13
THE CHINA MAIL."
FOLKS OF THE
VOLCANIC MUD
SATURDAY AUGUST 18,
1924,
Strange Dwellings of Ancient People of the Southwest-Cones Similar to Those Found in Asia Minor--Skilled Agriculturists- "Art of Cotton Weaving Known.
[BY RENE BACHE-]
PREHISTORIC, peuple who lived in houses of volcarle mud have buru the most recent subject of study by government, ethnologists.
The region in which they dwell is known as the Priarito Platenu, which, newly aut aside by Presidential pro- clamation as "ational monument" because of the interest'attaching to i as related to the earliest civilizatio in this country, has been thrown open to tourists by fresh-built trails and na aninmobile road.
The National Park Service any "If one would spend an unforgettable vaention, ene should visit the Pajarito,- where, within an area of a few square, milen, is located the strangest corner of the great Southwest. There the cfort of civiliansion-avents in have been set back a thouspul years,
It is now y necessible, being only thirty right miles west of the old Spah city of Santa Fe, in New Mexico.
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.... One of the most curious things about),
voleannes is that their eruptions are" commonly accompanied by outpourings | of vast quantities, of water. Algu, the sold material they discharge consists largely of dust, much of the latter being se dy divided that it rises far aloft in the atmosphere, and in the case a great explosion may-as happoperi when Mount Katmaj, on thy" Alaskan Peninsula, blew up in 1912-
blackness of turn day into the
darkest night for hundreds of miles amusi
and dial: makeu Mixing Water mod, and
the latter from volcanoes, may overspread immense areas, forming a layer sometimes hundreds of feel thick which hardens. into a soft, friubit rock called cuff"
-That-is-what happosied÷upés Ego-ul- the Pajarito Plateau, where the whole ipologie formation Is volcanic. Since then streams have cut deep canyons
through the tableland, flanked by cliffa of what once upon a time was mur
Strange Tent-Shaped Rocks, Most peculiar, however, is a result of the process of erosion by water, are the so-called "tont rexls" of . the Pajarito, some of them forty or ffy feet high, which, composed of voleuniem tuff, are of conical shape. They were hyloged out by prehistorie people, who plastered them neatly inside and usel them na dwellings
About half of the entire number of these houses of cakanir mut) "are" crowned, each one of them; by a large stone uf'mother kind of rock, different in colour.
The glages, of Dregolar shapes and various sites, are of grat weight. Who
‹ put. there, why?
them
and
A
The answer is that mature did it. foud eruption spread over the platenu a blanket, of hard laen. Erosion by water eventually respired lost of ng that frammpuls of it still remained a
pjares, where the lava served to pres Vint the washing way at the tutt directly honesth The cat Wouls"
owe they existence to the lava who e remsants 'most even them, though, doubtles within a recent period, half of them have lost theja, defensive mupatumos,
The mud rock is to-day so soft that it can easily be dug qui, with a stlek of lurid wood. Thus it must have been easy enough for the prchinarie people of the platena to,excavate day interior nd the routs and convert then inta houses.
The coner are wmarkably like there of an elevated platema in Cropicit, Asia Minor, where we of thousands, of them are scattered over an avenu hundreds of square miles In zu past epoch that was a highdy volewnie region, and incidentally, dealer tr mang furious eruptions, Was overs!
HE HUND COME'}
HOUSE (PAJARITO
spread by a thick blanket of valennic ms. Subsequent erosion by water cut it up, leaving multitudes of cane. shaped pinnacles.
Fading the ‘available for dumi- eilury purposes, the ancient inhabit. ants of Cappadocia dug nway, of them but inside, occupying them as dwellinga, Pat least as long ago as 2000,"E.{..., and probably much earlier. The Hittites. of whom the Bible repeatedly speaks, undoubtedly temnated, then, Many Chem are occupied to-day, and kame have seven or more stories, the thears, of the original rock, being left thick Gough to hear the requisite weight. while a wing tunnel serves as a staircase Cupboards and shelves are ent in the rock of the walk.
Population Once Namerons..
14 is naifert that the Pajarito Platonu and its ennyian anciently had mikia viviūvachels af inbubitants, cần the elifs of culeanic mứt they, dug hun- dreds of ledes, thus making, artificial eaves which perved in lieg of houses, Te-day one finds these fiule, deserted many centuries, ayn--strung along the farts of the cliffs, n the ground feyel ae big enough to require helders for mtering them. There are rave;
above Pavers, and caves, within waves, Semir of de dugents being quite spacious 1 shi
L,
Most of the enves have been exploreti By aming liontogists, wd in t heart to hundresi theht have been foamelcurivas wall-decorations and pidušilice drawing in freen. They were plastered inside, presumably for? pentertion myinst darynners, and the inwing beu? a, raperetive resem bloge to those found on the walks o my bistorie savons in Bathon Freder
Northern Spain.
pun the shaver inces of the elofs above the capes are painted pieto- 1
THIS STORE GIANT FRONT
EASTER ISLAND WERS A CROHAY
Land Of Prehistoric Marvels. The cokcanic plateau is an archwo- logical wonderland. Upon it are moluj alands of valeante mud rising high
ཐ
above the surface level of the pluteau-- with precipitous sides that form cliffs. In which acn found the dug-out eaves of a vanished prehistorte people. The spectatele affered to the view is amax- ing. Nowhere in this or any other
C it be surpassed.
most experienced truveller is i prepared for the sight that barats upoal him as he ads himself standing on the rim of the Rito de los Frijoles- a picturesque nime which pre regrets to translate as Bean Creek-where the automobile road comes to a sudden end. The Itity is a beautiful mountain stream which, running between lofty- canyon walls, literally tumbles over many falls on its way to the Ria Grande, !
graphs and graven "petroglyphs," An ancient trail leads down the apparently relating in vach`instance crayon tu the folls (doubtless to the clan which öximed a particular originally made by the footsteps of the' group of holes in the volcanie mud as prehistoric inhabitants of the volcanic its domiciliary quarters. For addin villages), where the Rito in three tionat confort, porches or bileonles Temps clears one hundred and sixty feet.
were built outside the vritrunees, upheld | Whatever waters are not dissipated in by timbers set into sockets cut deep in spray, through which minhowa glim- the clif. All traces of these balconies mer in the brilliant sunshine, hurry have disappeared, but the sockets down to the beards. White, Borb remain.
Though primitive, those prehistoric folks had a fairly developed CHilization of their own. They were in the Stone Age, knowing not the use of ary metal; but they were skilled agriculturists, practising thorough, syalom of irriga- Gin, and raised, crops at volton, corn
and beurs.
Canyon, whose putki is sa zloung gorge of impressive papustions.
THE
77
THEIR DEMTRILLS
anciently her in the rock.
ין וּן
New traile fur descent into the canyon of the Rito have been made by the government Forest Service; for, be ** it understood, the Pajaritu Plateau within the boundaries a ratimur forest which covers an area of almost They kept days, mid.]. tú million acres.
it in a haunt of bats and owls, and to they had domesticated the deg
Other
trails end from the Rito-teach it one must go up long ladders, Tu Villa Real de Santi Fi de Sun the Capulin Canyon, where great or else ascend by a perilous stairway Francisco we call it simply Sante Fe excavation in the voleonie mud con- neme for a town. Trans-Laining wonderful frescoes in odlom is long-neme laint, it means the Rugs) City of the known as the Painted Cave, and where Boly Faith of San Francisc Ad two stone lions crouch upon the "work yharming bit of old Spain, les from which they were exrvedi
glistening like a jewel in the lap dƐ Relic, They Left Bebind. the Blood
of Christ Murtains in High above the swiftly-dowhag central New Mexico, Thence it in that waters of the Rits, and dug out of the one starts westward for the Pajarito fhew of a diaze ir, is the Ceremonia Plation by anonimobile, son horseback, fave, which is believed to have been or by a w-gauge, nikad. ie the holy place wherein the prehistoric objective-point-being-the-head-of-White prieste perforowa-mugies) __dhe_tuto a considerable extent. It is possible. Rock Canyon, which is at the intrave Proke the help of the supernatural' for even now to reconstrust in imagination. "af" the revervation news 'exichlished x, the encouragement of crops and the the habits and mode of living of the
* "ational monument."
procurement of other blessings To-day ancient folks of the volcánte mud.
SUBTERRANEAN CHURCHES
ITY QUAINT SWISS VILLAGE
|
The cotton grown by thnke forgotten people was med for the making of clothing. They knew the art of weay- improved by fragmenta of fabrie Though un- found in the caves. acquainted with the potter'a wheel, they made excellent pottery. Many of their tools mild utensils remain where they left, them at least a thousand years ago, it is supposed-and thus,
DINGEN 4 AICTUR: SQCE VILLAGEN THE
GLASS CHALICE:
rodne m
NORTH ALTAR
Subterranean Churches in Bernese Oberland, Bring Fame To This Picturesque Swiss Alpine Village.
[BY MARIE WIDMER.]
W
some
น
AUS DER ROMANESCHENKOACHE
IN MERUNGEN"
FPAROMENTS DA
STAINED GLAST"
Qunto IN
FINE CHOLA
our led "under
1
OUTH ALTAR
became
wall between nave and choir, was erected, so that the edifice acquired the character of a monastery church.
Valuable Finds.
| prenent church. Thus We, behold in excellently restored colours two 15th century paintings of St. Peter and, of the church patron St. Michael. These two interesting and now highly decore, tive pictures were plastered over day- ing the Reformation period, and only during the latest renovations in 1915 they came again to light.
became
90
Delightal that We enthusiastic over these ancient dis- coveries, our hont smilingly beckoned t us to enter the present church, where, to our great delight we found on the southern and western walls a namber of paintingo said to date back to the your 1500, A.D., the th period of construction. These frescoes, which ut that time were on the upper section of the walls are now like decorative panels on the lower portions of the prescut walls, a vivid illustration of how one edifice after the other had to be built higher and higher up. This is also apparent through several niches Formed by former Romanesque and Gothic windows and doors, which gradually were converted into parts of the walls, us subsequently buildings
were ardeted.
Scenes From Old Testament The paintings represent a number of secam from the Old Testament. An ancient conception of "God in Heaven" is followed by a scent of Adam and Eye in the garden of Eden and their Expulsion from Paradise. An adjacent fresco shows Noah's ark Routing on the high waters and the next one depicta it reating on Mount Ararat, with the dove bringing the olive branch. Another painting shows Noah as the originator of viticulture and the following fresco pictures, that rather painful episode in the hut where two of his sons cover him with a garment while the third' mocks him. The last of the preserved frescoes shows Abraham on the point of sacrificing his Non Isand. All the froncoes are strict conformity with the school of that period around 1300 A.D., and
artist.
own However, a new edifice rose on thre village church? subterranean ruins, of the old one and it han now churches, excavations! Why it this been definitely established that Chero be true we reasoned, we who had were no less than seven different always been fascinated by mere new- periods of building on this same spol! paper reports about ancient discoveries,
A staircase near the main entrance we who envied every individual who was reported to have set his eyes on
to the churk leads 18 feet down to the Reformation. The frequent floods and honorary place to the right, was parti old King Tut's tomb, would have an
excavated edifices and our attention is disasters caused by the nearby moun-cularly well discernible. However, it opportunity to descend right here in first of all directed to the distinctly
tain torrents were undoubtedly the proved 'impossible to touch up these Switzerland into historic depths with small Romanceque building, of which during the brief period during which
visible outlines of the oldest church, a reason for this transfer, for even printings, but another And, contained cate that they emanate from a tree out exposing ourselves to the possible the North wall, part of the triumphal the knights of St. Lazarus had the
in the relle shrine of this altar, two Long after the introduction of the curse of some departed spirit!
small receptacles of glass, so-called Reformation in the Hasli Valley (1623, urch, the semi-circular choir with the church, partial rebuilding
Blood ampullae, as they were found in A.D.), an entire reconstruction of the Accompanied by our kind host who altar and one tower which served as necesenry. The floor of the choir and the graves of the martyrs in the Roman church was unviertaken and was com- Immediately volunteered to act as ancristy in later times, are partially the altar were raised two and one-half catacombs, number now among the .pleted by the master-builder Melker guide, we set out for the brief walk preserved. While the style of architec-feet and a so-called lectern, a dividing different treasures unearthed during Gehres, who added an artistic roof in which afforded welcome glimpses of ture of this original building was of
the excavations and on view in the the year 1084, since which date no rown and clusters of friendly homes, Revere simplicity, traces indicate that
Museum of the Hasli Valley, at Meir-alterations have been made in the style. occupied by peasants, weavers and the side walls and the ceiling of the
ingen. In the opposite direction is the of building. woodcarvers, which mako up the choir were decorated with paintings,
North altar, whose railc shrine con- In the 18th century the church” was pupulation of this locality. Presently and the well preserved friezes with
sained a glass chalice with a brokett moveral, times flooded by the Dorfbach we reached the enclosed cemetery and plant ornamentations show that the
ampulla.
and thd Alphach, and filled in parts to in its midst the church, the recent wonderful
interior of this ancient place of worship
But this 4th church, too was not half its height with stoner and mud, renovation of which led to the great did not lack a rather, colourful beauty,
permitted by the elements to stay long: It remained undamaged, however, in underground discoverica.
it became a prey of the great floods the great fires which devastated Meir-
the first half of the 14th century Ingen in 1879 and 1891. and an ediüse in the late Romanesque These excavations were made in styjo rose on lis rains. The detached 1015. At that time the village found bettry which atanda a few fost distant it necessary to renovate the church, from the church, its oldest bell dating the workmen, when making prepara from 1951, was then erected and sinestions for the laying of a new floor, its foundation reacties to-day almost found that there wore many mysterious 3 feet into the gd, it can hardly walls below, Professor Liesegang, an partial submer- ardent archeologist and friend of alona occurred aîn at zime.
Meiringen, happened to be on the Pictures Wen Preserved.
and. hp, together with a few of the A little more than a century later leading men in the caminsanity, includ the church had to be reconstructed for ing our enthusiastic escort, Mr. Immer, the Oth time, and the Gothic style of succoeded to arouse the interest of the arch torture was then chosen. Those population at large, and enough funds lator pariels of building are specially rubbed to make the excava to be discerned in and around the lens possible.
Buried Many Times.
WWE wore on our way from the Bernese long gap which the Aare has in count.
Oberland to the lake of Lucerne less years worn through a rocky! region, and had decided to taste on this barrier, 525 foot high, numbers among opportune occasion the much heralded the most noteworthy of natural joys of a drive by the modern Swiss phenomena scen in Switzerland. The pont-automobile over the Grimac and electrically illuminated gorge has been Furka passes connecting Meiringen with made safely accessible throughout and Gletsch (Rhone Glacier) and Andernist is up to the present day the happy in the St. Gothard, region. Thus Wy
hunting ground of geologists and the fuappened to make our firat sojourn at Mecca of visitors, young and old. Meiringen, a sun-kissed village, which Of course, we had pinned to visit
During the third period of construc- prends itself invitingly on the banks of
of Meiringen's
tlon the church became a Romanesque the Aare, in a setting of fruit trees, cascades and the gorge of the Aare
building with rectangular choir and velvety pastures and forests above
high altar, the top step of which la was also included in our programme.
Dates From 1234.
covered with a thick marble slab which which in the background glisten glaciers Great was therefore our surprise when
Historic records mention that King Judging from its outlines, may have and snow-capped peaks In their our amlable hust, a true representative
Henry VII, presented the church of had its origin in Roman times To the ethereal beauty. Waterfalls overy of the people of Hasli-who like the Since times immemorial, our escort "Mugiringen," together with all rights right next to the main altar, the There
Like ribbons of silver they inhabitants of the Forest Cantons are now explained, has the sits on which and privileges to the order of St. excavators found a bronze censer which descend from various heights towards said to have emigrated from the the present church of Meiringan rines, Lazarus in 1284. The knights of this appeared to have been in use when the the village, some timidly and harmless, Northlands of Europe suggested that been occupied by a place of worship, order doveted themselves to the nurs catastrophe happened, for it still con- olbery boldly and menacing, but always we should first of all ge over to but just as Pompeil was buried under ing of the sick and to the care of tained charcoal and a lower portion beautiful, as they leap and disperse | church.”
stowers of cinders and ashes, so wayfaring priests and into clouds of spray, only to reunite
enormous masses of stones and mud, However, their sojourn at Meiringen and water.
pligrims.
to have been damaged by are Geome CAT it was Monday, the rathor ill- nguin in added volume of strength at concealed astonishmont on our faces
washed down by torrents from the wes of rather thort duration, for in
Prostly our well informed gulde point lower down, welcome furnished the well-meaning gentleman Hasliberg, descended on this house of the year 1212 already they saw thom- drew our attention to the features of tributaries to the greenish glacier river with a clue. Họ could see that his prayer several times.
The most me llard to harn this heavy the 4th church. He pointed out an advice had not been received in the.
formidable catastrophe of its ad border they xpressed it, ny to arched niche with altar completing the The Gorge.
expected fashion
led na the maturinn ago, then the ting convent at Interlaken, south aisle. When excavated, this It is to this river that Meiringen | traplegi-
hip caused in whose hands the Meiringen church arch showed fragments of portraits of owen its first fame) for the LOVE at an
Ashgh va desyoan then remained mat shortly before the paints and St. Pater, occupying an
Lomo
Aare.
the best
De been that fur
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