EXPLORATIONS IN THE SOUTHWEST.
WORK OF MR. JAMES STEVENSON.
Mr. James Stevenson was placed in charge of a party, with instructions to proceed to Arizona and New Mexico to make researches and collections among the Pueblo Indians and the ancient ruins in that region.
Mr. Stevenson's party was divided into three sections. The section in charge of Mr. F. T. Bickford visited the remarkable series of ruins in Chaco cañon, in northwestern New Mexico; Cañon de Chelly and its branch cañons; the cliff dwellings in Walnut cañon, in Arizona, and a group of interesting cave dwellings, different in structure from any heretofore found, near Flagstaff, in the same Territory. All these were carefully examined. Full and extensive notes, as well as sketches and photographic illustrations, were made of these ruins.
Another section, in charge of Mr. C. A. Garlick, was stationed at the pueblo of Acoma, in New Mexico. The work at this village resulted in a collection of about thirty-five hundred specimens, consisting of pottery and a variety of utensils of other material, such as stone, bone, wood, and woven fabrics, illustrating the arts of the people of Acoma. The collections from this pueblo, though not embracing a great variety of objects, will illustrate nearly all the phases of the arts and industrial pursuits of these Indians.
Another section of Mr. Stevenson's party, under his own supervision and with the important assistance of Mrs. Stevenson, was employed in making collections and studies at Zuñi. The collection from there is much larger than any heretofore obtained and includes many objects relating to the outdoor ceremonies of the Zuñi. Specimens of these were secured from their sacred springs, caves, and shrines. All details relating to their ceremonials were attentively studied, and a series of water color sketches was made of altars used and of masks worn on these important occasions. A large number of fetiches was also obtained, representing many of the animals held in religious esteem by the Zuñi. A series of photographs was made of the sacred springs, wells, monuments, picture writings, and shrines of the Zuñi located at different points over an area of about seventy-five miles from Zuñi, and a collection was secured of representative specimens of their fetiches, plume sticks, and other objects connected with their mythology and religious practices. The collection made during the year was unusually large and important. It comprises about eighty-five hundred specimens from the Indian tribes of the Southwest embraced in the research; these consist of woven fabrics and pottery, bone, and stone implements, both ancient and modern, and represent nearly all phases of the life, art, and industries of these tribes. These collections have been deposited in the U. S. National Museum for arrangement, classification, and description.
WORK OF MR. VICTOR MINDELEFF.
A party in charge of Mr. Victor Mindeleff left Washington on August 5 to survey the ruined pueblos of the Chaco, in New Mexico. Five of the ruins were accurately measured and platted to scale, and a full series of sketches, plans, and photographs was secured. Mr. Mindeleff returned from the field on the 1st of October. He then made a trip to the great Etowah mound, near Cartersville, Ga., under the direction of Prof. Cyrus Thomas, in order to secure an accurate survey and scale drawing, as a basis for the construction of a model.
At the close of this work Mr. Mindeleff returned to Washington, on October 7, and was engaged in office work until the middle of the following June, when he took the field in advance of his party for further studies among the ruins and pueblos of the Cibola and Tusayan groups. He was also instructed to secure similar material at other available points for comparison.