La Cueva rock shelter is an archeological site associated with the Jornada branch of the prehistoric Mogollon culture. La Cueva was identified as such by Dr. Donald Lehmer of the University of Arizona who conducted test excavations in the cave in the 1940s. Dr. Lehmer had hoped that the shelter was a totally dry environment where artifacts, such as baskets and yucca fiber sandals, would have been preserved. Unfortunately, he found that moisture entered the shelter, and few perishable artifacts were recovered. La Cueva has seen considerable pothunting activity over the years. In fact, the dirt mound in front of the shelter is the screened "back dirt" the pothunters had removed from La Cueva's interior. This mound effectively capped and preserved archeological deposits immediately in front of the shelter. In the mid 1970's, the Centennial Museum of the University of Texas at El Paso conducted test excavations in front of La Cueva where approximately 100,000 artifacts were recovered. Preliminary analysis indicated that the rock shelter was occupied from about 5000 BC, through the historic period that followed the arrival of the Europeans. The lower levels of the excavation sites yielded artifacts from the early, or Archaic period; while the upper levels contained artifacts associated with the Jornada branch of the Mogollon culture. A considerable amount of animal bones were recovered during the excavations; some of which have been identified. It appears that the prehistoric occupants of La Cueva subsisted on rabbits, deer, antelope and bighorn sheep. These early occupants of the rock shelter probably spent most of their time outside of the cave, retreating to its interior only in times of bad weather. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the rock shelter of La Cueva was probably known to the roving bands of Apaches who frequented the area. Then, in the late 1860's, the cave reportedly served as home to one of the more eccentric figures in New Mexico's history. Giovanni Maria Agostini, know to local folks as "El Ermitano"...the Hermit. Born to Italian nobles in 1800, Agostini-Justiniani may have studied for the priesthood but refused his vows and spent many years walking through Europe, South America, Mexico and Cuba. At age 62, he walked with the wagon train of Eugenio Romero from Kansas to Las Vegas, New Mexico, and lived for a while in Romeroville before settling on Cerro Tecolote northwest of Las Vegas. The hill has since become known as Hermit's Peak. Agostini had known Penitentes in Spain and got along with them well in New Mexico, as they were in awe of his healing powers and believed in his sanctity. A "Sociedad del Ermitano" still makes rosaries of native plants to honor his memory at Easter. In 1867, he accompanied the wagon train of Don Ramon Gonzales to Mesilla to find Colonel Albert J. Fountain to discuss a legal matter, then walked on to San Antonio, Texas, and then back to a cave near Juarez, Mexico. In 1869 he visited often with the Barela family on the plaza in Old Mesilla, sometimes preaching in their home. He told the Barela family of his plans to live at La Cueva. When they warned him of the dangers of staying there alone, he supposedly replied I shall make a fire in front of my cave every Friday evening while I shall be alive. If the fire fails to appear, it will be because I have been killed. I shall bless you daily in my prayers." Antonio Garcia was aware of Agostini's miraculous healing powers and transported sick people to La Cueva to be healed. The Hermit found an abundance of herbs nearby to help effect his cures. One Friday night in the spring of 1869 the fire failed to appear at La Cueva. Antonio Garcia led a group up the mountain to find the Hermit lying face down on his crucifix with a knife in his back. He was wearing a penitential "metal girdle full of spikes." El Ermitano is buried in the Mesilla Cemetery with the following Spanish inscription, "John Mary Justiniani, Hermit of the Old and New World. He died the 17th of April, 1869, at 69 years and 49 years a hermit." This murder was one of many unsolved murders in the late 1800's in Dona Ana County.