194 ANTIQUITIES OF SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO  [ETH. ANN. 33 
“c 
Were these “ graves” not so numerous, it might be concluded that 
they were shrines, and it may be that such was the purpose of some 
of them. 
Round Tower at Site No. 21.—On the point of a bluff about a 
quarter of a mile up the river. from the stone ruin there is a small 
stone tower. The wall is in a poor state of preservation, standing 
to a height of only 3 feet. From the point there is a good view of the 
valley and of the broad mesas which stretch eastward from the river, 
hence it seems that the tower served as a lookout station. 
5. RUINS BELOW THE MOUTH OF LONG HOLLOW 
Ruins at Site No. 22—Purely by accident a group of burials was 
found farther down the La Plata. About three-quarters of a mile 
below the mouth of Long Hollow the wagon road ascends from the 
river bottom, runs for a short distance across a point, and drops back 
to the lower level. Not 20 feet from the road I noticed black earth 
and fragments of pottery, and the first thrust of a spade brought up 
human bones. The skeleton of which they were part was flexed with 
the head to the northwest. South of it were two other bodies, also 
flexed, one of them that of a child. The point had worn away until 
these skeletons were barely covered with earth, and if any pottery 
was put away with them it had been broken and the fragments scat- 
tered. East of them was a skeleton stretched at full length upon its 
back. By the head was an undecorated vase. North of this burial 
was a grave which was constructed with more care. Ina rectangular 
pit 24 feet deep the flexed body reposed upon its right side with the 
head to the north. Beneath the skull was a flat stone, and in front 
of the body were four decorated bowls (pl. 65, ¢, ¢, 7). 
Tn all cases the bodies were covered with black earth and refuse, 
and it appeared from the ashes, fragments of pottery, and chips of 
flint that trash must have been dumped on the graves for a long 
period of time. 
Southwest of the graves, on the tip of the point, were the remains 
of a fairly large “ pole-and-mud” ruin. On a promontory not far 
from the ruin the Powells, who own the land in the river bottom and 
on the opposite side of the river, unearthed a skeleton accompanied by 
a pipe and a string of beads. Several of the beads are turquoise, and 
one of them, conical in form, is of ivory. It appears to have been 
made from the canine tooth of a large animal. I did not see the pipe. 
Ruins at Site No. 23——There are many ruins on the Powell ranch 
west of the river. Those clustered along the edge of the second ter- 
race are all of the “ pole-and-mud” type. The bodies of two chil- 
dren and four adults were found near one of them. One large skele- 
ton was extended with the head to the east, and the rest were flexed. 
