Prehistoric villages, castles, and towers of southwestern Colorado — John Shaqi
Prehistoric villages, castles, and towers of southwestern ColoradoFewkes, Jesse Walter
History
Prehistoric villages, castles, and towers of southwestern Colorado
Fewkes, Jesse Walter
Colorado -- Antiquities; Mesa Verde National Park (Colo.) -- Antiquities; Pueblo Indians -- Antiquities
A large circular depression, 56 feet in diameter, is situated in the
midst of the largest mounds. A unique feature of this depression,
recognized and described by Doctor Prudden, are four piles of stones,
regularly arranged on the floor. The author adopts the suggestion
that this area was once roofed and served as a central circular kiva,
necessitating a roof of such dimensions that four masonry pillars
served for its support. The mound measures about 15 feet in height,
and has large trees growing on its surface, offering evidence of
a considerable age. Several other rooms are indicated by circular
surface depressions, but their relation to the rectangular rooms can be
determined only by excavation.
JOHNSON RUIN
This ruin, to which the author was conducted by Mr. C. K. Davis, is
about 4 miles west of the Goodman Point Ruin near Mr. Johnson’s ranch
house, in section 12, township 36, range 18. It is said to be situated
at the head of Sand Canyon, a tributary of the McElmo, and is one of
the largest ruins visited. The remains of former houses skirt the rim
of the canyon head for fully half a mile, forming a continuous series
of mounds in which can be traced towers, great houses, and other types
of buildings, and numerous depressions indicating sunken kivas. The
walls of these buildings were, however, so tumbled down that little
now remains above ground save piles of stones in which tops of buried
walls may still be detected, but not without some difficulty. In a cave
under the “mesa rim” there is a small cliff-house in the walls of which
extremities of the original wooden rafters still remain in place.
In an open clearing, about 3 miles south and west of Mr. J. W. Fulk’s
house, Renaraye post office, there is a small ruin of rectangular form,
the ground plan of which shows two rectangular sections of different
sizes, joined at one angle. The largest section measures approximately
20 by 50 feet. It consists of low rooms surrounding two circular
depressions, possibly kivas. Although constructed on a small scale,
this section reminds one of the Upper House of Aztec Spring Ruin. The
smaller section, which also has a rectangular form, has remains of
high rooms on opposite sides and low walls on the remaining sides.
In the enclosed area there is a circular depression or reservoir,
corresponding with the reservoir of the Lower House at Aztec Spring
Ruin.
BUG MESA RUIN
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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