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Show ANCIENT ART IN NORTHWESTERN COLORADO. BY EDWIN A. BARBKK. The great wilderness which stretches through North and Middle Parks of Colorado, and westward along the valleys of Bear ( Yam pa), White and Grand Rivers, once composed the hunting- grounds of the ancient ancestral branches of some of the present western Indian tribes. Even now, deer, elk, antelope, bear, and Rocky Mountain sheep are very abundant, and it has not been more than thirty years since the buffalo or mountain bison roamed the river- bottoms, as is evident from the character and appearance of the old " buffalo- wallows" which still are to be seen in the vicinity of White River agency. In the elevated boundaries of North Park an old bull bison was seen in August of 1874; so that centuries ago, it is reasonable to suppose, these animals congregated on this portion of the western slope of the Rocky range. Throughout this whole extent of territory, traces of primitive art abound, which, although not met with in great abundance in concentrated localities, are, nevertheless, scattered sparingly over this entire country. During the summer of 1874, the writer, in connection with the United States Geological Survey, collected a number of interesting forms of stone implements, principally arrow- points, some of which are here noticed. Along the banks of Willow Creek, in Middle Park, were found several delicate and minute specimens of singular forms. Among these were a few very rude patterns chipped from carnelian and chalcedony. In North Park a number of perfect points were picked up, which, in some instances, varied somewhat from anything before discovered in this section. One was a peculiar form, fashioned nicely from a very beautiful lavender- colored flint, with red spots throughout. The specimen is noticeable for its perfect symmetry and entireness. There were also two specimens of different shapes, obtained in the valley of the Yampa River. In this bottom I found a spot on the top of a lofty mass of white sandstone, where arrow- heads had once been manufactured. Here were accumulated flakes of flint, agate, quartz and jasper, in great quantities, and among the chippings were found several very minute specimens, entire and broken, some of them scarcely a third of an inch in length. Another specimen is a red and white agate with small spots of delicate red mosson the right- hand edge. After the spearhead ( forsuch it evidently was) had been broken, it was ground down flat where the fractures occurred; that is, where the point had been broken off and where the shaft joined the body, and put to further use, probably as a cutter or skin- scraper, for it is admirably adapted to either of these uses. The side edges are chipped exceedingly thin and sharp, so that in all probability the broken spear- head was turned into a knife. No. 1 5 |