Bernalillo County – elongated skulls
AMONG THE CLIFF DWELLINGS.
An Interesting Trip to the Pajarito Canon by a Party of Five.
Prof. F. E. Lester and wife, Miss McFie, and Dr. Nathan Boyd, and Secretary Mr. Torpo, returned last evening from a visit of five days to the Pajarito Canyon cliff dweller ruins, 20 odd miles west of Santa Fe. They pitched their tents near where Prof. Hewett and his summer archaeological expedition are in camp, and not only had a most enjoyable trip but were highly successful in their explorations. They excavated two rooms in the Pajarito communal house, which is supposed to contain anywhere from 1,200 to 1,800 rooms, and were well rewarded in finding numerous stone implements.
In a burial mound which had been severely chopped into by vandals in former years, Prof. Lester undertook some systematic work and unearthed five skeletons and several mortuary bowls, three of which are practically intact, showing artistic designs in color, not a lost art. These were brought in by the party, also five skulls which show the back of the head of the curious original inhabitants out there to be nearly flat. This, it is thought, was caused by the nursery custom those people undoubtedly had of strapping their infants to a board.
The members of this expedition unite in saying that the government is doing a good thing in establishing a reservation to cover these ruins and prevent vandalism.
- New Mexico, Bernalillo County, Santa Fe, New Mexican, 1900