MINPELEEF] DESIRABILITY FOR SETTLEMENT 89 
trees which are older than the last Navaho war. At that time, it is 
said, the soldiers cut down every peach tree they could find. But, 
aside from the peaches, De Chelly was until recently the great agri- 
cultural center of the Navaho tribe, and large quantities of corn, mel- 
ons, pumpkins, beans, etc, were and are raised there every year. 
Under modern conditions many other localities now vie with it, and 
some surpass it in output of agricultural products, but not many years 
ago De Chelly was regarded as the place par excellence. 
It will be clear, therefore, that prior to very recent times De Chelly 
would be selected by almost any tribe moving across the country, and, 
barring a hostile prior occupancy, would be the most desirable place 
for the pursuit of horticultural operations for many miles in any diree- 
tion. The vicinity of the Tunicha mountains, which could be reached 
in half a day from any part of the canyons, and which must have 
abounded in game, for even now some is found there, would be a 
material advantage. The position of the canyon in the heart of the 
plateau country and of the ancient pueblo region would make it a 
natural stopping place during any migratory movement either north 
and south or east and west, and its settlement was doubtless due to 
this favorable position and to the natural advantages it offered. This 
settlement was effected probably not by one band or tribe, nor at one 
time, but by many bands at many times. Probably the first settle- 
ments were very old; certainly the last were very recent. 
CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTIONS 
RUINS OF THE PUEBLO REGION 
No satisfactory general classification of the ruins of the ancient 
pueblo region has yet been made; possibly because the material in 
hand is not sufficiently abundant. There are thousands of ruins scat- 
tered over the southwest, of many different types which merge more 
or less into each other. In 1884 Mr A. F. Bandelier, whose knowledge 
of the archeology of the southwest is very extensive, formulated a 
classification, and in 1892, in his final report,! he announces that he 
has nothing to change in it. The classification is as follows: 
I. Large communal houses several stories high. 
(a) Composed of one or two, seldom three, extensive buildings, generally 
so disposed as to surround an interior court. 
(b) Polygonal pueblos. 
(ce) Seattered pueblos, composed of a number of large many-storied houses, 
disposed in a more or less irregular manner; sometimes in irregular 
squares or on a line. 
(d) Artificial eaves, resembling in number, size, and disposition. of the 
cells the many-storied communal dwelling. 
(e) Many-storied dwellings, with artificial walls, erected inside of natural 
caves of great size, 
II. Detached family dwellings, either isolated or in groups forming villages. 
1 Arch. Inst. of America, 5th Ann. Rept., p.55; and Arch. Inst. of America, Papers, American series, 
LET Pale 
