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
At the base of the great cliff, on the top of which the remains in
question are found, under the shelter of an overhanging bowlder, may be
seen one of the finest collections of pictographs of animals and human
beings. Not far from the last-mentioned bowlder the walls of a large
pueblo can readily be traced along the banks of the McElmo Canyon.
In his studies of the antiquities of this region the author did not
penetrate west of the mouth of Yellow Jacket Canyon, but he was told
by stockmen and sheep herders of the existence of many other ruins
contiguous to the road all the way from this point to Bluff City. The
most important of these have already been described in a general way.
GRASS MESA CEMETERY
Grass Mesa, a plateau with precipitous sides overlooking the Dolores
River, is about 10 miles down the river from Dolores on the right
bank of the stream. There remain few signs of former buildings at
this place, but very many artifacts, pottery, stone implements, and
fragments of well-worn metates occur at various places, some of which
are among the best ever seen by the author. This bluff seems to have
been the site of a settlement, possibly pre-Puebloan, like that on
McElmo Bluff, with rough walls, resorted to for refuge, and later used
as a cemetery. It is well adapted for these purposes, its top being
almost inaccessible on the river side. There are many other similar
sites of Indian settlements farther down the river, but this is one of
the most typical. The scenery along the road that follows the banks
of the river from Dolores is ever to be remembered on account of high
cliffs on each side.
RESERVOIRS
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account