2 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 8l 



The specimens collected during the investigations of the two El 

 Paso men include fragments from headdresses, a number of sandals, 

 curved clubs, digging sticks, spear shafts, spear heads, foreshafts for 

 spears, netting, a cord skirt, shell pendants, beads, parts of mosaic 

 combs, and a large basketry armlet covered with a turquoise mosaic. 

 News of the discoveries was published in El Paso papers and was 

 reported to the National Museum by Mr. Anderson. The writer was 

 just leaving for field-work in northwestern New Mexico when this 

 information was received, and fortunately was able to include El Paso 

 in his trip west. At the latter place he had an opportunity of examin- 

 ing the objects gathered by Mr. Stafford and Mr. Anderson and of 

 revisiting the caves where they were found. 



There are 28 of these natural recesses in the faces of the limestone 

 cliffs. In some cases they are just above the tops of the steep talus 

 slopes, about two-thirds of the way up the side of the mountain, and 

 in many instances have a narrow ledge of rock running along in front 

 of them (pi. i). Others are located just below the tops of the cliffs 

 along the upper ledges. In general they open to the northwest or 

 west, and most of them contain evidence of Indian visitors. In many 

 these traces take the form of pictographs painted on the walls in 

 red pigment, while others furnish objects from the material culture 

 of the people. The best examples of the rock paintings were not found 

 in the caves where objects were obtained, but in a large shallow recess 

 about a mile away. Some of the caves have small alcoves, opening 

 off from the main room, which give evidence of having been blocked 

 up at some time or other with loose rock walls. 



In three of the caves, smoke-blackened ceilings and debris-covered 

 floors gave definite indications of at least temporary occupation. It 

 was in the layers of refuse, ash, and sand that the specimens left by 

 the people who occupied them were found. One cave in particular had 

 proved quite rich in svich objects. At the time when it was visited 

 it had been rather thoroughly examined and a great many objects 

 removed. By digging in the few undisturbed portions of the floor 

 at the back of the cave, however, there were uncovered 12 sandals, a 

 number of spear shafts, a fragment of netting, several portions of 

 curved clubs, a few beads, and some potsherds. 



The pictographs in this district consist of realistic and conven- 

 tionalized life-forms and geometric designs. Inasmuch as a careful 

 study of the drawings and paintings on the rocks of the region is being 

 made by Col. M. L. Crimmins, U. S. A., retired, only a few examples 

 will be given. The writer feels that a great majority of them are to 

 be attributed to the various groups of Apache who were in that section 



