12 BUREATT OF AMEHTCAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 51 



of generalizations on the character of its culture. The ruin had been 

 almost completely rifled of its contents, the specimens removed; and 

 its walls left in a very dilapidated condition. Much of the excavatioii 

 carried on under the writer's supervision yielded meager scientihr 

 results so far as tlie discovery of specimens was concerned; through- 

 out the sunnner earth was being dug over that had already been ex- 

 amined and cult objects removed. Had it been possible to have begun 

 work on Cliff Palace just after the ruin was deserted by the abo- 

 riginal inhabitants, or, as that was impossible, at least anticipated 

 only by the destruction wrought by the elements, these explorations 

 might have illumined many difficult problems which must forever 

 renniin unsolved. 



The present monograph is the second in a series dealing with the 

 antiquities of the Mesa Verde Xational Park and opening with the ac- 

 count of the excavation and repair of Spruce-tree House." An ex- 

 haustive account of all known antiquities from Cliff Palace is not 

 intended, and no reference is made even to many objects from that 

 ruin now in museums. Discussion of details is not so much aimed at 

 as brevity in the statement of results and a contribution to our 

 knowledge of a typical form of Southwestern culture. Believing 

 that modern Pueblo culture is the direct descendant of that of clifl'- 

 dwellers, the writer has not hesitated to make use of ethnology, Avlieu 

 possible, in an interpretation of the archeological material. 



Although the name Cliff Palace is not altogether an appropria<^c 

 one for this ruin, it is now too firmly fixed in the literature of cliff- 

 dwellings to be changed. The term " palace " implies a higher social 

 development than that which existed in this village, which undoubt- 

 edly had a house chief similar to the village chief (Mmongioi) of the 

 Hopi, who occupied that position on account of being the oldest man 

 of tiie oldest clan ; but this ruin is not the remains of a " palace '' of 

 such a chief. 



The population of Cliff Palace was composed of many clans, more 

 or less distinct and independent, which were rapidly being amalga- 

 mated by marriage; so we may regard the population as progressing 

 toward a homogeneous community. Cliff Palace was practically a 

 pueblo built in a cave; its population grew from both without and 

 within : new clans from time to time joined those existing, Avhile new 

 births continually augmented the number of inhabitants. 



There was no water at Cliff Palace ^ when work began, but a good 

 supply was developed in the canyon below the ruin, where there is 

 every reason to believe the former inhabitants had their well. In 

 a neighboring canj'on, separated from that in which Cliff Palace is 



" BuUrlin ',1 of ilir Tiurenii of Awrriron Fthnnlofiu. 



''All ijiitabli- wMliT lor faiii|) liail to be lirouglit from Spruce-tree House, aliout 2 miles 

 away. 



