Some discoveries have lately been made in New Mexico which will, doubtless, be the subject of protracted and highly interesting archaeological research. Governor Arny, the Special Indian Agent for that Territory, is the authority for the existence of these curiosities his knowledge of which has been gained by personal inspection. It became necessary, in the discharge of his official duties for Governor Arny to visit the Utah Indians, at the west of the San Juan River. To do this, he had to traverse a part of the great range known as the Sierra Madre Mountains, and here particularly in what is called the Canon de Chelly, the discoveries referred to have been made. We have, of late, been so overwhelmed with accounts of astonishing natural wonders newly found in the heart of the continent, that Governor Arny’s description of strange ravines, whose walls tower perpendicularly to an altitude of from 1,000 to 2,000 feet, “the rock strata being as perfect as if laid by the skilled hands of masons, and entirely symmetrical,” may excite only a passing comment. But the ruins found among these lonely canons will attract more eager and substantial attention.
These consist, we are assured, of the deserted remains of ancient Aztec cities “many of which bear the evidence of having been populous to the extent of many thousands of inhabitants.” The term Aztec is here used in its common and inaccurate sense, being applicable, in strictness, to only one of the seven Mexican tribes which collectively bore the name of Nahuatlecas. These tribes are supposed to have come from the North, from a region known as Aztlan. Their traditions say that they emerged from seven caverns in that region, which most investigators have placed north of the River Gila.
The interesting question now arises whether these vast canons or mountain gorges, described by Governor Arny, are affirmed by him to be filled, in some instances, with ruins, may not have been the original Aztlan. It is at least evident, by reading his descriptions, and comparing them with such traditionary chronicles as we already possess, that this supposition is extremely plausible. The period of the departure of the seven tribes, and of their arrival in the valley of Mexico, is commonly reckoned to have been between 1064 and 1164. Perhaps a close examination of newly-discovered ruins will have the effect either of affirming or rectifying this estimate. In any case it will doubtless furnish us with important revelations of the past history of the continent.
The accounts already received from Governor Arny and his party are substantially to the following purport: The ruins discovered are of stone and of great extent. In each town or collection of buildings, one edifice has been found hewn out of the solid rock, about twenty feet square, containing one room, and in this room a single human skeleton. In the centre of these apartments there are traces of fire, and the theory of the observers is that these solitary rooms were altar places, and the skeletons those of the officiating priests. It will be remembered that fire was always kept burning, as a religious rite, on the altars of the Aztecs; the Indian tradition being ultimately it would light Montezuma back again to his people–he being not an earthly ruler only, but their Messiah or Eternal King. It is asserted by our informants that the structures contain handsome arches and other architectural devices and ornaments; and that the builders must have been skilled in the manufacture and use of edged tools, in masonry and other mechanical arts. Some of the buildings, unlike most of the ruins further south in Central America and elsewhere are reported to be seven or eight stories in height. There are no stair-cases in these lofty piles so that it is inferred the upper stories were reached by ladders planted against the walls. Others of the edifices are perfectly round, built very substantially of cut stone, and plastered inside. Tokens abound of the occupation of these places by dense and well instructed populations, and it seems reasonable to anticipate that to the wonder of natural scenery and mineral treasure abounding in that neighborhood there is about to be added such records of the men who once dwelt therein as will be, at least, as interesting.
The only doubt likely to be raised relative to the importance or probable significance of Governor Arny’s discoveries, is whether his buildings may not belong to the class of “Cassas Grandes” once held to mark the successive steps of the Aztec migration (which is supposed to have taken over 150 years from the starting point before reaching Chanuliepec) but since attributed to the Moquis or to the Pueblo Indians. If the accounts that have come to us are precisely accurate, we should say this hypothesis was out of the question; since the buildings would necessarily have been the work of a far higher civilization than any of the class last mentioned.–N. Y. Times