Desert Messenger

November 2, 2016 www.DesertMessenger.com 21 Hunting, gathering, mining & Massacres ADVENTURES WITH ROCKS ™ www.RocksInMyHead.com In 1200 AD, the rich fertile valleys of the Salt, Little Colorado, and Gila Rivers were inhabited by the Salado people. A blend of Anasazi, Mogol- lon, and Hohokam cultures, they were skillful hunters and masterful irrigation farmers, as well as brilliant craftspeople who were known for their high-quality pottery and beauti- ful textiles. The center of Salado civ- ilization was the portion of Arizona which we now know as Globe. Here the Salado built a 200 room pueblo which served as a ceremonial, trad- ing, and cultural hub, named Besh Ba Gowah by their descendants, the Apaches. It is also believed that this site was a food storage and distribu- tion center for the surrounding area. The ruins of Besh Ba Gowah have walls more than a foot thick, constructed of adobe brick, granite stone, and a white calcareous adobe plaster. The roofs are of thick timbers layered with mud, mats, and reeds. Several sections of the pueblo were two or three stories high, and approximately one hundred and fi fty burials exist beneath the main plaza. Within the interior of the pueblo is a ceremonial mound, and a kiva with a sipapu. The sipapu, a hole in the fl oor of a kiva, which symbolizes the ancestral emergence from the pri- mordial underworld into the earthly realm, was found covered by a quartz slab full of turquoise dust. Archaeo- logical exploration of Besh Ba Gowah has revealed arti- facts indicative of a trading network expanding to the Pacifi c Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. These artifacts in- clude such items as shell jewelry, and articles like sandals, baskets, and mats woven out of reeds. The pottery of Besh Ba Gowah is also unique to the cul- ture, including painted polychromes, with distinctive animal, bird and in- sect motifs. Donut-shaped canteens are another unusual type of pottery found only within the pueblo of Besh Ba Gowah. By around 1450 AD, the Salado had abandoned the site, and eventu- ally the ancestors of the modern day Apache moved into the harsh des- ert landscape. The Apaches hunted, gathered, and farmed in the mineral rich Pinal mountains relatively un- disturbed for centuries until, in the 1820s and 30s, Mexican mountain men began exploring the Pinal moun- tains in search of mineral wealth. It was rumored that the mountains in Apache territory were abundant in mineral riches, including gold, cop- per, silver and turquoise, and contact with the natives confi rmed the pres- ence of such wealth. The Apaches were far too numerous, however, and the Mexicans were never successful at establishing mines. The fi rst serious mining expedition led by a white man was in 1861, when Corydon Cooley led an excursion into the Pinal Mountains. After several at- tempts and encounters with Apaches, in 1869 Cooley persuaded some com- panions to help him push deeper into Apache territory to search for gold. Meanwhile, in the same year another prospecting party led by Calvin Jack- son left Prescott to probe the Pinals for mineral rich ores. Both parties met with extreme resistance from the Apaches and were warned not to proceed further into Apache territory. Continually harassed by Apaches, the two parties eventually decided, out of concern for their safety, that it was in their best interest to unite. They set up a crude fort in late October 1869 at Big Johnny Gulch, two miles north of what was later to become Globe, AZ. By 1870, fi fteen claims were staked, the fi rst in what was to become one of the richest mineral districts in the nation. The population of treasure seekers and other related occupations grew rapidly. As expected, the San Carlos Apaches did not take kindly to these activities. They mobilized forces to prohibit the prospectors from accessing claims deep within their territory. The area quickly became a hotbed of violence between natives and white prospec- tors. The US Army began sending expeditions into the area to suppress the Apaches and protect the white settlers, however, the confrontations just grew more frequent, antagonistic, and violent. In 1871, General George Crook began his infamous and in- credibly bloody "Tonto Campaigns", which became known as the Apache SEE GLOBE PAGE 24 Food Handler Classes Food Handler cards are required for every person who handles or pre- pares food, and/or handles the eating utensils and food preparation equipment, including dishwashing. The cost is $15.00 per year and the card must be posted inside the food unit. Cards must be obtained prior to opening. Quartzsite, AZ: The Food Handler class and test will be given at: Quartzsite Senior Center, 40 Moon Mountain Road, on the following WEDNESDAYS: November 16th • 10am and 2pm NOTE: Time changes in December and January December classes Dec. 7th and 14th 9am and 1030am January classes Jan. 4th, 12th and 18th 9am and 1030am Note: If you need a Spanish video and test, please contact the Health Department at 928-669-1100. Spanish classes are available in Parker at the Health Department, 1112 Joshua Ave., #206, on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:00 am - 4:00 pm. T��� ����� ������� �� D����� M��������

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