The Relation of Sun Temple, a New Type of Ruin Lately Excavated in the Mesa Verde National Park, to Prehistoric “Towers” (Pamphlet)

Description

Author: Fewkes, J. Walter  (1850-1930)

Publisher: Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences (Washington, D.C.)

Pub Date: 1916

Binding: Paperback

Condition: Poor.  Previous owner’s stamp on upper front cover corner.  Gift inscription immediately below, signed by the author.  Numerous chips and small tears to all front cover edges.  Spine head missing an approx. 1″ x 1/8″ piece.  Lower front cover corner has an approx. 2″ bend, missing an approx. 1/2″ chip.  There’s an approx. 1″ tear at the upper edge that extends through the entire volume, does not affect text.  Spine head and foot have approx. 1″ tears.  Upper rear cover corner has an approx. 2″ bend.  Lower rear cover corner missing an approx. 1/2″ x 1/2″ triangular chip, and the last two pages of text missing smaller pieces.  Foxing to all pages.  Sun-fading to front and rear covers.  Includes ephemera.

Notes: Pamphlet.  Offprint.  Originally published in the Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, Vol. VI, No. 8, April 19, 1916.  Fewkes describes the excavation of what is now known as the Sun Temple at Mesa Verde, and later compares it to other similar buildings in southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah (based on work done in the 1870’s by W.H. Jackson and William Henry Holmes)  “Perhaps the most important result of my explorations at the Mesa Verde National Park last summer was the unearthing for the first time of this large, mysterious building bearing evidence that it was constructed solely for religious purposes…The comparisons that have been made above between the ceremonials rooms in cliff dwellings, towers, and the ruin call Sun Temple have led me to believe that certain of the structures, know as towers, were in reality not lookouts, as commonly believed, but were constructed solely for religious purposes as suggested by the discoverers.  On the other hand, some of the towers cannot be regarded as places of worship.  Some served probably as lookouts, while many were built for storage, defense, or other purposes.”  (Pages 217-220).  Perhaps the best feature of this pamphlet occurs on the upper front cover–stamped by the former owner, the late W.W. (Nibs) Hill (1902-1974), and gifted to him by J. Walter Fewkes, inscribed “With the compliments of his Friend”.  Ephemera is an obituary and bibliography of Hill.  VERY RARE.  No other copies available for sale.