156 



MEMOIRS OP THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENOES. 



It must be remembered that earthquake may liave hastened the fall of the Salado temples. 

 The explorers have found many indications that these cities were abandoned on account of earth- 

 quake, and Zuiii myth and tradition point to farmer migrations of the people induced by seismic 

 distiu'bances. One skeleton in Los Muertos was found lying on its face, evidently of a person 

 never formally biuied, and ai3i>arently crushed by falling walls.* (See Fig. 15.) 



It has been indicated in the previous pages that an intimate relationship in arts, civilization, 

 religion, etc., has been found to exist between the ancient Saladoaus and the ancient sedentary 

 people of Arizona and New Mexico in general, as well as the still extant sedentary tribes of this 

 region. A relationship, less intimate perhaps, may be shown to exist between them and the 



ancient house-building tribes of old Mexico and Central America. There are many facts, too, 

 which point to a close connection between the Saladoans and the ancient Peruvians — a connec- 

 tion more close perhaps than that between the former and many races who lived nearer to them, 

 geographically, than the Peruvians. Environment may have had its influence on this afBnity, for 



* Since the above was written it has become apparent that we may attribute the sudden destruction of these 

 earthen buildings to floods as reasonably as to earthquakes. In the spring of 1801 this region was visited by a great 

 flood, which covered much of the Salt River flood-plain and ruined many of the adobe houses of the white settlers. 



