File:Indians of the Southwest (1903) (14578530288).jpg

Identifier: indiansofsouthwe00dors (find matches)
Title: Indians of the Southwest
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Dorsey, George A. (George Amos), 1868-1931 Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Subjects: Indians of North America
Publisher: (Chicago) Passenger department, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railway system
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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ary objects. Amongthe thousands of specimens which have been found are threeor four of very great value, the use of which has disappearedfrom the tribes of the Southwest. This is the so-called atlatlor throwing stick. With these, in former times, a spear orjavelin was hurled to a great distance owing to the addedimpulse, the throwing stick serving as a lever. In addition tothe mortuary objects found with the mummies there is oftenencountered wrapped about the bodies beautiful feather clothand other garments of cotton, often in good state of preservation.As a rule the dead in these ancient ruins were deposited eitherin a chamber at the rear of the hous.e, which was walled up, orin the floors of the living chambers. In the latter are oftenfound the metates or mealing stones, earthenware vessels, etc.,not unlike those still in use. Even in the arrangement of therooms we find many similarities to existing types of architecture. Allusion has already been made to the fact that one of the 63
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regions of the land of the cliff dwellers is now being preservedfrom the hands of vandals. It is high time that such action onthe part of the National Government were taken ; for a thought-less individual with the aid of a stick of wood can in a few min-utes topple over some great beautiful wall of a ruin which hasstood for centuries, and which if unmolested would stand perhapsan even greater number of centuries. Greatly to be commendedis the effort put forth by a band of energetic ladies of Denver,known as the Cliff Dwellers Association, who have as their objectthe preservation of the ruins in the canyons of the Mesa Verde.Every one who is interested in the preservation of any of theevidences of mans former habitation on this continent shouldlend every aid possible toward the extension of this movementin the Southwest, which looks to the setting aside of nationalparks, the protection of which shall be assumed by the Govern-ment. These splendid ruins form a priceless heritage in which

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