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Show late spring and summer would periodically wipe out their fields. Thus the canyon served mainly as a hunting and seed- gathering area for these people, and most of the archeological sites within the canyon itself are those of small temporary camps on gravel benches or in small caves. In an area that is today noted for its thousands of mines, it is interesting to record that the first mining was carried on as early as twelve to fifteen hundred years ago. However, it was not for gold or silver or other minerals we so eagerly search for today that these early miners dug. They were interested chiefly in rock salt, turquoise, and such paint materials as hematite and limonite. Numerous salt mines have been found along the banks of the Verde and Virgin Rivers, both open pit mines and natural caves being utilized. Turquoise pit mines near H oover Dam contain pueblo potsherds and stone picks and hammers. Production of surplus quantities of turquoise and salt enabled extensive bartering to be carried on with other areas. A number of regular trade routes have been traced over the region. That the turquoise industry was an important one long before the discovery of America is shown by the hundreds of thousands of turquoise beads and products found in the ruins of the Southwest. As many as 30,000 beads have been found in one room of Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon National Monument, N. Mex. An unusual phase of the ceremonial life of these pueblo people may be inferred from the many pet- roglyphs which occur throughout the area. These figures, pecked with small hand stones on large rocks or on smooth cliff walls, present a wide variety of geometric and naturalistic designs, including circles, scrolls, wavy lines, and human and animal forms such as snakes, lizards, turtles, mountain sheep, and deer. Petroglyphs are found in every section of the basin, but they vary from area to area and from culture to culture. They can seldom be interpreted, although many undoubtedly represent such things as ceremonial symbols, good- luck charms, clan symbols, and direction markings. Since populations were concentrated in river valleys adjacent to an adequate water supply, and since each drainage area was set off from neighbor- Figure 46.- White House Ruin- Canyon de Chelly National Monument. 93 |