Prehistoric Finds in New Mexico

Originally Published in 1932

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WORK in the caves of the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico was continued last spring under the joint auspices of the University Museum and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, with Mr. Edgar B. Howard, of the Museum in charge.

While a number of new caves were explored in which some skeletal material, sandals, grooved sticks, cordage, hair rope and so on were found, the principal work was carried on at the same cave as reported upon the two previous seasons. The excavation of this particular cave was completed this year by Mr. Howard with the able help of Mr. R. M. Burnet of Carlsbad. Two more Basket Maker burials were uncovered, in one of which was a broken atlatl, or spear-thrower. A number of deep hearths were encountered at depths down to nearly nine feet, and in some of these were burned animal bones. Bones of the musk-ox, bison, horse and several species of small mammal, as well as bones of the California condor were also found this year.

From a site not far in a southeasterly direction from Clovis, New Mexico, Mr. A. W. Anderson brought to the attention of Mr. Howard a spear head of the Folsom type which he had picked up. At this same site, which was apparently an old lake bed, he had also found a mammoth tooth. Proceeding at once to this locality, Mr. Howard picked up there several other broken Folsom points. Further, by going through local collections made at and near this place, a total of over twenty-five points were found, some as beautifully chipped as the type specimens. The site offers interesting possibilities and the Museum expects to follow up this opportunity at the earliest possible moment.

Cite This Article

"Prehistoric Finds in New Mexico." Museum Bulletin IV, no. 1 (December, 1932): 25-26. Accessed October 22, 2024. https://www.penn.museum/sites/bulletin/1035/


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