66 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



of the art products of the vast region formerly occupied by town-build 

 iug tribes. 



Particular atteutiou was giveu to an examination of the ceramic re- 

 main's. These constitute one of the means of developing the history of 

 the i)re Columbian inhabitants. A large series of specimens was for- 

 warded to the Museum. 



Mr. Victor Mijuleleff, with Mr. Cosmos Miudeleft'as his assistant, left 

 Washington for the field, September 1, 1887, and returned March 18, 

 1888. A group of cave lodges, excavated in the top and sides of a cin- 

 der cone at the base of San Francisco Mountain, and situated about 18 

 miles northeast of Flagstaff, Ariz., was visited and sketches and dia- 

 grams were made. The cliff dwelliugs of Walnut Caiiou, about 12 miles 

 southeast of Flagstaff', were also examined. 



Later the work of the field party was among the ruined pueblos near 

 Keams Caiion, which connect traditionally with the present Moki vil- 

 lages. These ruins, six in number, are distributed on the north border 

 of the Jeditoh Valley, and are scattered along for a distance of 12 miles. 



The jjarty afterwards camped for some time in the vicinity of Oraibe, 

 the largest of the present villages of Tusayan. Here a study was made 

 of the primitive constructional devices still in use. Two interesting 

 ruins were discovered in this neighborhood and their ground plans se- 

 cured. In the northern ruin a cave or underground apartment was 

 found containing vestiges of stone walls and supporting timbers. The 

 small village of Moen-Kopi was surveyed. This is an outlying farming 

 pueblo, occupied mainly during the planting aud harvesting seasons. 

 A very extensive system of irrigation is m operation iu this vicinity. 



Subsequently the party spent six weeks at the Chaco ruins iu New 

 Mexico. An accurate architectural survey of the more important ruins 

 was made, aud the plans secured reveal many i)oints of interest. The 

 degree of mechanical knowledge displayed by the builders of these 

 pueblos has been greatly exaggerated by earlier explorers, as also the 

 quality of the masonry. Close examination rcN eals on the part of the 

 builders ignorance of some of the simplest principles of construction. 

 Several ruins, not previously known, were surveyed and others were 

 visited. Late iu the season the party platted the pueblo of Jemez, 

 situated upon a river of the same name, a tributary of the Kio Grande. 



At various times during the progress of the field-work studies were 

 made of the more primitive Navajo architecture, aud many sketches 

 and diagrams were prepared illustrating the Navajo system of framing 

 ihese " hogans," or conical wood aud earth houses. Several photographs 

 of typical examples were taken. 



Mr. Cosmos Mindeleff" left Washington for the field September 1 and 

 returned February 23. In addition to general assistance to the party 

 under charge of Mr. Victor Mindeleff", he was iu immediate charge of 

 the surveying. Ground plans of thirteen important ruiu!?, in addition 

 to sketch plans of a number of others of less importance, aud of two 



