lO.S DAVKM'CUri' A< ADK.MV ()K .NAITKAI, S<1KN(KS. 



Mr. Pratt pxhibitfd a carved stone })i])e of the regular mound 

 builder's tvpe, ))ut representing a human head surmounted ])y a rather 

 elaborately ornamented cap. It was found in Warren county, Mo., 

 and was olitained by Mr. Gass for examination and exhil)ition. 



Tlie following j)a])er was read : 



Remarks on the Antiquities of New^ Mexico and 



Arizona. 



HV W. J. HOFFMAN, M. J). 



Of the sineral theori('s advanced regarding the origin of tin; mod- 

 em Pueblo Indians of New Mexico and Arizona, the on(^ more gen- 

 erally accepted, ))r<j1jably from lack of evidence to the contrary, is, 

 that they are the descendants of that race who built and occupied the 

 now ruined comiinnial ilwellings and clitf houses scattered over an 

 area embracing more than thirty thousand square miles. Although 

 in entertaining this view we must not lose sight of the discordant 

 characteristics existing between the ancient and modern plans of ar- 

 chitecture, which, upon close examination and comparison, aj)pear to 

 have been the result of necessity rather than f)f choice: and in present- 

 ing the facts, it may be well also to refer to the names by which we 

 recognize these people of remote times, as they existed during the 

 diflcrcnt periods of prosperity and misfortune. 



Tlie generic term " Pueblo ""* has been adopted on account of their 

 mauTier of living in community dwellings ; with the specific word 

 " ancient,""' ap]:)lymg to the builders of the ruined structures, while the 

 term '' modern " is retained for the ])resent inhaVjitants. The "• cliff- 

 dwellers," so-called for want of a more appropriate name, formed that 

 branch of the ancient Pueblos who constructed the cliff-dwellings for 

 greater security against the hostile influences with which they appear 

 to have been surrounded. 



'I'lic (jldest remains (of which there are some magnificcmt examples) in- 

 clude those of rectangular form, having terraced dwellings upon three 

 sides, while the fourth — usually one of the longer ones — is filled up 

 with lower structures, or stone walls, in which the latter soiuf^times de- 

 viate from a straight line. The two exceptions to the rectangular type 

 are Pueblo Penasca Blanca and Puel)lo Bonito of the Chaco Caiion 

 gi'oup, in both of whicli the habitable portions are semi-circular, the re- 

 maining continuation forming an oval, as in the former, and a straight 

 line in the latter. In all, hfjwever, the sti'uctures were amphitheatral, i.e.. 



* Signifies town, village ; ])opulati<m, people. 



