Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-08-03
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

Nearly IS years ago DR.. Walter Hough,
head curator of anthropology of the
Smithsonian Institution, collected
strange clay bowl from an ancient In
dian grave in the so-called Kawaiokuh
ruins in Arizona.
The design on the inside Of the bowl
was unique Nothing like it could be
found in any Indian painting ever
collected. Aboriginal art is quite con-
ventional. When one finds o striking
departure in design it means something
extraordinary. This was a picture OF
flaming dragon flying through a field
of stars. 1t was painted, DR.. Hough
was able to deduce from his extraordi-
nary knowledge of Indian art, by
very old woman. With her crippled,
trembling hands she was trying to con-
veg some message in the only perma-
nent medium of expression she knew.
But who was to read this century-old
messageP DR.. Hough laid the bowl aside.
From time TO time he took 1t out and
pondered over it. hoping to come upon
some clue. With the accumulation Of
scientific evidence from other lines dur
ing the past few years the possible
meaning has occurred to him. II his
tentative Interpretation is correct the
message was an extraordinary one. in
deed The palsied cid woman. dead
now for seven centuries, was trying to
leave the first eyewitness record Of
meteor fall in the history Of the
western world.
As described by DR.. Hough: 1.-THE deco
ration is q dark brown globe occupying
the center Of the bowl and surrounded
with q field Of stars. The globe Is
covered with short spines, alternating
dark brown and red, and is fitted with q
beak resembling that of the Natashka
monsters (dragonlike creature Of Hopi
mythology. Two tufted figures on
pedicles project from the side Of the
body and q wispy tail projects down.
ward. These appendages are not bird
like nor a bird topography. I have
never seen anything resembling this
painting in Tasayan art.
In execution the design Is quite
Sketchy, perhaps the work Of an old
potter with trembling hands. The de-
sign may represent a mythical creature
composed in the mind of the potter,
who had seen some happening in nature.
If this figure can be identified as sky
happening, I suggest that it is the
record of a great meteor fall, probably
that which was connected with the
formation of meteor crater. The orien-
tation of this figure would suggest that
it was moving from the northeast. The
arrangement Of the stars may have no
meaning, but the group Of three stars
could stand for q portion Of the north
ern constellation Of CasSiopoea.
If this hypothesis is advanced as an
explanation of this figure an intriguing
item follows in the dating of the meteor
falls. BY DR.. Douglass beam chronology
at Kawaiokuh the date is 1217-1500 AID"
About a hundred miles to the SOUTH
east of these graves is q curious geo.
logical structure low, hollow noun
tain-which long has stirred the interest
of science.
1t is the famous meteor crater. 1t is
generally agreed that sometime 81
gantic meteor struck the earth at this
spot, was buried deep in the ground,
and that the sides of the mountain"
are composed of the earth displaced by
the impact. There is nothing quite like
it anywhere else on earth. 1t must
have been one of the most terrific blows
the planet ever received.
If there were human beings in the
neiehborhocd TO witness the crash 1t
uould havs frightened them seesehlses.