XXXVI ANNUAL EEPOET OF THE DIRECTOR 



exception of u few grains of Indian corn, the grave was empty. 

 Hair of a brownish hue was found still clinging to one of the 

 skulls, while the shriveled flesh and skin, as hard as stone, re- 

 mained upon some of the lower limbs. From the discovery of 

 these skeletons Mr. Stevenson gave to this branch the name of 

 Canon de los Muertos. 



Another village in this canon of equal extent and similarlv 

 situated, though in a more advanced stage of ruin, was visited 

 and some interesting discoveries were made. Among the 

 debris of the fallen buildings were found finely woven sandals, 

 resembling nothing with which the present occupants of this 

 region are familiar; also, portions of matting and of gar- 

 ments made from the fiber of yucca. Evidences of great 

 antiquity of some of these ruins are mixed with indications 

 of later occupancy in a manner most confusing to the archae- 

 ologist. 



The party traveled fifteen miles in the Canon de los Muer- 

 tos and discovered seventeen villages or clusters of dwellings, 

 some of which were situated five hundred feet from the bed of 

 the canon. The entire number of cliff villages visited by the 

 party was forty-six. 



The whole of November was devoted to an examination of 

 cave dwellings. Remarkable illustrations of this class were 

 found about fifteen miles north of the pueblo of Cochiti, N. 

 Mex. These were situated in a canon called by the Mexicans 

 " Kito de los Frijoles," and by the Cochiti Indians, Yu-nu-ye, 

 or the place where customs and rites are prescribed. Here 

 were found remains of human habitation in the shape of nu- 

 merous caves cut in cliff's of friable tufa, varying from 50 to 

 100 feet in height. In many of the caves which were exam- 

 ined a flooring of fine red clay, very neatly and smoothly 

 spread in several thin layers, is still seen, as also a plastering 

 of red or yellow clay upon the walls. In some of them the 

 lower part of the wall is of one color and the upper part and 

 ceiling of another, the two colors being separated by a broad 

 line of dark brown or black which runs around the cave about 

 two feet from the floor. In the walls were found small niches. 



Beneath some of these caves, which were situated higher in 



