REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 65 



The Silla, likf the other pueblos, have shrines scattered around the 

 vilhige near and far, whieli Mr. Stevenson was invited to visit and in- 

 spect, linding some of them guarded by colossal stone animals crudely 

 . formed. Having unexpectedly discovered, while studying their mythol- 

 ogy, that tiiese people, like the Moki, held ceremonials with living snakes, 

 including the rattlesnake, he asked to be shown the exact place where the 

 snake ceremonies were held. This proved to be 5 or G miles distant from 

 the pueblo, in a desolate spot among arid hills, where there was a small 

 square log structure in which the snake order held ceremonies previous 

 to the dance, the snakes being contained in two large pottery vases. 

 The cave when found was closed and completely concealed by a stone 

 slab, upon the removal of which two splendid specimens of ancient vases 

 were disclosed, decorated with picturesoftherattlesnake, mountain lion, 

 and bear, and one of these vases now occupies a position in the l!?atioual 

 Museum as a part of the collection of the past season. 



This collection, consisting of 804 specimens, is in many respects the 

 most valuable ever secured by Mr. Stevenson, as it not only includes a 

 great variety of form and decoration in pottery (some of the pieces ijeing 

 very old), but it embraces the largest and most interesting collection of 

 idols and fetiches yet made. Many of the stone images are in human 

 form and different from anything possessed by the Zufii or Moki In- 

 dians; those of the latter being, with few exceptions, carved in wood, 

 while the Silla possessed a large number of well-carved stone idols in 

 human form. The stone animal idols are also superior to and larger 

 than any heretofore collected. One of the features of the collection is 

 the beautiful variety of plumed and other fetiches. 



Mr. Stevenson made copious notes on the mythology and sociology 

 of the Silla, and obtained the most complete cosmogony ever secured 

 by him from any people. 



He closed his field season with the Zuiii priest-doctors, obtaining 

 from them additional detailed accounts of their secret medicine order. 



During the months of August and September Mr. W. U. Holmes was 

 engaged in studying the antiquities of Jemez Valley, New Mexico. 

 This valley is tributary to the Eio Grande on the west, and its middle 

 portion is about 50 miles west of Santa Fe. 



Fifteen important ruined pueblos and village sites were examined. 

 They correspond closely in typ(! to those of the north, and bear evi- 

 dence in most cases of pre-Spanish occupation. Besides the larger 

 ruins there are a multitude of minor ruins, small houses and lodges of 

 stone, scattered through the forests. Mr. Holmes carried his investi- 

 gations of the ruins of ('olorado and New Mexico as far south as \bi- 

 quiu, which village lies at the northern end of the group of mountains 

 in which the Jlio Jemez takes its rise. His work of the year has 

 therefore enal)led him to connect his studies of the northern localities 

 with tliose of tin,' south in which the numerous modern ])ueblos are lo. 

 cated. The chain of observations thus secured is of value in a study 



H. Mis. 142 5 



