MOUNDS IN UTAH. 395 



ground, the remainder of the skeleton was discovered, with many bones of 

 animals scattered near it in the soil. The skeleton was apparently lying 

 on its right side, with feet pointing about northwest. There was not a 

 remnant of clothing nor a trinket to testify to the age of its burial. 



It is proper in this connection to remark that the Mormons tell of 

 an Indian battle about twenty years ago between two rival bands very 

 near this field of mounds, and of their opening the old mounds in order to 

 bury their own braves who fell in this fight. This may be true or not. If 

 so, the position of this skeleton on the very edge of the mound, and so 

 lig'htly covered, might point to its belonging to one of these recently-killed 

 Indians rather than to those of a more ancient date. The Utes and 

 Mormons coincide in their entire ignorance of' the origin of these 

 mounds, which are scattered numerously through Utah. The former say 

 that their oldest men remember them in youth, and that their fathers had 

 told them nothing in regard to them. The fact of this recent fight and proba- 

 ble utilizing of the old mounds for modern burial is mentioned for the sake 

 of candor, and for the perfect understanding of all the facts in the case, 

 rather than to cast doubt upon the antiquity of this particular skeleton. 



1171. Cranium ofunknoivn race. — This specimen was found in 1869 at 

 the abandoned town of Gran Quivira, seventy miles west of Fort Stanton, 

 Xew Mexico. Tradition ascribes to the Spaniards the building of this town, 

 and states it was abandoned by them on account of an Indian insurrection, 

 and that the town was built of cut and hewn stones and not of the ordinary 

 brick adobes. The remains of a carefully constructed aqueduct are still 

 to be seen, and it evinces, from the skillfulness of its workmanship, a higher 

 order of civilization than that possessed by either the Indians or the present 

 race of New Mexicans. It has been rumored that at the abandonment of 

 this town much treasure was buried, and several attempts have been made 

 to recover it, but without success as far as known. Secured by Dr. J. 

 Symington, and presented to Dr. J. T. Rothrock. 



1172, 1173. Crania of Mexicans removed from near foundation of the 

 old cathedral of Santa F£, N. Mex. In removing a part of the founda- 

 tion wall of the old cathedral to make way for that of the new edifice a 

 number of skeletons and crania were exposed, and the two specimens in 



