Historic Spanish record of the Conquest, south side of Inscription Rock, N.M., No. 3

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Item Information

Title:
Historic Spanish record of the Conquest, south side of Inscription Rock, N.M., No. 3
Description:
Descriptive legend of view no. 13: Representing one of the legends of Inscription Rock, a great mass of sandstone whose faces are tablets on which the invading Spaniards have written their history and the native Indians have carved their hieroglyphics. It is in western New Mexico, near the road which connects the Indian towns of Zuni and Laguna. Upon its summit, which is 400 feet above the valley and attainable by only one pathway, are extensive ruins, and a gigantic reservoir in the rock for the storage of water. The inscriptions are mostly from the hands of the early Spaniards, who fell into the fashion of leaving here the date of the visit, the progress they had made, and the purpose of the mission, which was usually one of conquest. The oldest record in English is "O.R., Mch. 19th, 1836." There is one Spanish inscription of the 16th of April, 1606, and another, of which a fac-simile is given in the view, whose date the antiquarians have not yet satisfactorily deciphered. Reading it by the eye alone, it seems to be "1526," but in order to reconcile it with early history it may be found necessary to call it "1726." The following is a translation of this inscription, obtained from learned sources by General Simpson, who visited the place in 1849 and contributed the first official information concerning it: "By this place passed Ensign Don Joseph de Payba Basconzelos, in the year in which he held the Council of the Kingdom at his expense, on the 18th of February, in the year 1726." The writing is now subject of historical comparison and research, and future developments may show that at as early a date as 1526 this rock lay in the path of the Spanish Conquest. By comparison with the graduated scale, 36 inches in length, the proportions of the letters may be estimated.
Photographer:
O'Sullivan, Timothy H., 1840-1882
Publisher:
United States. War Department. Corps of Engineers
Date:
[1873] (created)
[1876] (issued)
Format:
Photographs
Genre:
Albumen prints
Expedition photographs
Location:
Boston Public Library
Arts Department
Collection (local):
Photographs of the American West
Series:
Photographs From Explorations and Surveys West of the 100th Meridian > Photographs from geographical explorations and surveys west of the 100th meridian, expeditions of 1871, 1872, 1873, and 1874, with descriptive text - under command of Lieut. Geo. M. Wheeler, Corps of Engrs
Places:
New Mexico > Cibola (county) > El Morro
Extent:
1 photographic print : albumen ; image 21 x 28 cm., on mount 41 x 51 cm.
Permalink:
https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/cf95jc52p
Terms of Use:
No Copyright - United States icon No Copyright - United States
No known copyright restrictions.
No known restrictions on use.
Publisher:
[Washington, D.C.] : War Dept., Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army
Language:
English
Notes:
Title from item.
On item: War Department, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army. Geographical Explorations and Surveys. West of the 100th Meridian. Expedition of 1873. Under Command of Lieut. Geo. M. Wheeler, Corps of Engrs.
Plate number: No. 13
Notes (date):
This date is inferred.
Accession #:
PAW4.076
Call #:
Cab.78.15.4 (no longer used)