THE CASAS GRANDES METEORITE. 



By Wirt Tassin, 



AssisUini Curator, Divhion of MineraJogii. 



HISTORY. 



One hundred and forty miles southwest of Juarez, or El Paso del 

 Norte, in the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, are the ancient Mexican 

 ruins variousl}?^ known as Casa Grande, Castis Grand(^s, Montezuma 

 Casas Grandes, and Casas Grandes de Malintzin, relics of a civilization 

 that l)efore the Spanish invasion occupied the country as far north as 

 Santa Fe. In this ruin certain inhabitants of a small Mexican town, 

 near to and which takes its name from the Casas Grandes ruins, dis- 

 covered a roundish mass of meteoric iron. 



The news of the discover}^ was published by Tarayre/ who reported 

 that Miiller, the director of the mint of Chihuahua, during- the course 

 of an exploration of the great temple of the Casas Grandes, brought 

 to light a lenticular mass of meteoric iron 50 centimeters in diameter, 

 carefull}^ wrapped in cloths similar to those enshrouding the mummies 

 in the ancient tombs of the same locality. Later, Mr. William M. 

 Pierson, United States vice-consul at El Paso del Norte, gave a more 

 circumstantial account of the find in a letter'^ to the State Department, 

 from which the following is taken: 



A party of tliese Mexican inonntaineers, as a matter of (;urious speculation, com- 

 laienced excavating in the old ruins of the Montezuma Casas Grandes, eacii man 

 drifting into the old ruins at separate and several points. One, Teodoro Alverado, 

 more fortunate than the others, drifted into a large room, in the middle of which 

 tliere appeared a kind of tomb made of brick. Curiosity led this bold knight of the 

 crowbar to renew his excavations, and when he had reached the middle of this tomb, 

 he there found this curious mass of meteoric iron * * * carefully and curiously 

 wrapped in a kind of coarse linen * * * Angerstein, Leroy, and myself have 

 made up the necessary funds to purchase this rare and novel specimen, making it a 

 mutual adventure, and have started a large mercantile wagon, capable of carrying 

 10,000 pounds, to transport it to this city. Our intention is to secure it for the admi- 

 ration of the curious and the lovers of science. We shall have it safely lodged in the 

 consulate within fifteen days from this date. 



'Archives de la Commission Scientifique du Mexique, Paris, III, 1867, p. 348. 

 '^Smithsonian Report, 1873, p. 419. 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. XXV-No. 1277. 



