitive religion,
has just been announced by the Smith
sonian Institution in It's report on
archaeological investigation In the Taos
Valley. .
The work was carried on BY J. A.
Jeancon. formerly of the Smithsonian
staff. Among the Indians now dwelling
In the neighborhood Mr.. Jeancon found
silence concerning this underground
chamber Although 1t no longer is used
for ceremonial purposes. the tradition
of the past when 1t must have been
dread-inspiring place apparently still
fingers.
The cave opening is about 7 miles
north NJ the American village Of Fer
nandez de Taos at the foot of Water
fall Mountain. The opening is screened
! heavily with trees and shrubs so that IT.
would be- practically impossible for any
one who did not know the location 10
And it. The entrance Is about 30 feet
high with q trail leading TO a chamber
about 40 feet high. At one end OF this
chamber is curious rock formation
suggestive Of q seat and pulpit.
Trail Is Worn smooth.
The trait, says Jeancon. is very
smooth and highly polished. showing
that many feet have passed over 1t in
ancient times. In front OF and above
the pulpit are two paintings on the rock,
crudely done in white paint, probably
intended for sun symbols since the an
cient people were sun worshippers. Both
are circular. one being filled in almost
completely, while the other has cross
marked in the circle. The cross, 1t was
explained ct the Bureau of American
Ethnology, cannot be interpreted as due
to some trace of Christian tradition
which in some mysterious manner had
crossed the ocean before the coming OF
Columbus. It is fairly common SYM
boil in primitive religions and has some
reference TO the sun.
Falling from the rock in front Of the
cave is a thin triclSle of water which
forms small pool which Mr. jean
con suspected also might have had
some ceremonial significance He
searched the pebbly bottom for re-
ligious offerings without result.
Finds 1S-Room Apartment.
Americans who have lived at
Fernandez de Taos for a long time"
.Jeancon states, SAY that the cave was
used In comparatively recent years in
connection with August dances and
other ceremonies, but no information
as to their nature could be obtained.
One informant said that the use OF the
cave was discontinued because the
Mexican village Of Seco was built too
near it,"
Digging into one large mound COW
cred with sagebrush Mr.. Jeancon found
the ruins of a large building of 10
rooms which probably served as pre-
historic apartment house for many
families. This house had a commu-
nifty storage room, kitchen and church.
The kiva, or place Of the primitive re-
ligious ceremonies, was almost In the
center of the compact mass OF rooms,
completely cut off from the outside.
Ordinarily in pueblo settlements the
kivas are detached from the main ruin.
When the plaza In which the kiva was
located was first cleaned off IT APP
peared that the area was used for
dancing only. There was hard,
stamped floor. broken only by large
boulder in the center. When this
boulder was raised a section OF curved
wall was disclosed which led to the ex-
cavation of the kiya itself. The walls
still rise z feet from the floor, are 8
inches thick, and are very well made,
and hard.
An Adobe Floor.
The floor, says Jeancon, was made OF
hard-packed adobe. probably mixed
with blood and ashes. In about the
center of the kiva floor was fireplace
filled with good ashes, evidently tnd1-
- A.A Do he
ceremonies.
In this pueblo the excavators found
many stone and bone objects which
enabled them to reconstruct partial
picture Of the life of the ancient people.
They had built up a tool kit OF their
own, including a special implement for
smoothing arrow shafts. There were
finely made stone knives and 1avelin
heads, pipes, bright-colored stones, used
as fetiches, and numerous fragments
Of pottery.
Some of the Taos settlements were
still flourishing Jeancon says, when
the first Spanish explorers passed
| through the region. Scattered over the
present fertile agricultural valley are
numerous mounds, all low and circular.
| the nature OF which cannot be deter
| mined without excavation. Fragments
of pottery are scattered all over the
region. At one place about a half mile
in area the ground Is strewn with
thousands of pottery fragments and
other Indian antiquities and there are
raised spaces indicating ancient build
| ings The excavators dug into these
without finding any trace of walls.
They first concluded that 1t must have
| been an ancient cemetery. but they
we're unable to find any human bones.
| The present covering OF the ground Is
not the native soil.
This area, says Jeancon. must re-
main mystery until extensive excavs-
tons are possible. II a pueblo once
stood there It, must have been very
large one and must have been COM
pletely obliterated. It lis almost i'm
| possible to conceive how this could
have happened. No information could
be obtained from the Indians now in
the region as to the meaning Of these
| remains.