The Prehistoric World; Or, Vanished RacesAllen, Emory Adams
History
The Prehistoric World; Or, Vanished Races
Allen, Emory Adams
Archaeology; Indians; Prehistoric peoples
Neither were the Spaniards idle. In 1682 one expedition was made,
and at least two pueblo towns were destroyed by them. In 1689 the
entire country was reconquered. Some tribes were nearly
exterminated, and all more or less weakened and a great many
ruins date from that time. It was the beginning of a decline for
the Pueblo tribes, and this decline was hastened by intertribal
warfare, by drought, and by ravages from wild Indians. As to the
drought, it is sufficient to state that some ruins are now
fifteen, and even twenty, miles from permanent water. The
Comanches were the scourge of the Pecos. On one occasion they
slaughtered all the young men but one. This was a blow from which
they never recovered. Finally reduced by sickness to but five
adults, the Pecos sold their lands and, at the invitation of
their brethren at Jemez, went to live with them, and the pueblo
of Pecos speedily became the ruins we now find it.15
No doubt a similar history could be written of many other ruins.
“Our people,” said Hosta, “were a warlike race, and had many
fights, not only with the Spaniards, but also with other Indian
tribes the Navajos and Taos, for instance and were thus reduced
to this pueblo of Jemez, which now forms the last remnant.” New
Mexico is now becoming rapidly “Americanized,” and it will soon
be brought to a test whether the Pueblo tribes can withstand this
new influence and retain their peculiar civilization, or whether,
like many other races, their life force is nearly spent, in which
case they will live only in history.
We must not overlook the Moki Pueblos in Arizona. They are
situated one hundred miles northwest of Zuñi. The Spaniards
discovered them, and called their province Tusayan. They are much
like the Pueblo tribes of New Mexico, only they have been much
less disturbed by outside influence. There are a number of ruined
towns in this vicinity. We wish to refer to them because of their
intimate connection with the ruins to the North. Their houses are
built of stone on precipitous mesas.
Wolpi. (Maj. Powell)
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