Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-07
"Z0s1 civ"
Copyright, 1929
Continued from Sixth Page.

genious brothers, however, built small lateral
doorwayS IN the portion of the wall projecting
above the ground. These so-calIed doors were
more like a modern window than q doorway
Some Of them had stone doorsills and one
house even had stone Intel still in place.
was evidently the home of very progress
siye and wealthy member of the tribe, for Ii
possessed many rectangular rooms The fac;
that 1t was so pretentious has led scientists tx
conclude that perhaps 1t belongs to a late
period in the history of the prehistoric peoples
than the houses with the hatchway entrances.
The hypothesis that the original houses o.
Pueblo Grande, or Lost City" had hatchways
has been built on the fact that similar dwell
ings in other sections of the Southwest pos
sessed entrances of some sort through the roof
Scientists have also found among the ruins
thin fat slabs which showed signs Of having
been worked around the edges, presumably with
the object Of making them fit into roof open
ings Many OF these rectangular stones were
found in the ruins of the pit-rOoms, where they
had evidently dropped when the structure fel
into decay. sad.
The misfortune which sometimes, befell these
early Americans. of having their homes catch
on fire, has proved valuable aid to the modern
archeologist for it was fire which preserved
by charring, those portions of the roofs of the
pit-dwellings found within the last year or two
by scientists studying the area. These fallen
roofs were built of stout round beams, across
which were laid slender sticks, quite close to-
gether, while upon these usually was spread
grass or rushes, with adobe over all.
The floors in the dwellings were sometimes
merely the bare, hard-baked earth, sometimes
Of fiat stone crudely fitted together, sometimes
OF adobe and sometimes they were built of
stone and covered with layer Of adobe.
The little thst is known about the pit
dwellers has been cleaned from the studies of
their ruins and from the graves of their dead,
many of whom were buried in ruined houses.
Perhaps they did not wish to leave their he
loved dead far from human habitations. for
they buried them beneath the floors of houses
which were in ruins which had been aI1an-
dOned. In no case is there evidence that q
floor was relaid over grave.
The skeletons always lie in fixed position
but no cremations have been found to date
Something was always buried with the dead.
Recent diggers among the ruins have unearthed
bits of coiled baskets. bits of blankets of fuR-
cloth and feather-cloth, fragments Of flneIy
woven cotton fabric, pottery and sometimes the
skeleton OF dog which had been buried with
the dead.
There is much vet TO be learned a,out
Lost CITY," as only q small part of il has
been uncovered. 1t arouses all sorts of inter-
esting specuations among the scientists as to
the exact place the city holds in the chronology
Of the Southwest. -
But it Is gratifying to know that the ancient
city, with its interesting story, villa probably
be preserved by the United States Govern
ment., so that the scientists of the future will
have chance to unravel the threads Of It's
mystery.
Copyright, 1897