NO. lO ARCHEOLOGY OF MIMBRES VALLEY FEWKES 4') 



enough to indicate identity, but we have enough material to support 

 the beHef that the archeological area in Avhich it occurs is Mexican, 

 unhke that of any other ceramic area in Arizona or New Mexico. 

 Here a speciaHzed symboHsm has been developed which is different 

 from that of the Rio Grande, or the Upper Gila-Salt area, and that 

 characteristic of the great Lower Gila in which lie the compounds 

 like Casa Grande. The Mimbres Valley archeologically is the north- 

 ern extension of a culture area which reached its highest development 

 on Casas Grandes River. 



Conclusions 



Geographically the Mimbres \'"alley is the northern extension of 

 the drainage area of the large interior plateau, the lowest level of 

 which is occupied by Palomas, Guzman, and other so-called lakes. 

 The Casas Grandes, Mimbres, and other rivers contribute their 

 scanty waters to these lakes, which have no outlets into the sea. As 

 a rule the thirsty sands along the course of the river drink up the 

 surplus waters of the Mimbres or cause them to sink beneath the 

 surface, to reappear when the configuration of lower clay or rock 

 formations forces them from subterranean courses. Considering the 

 similarity in climatic and geographical conditions in the northern and 

 southern ends of this plateau, we would ex})ect to find cultural like- 

 nesses in the prehistoric inhabitants of the Mimbres and Casas 

 Grandes valleys, but such is not the case. The absence of relief 

 decoration combined with painting, so common in the pottery from 

 the Casas Grandes region, separates the Mimbres ware from that 

 found far to the south.^ 



There are evidences that the course of the Mimbres River through 

 Antelope Plain has from time to time changed considerably, and 

 although a section of its bed now lies east of the Florida Mountains, 

 the river probably formerly made its way to the west of the same in 

 its course to Mexico. Modifications or changes in the bed of this 

 river have had in the past much to do with the shifting of population 

 and obliteration of prehistoric sites, either by washing them away 

 entirely or burying them out of sight or deeply below the surface. 

 This concealment of evidences of prehistoric occupancy has also been 

 aided by frequent sandstorms, when considerable quantities of soil 

 have been transported from place to place and deposited on walls or 

 covered implements lying on the surface of the ground. It is also 



^ We must look to renewed explorations to shed light on this and many 

 other questions which the paucity of material is yet insufficient to answer. 



