$2 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 6o 



FIELD-WORK OF THE BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



IN 1912 



Ethnological Investigations of Dr. J. Walter Fewkes in the West Indies 



One of the most important and interesting lines of research con- 

 ducted by the Bureau of American Ethnology is that which has been 

 under the immediate supervision of Dr. J. Walter Fewkes, for many 

 years an ethnologist in the Bureau, who has conducted important 

 investigations on the archeology of the West Indies. 



The need of making a comprehensive study of the archeology of 

 the West Indies in order to determine the position of the original 

 inhabitants of those islands among the American aborigines was 

 realized several years ago, and the investigation of this field was as- 

 signed to Doctor Fewkes who prepared several papers on the results 

 of his work, including "Aborigines of Porto Rico and Neighboring 

 Islands," published in the Twenty-fifth Annual Report of the 

 Bureau. Subsequently Doctor Fewkes's attention was diverted to 

 other fields, but last year Air. Georg~e G. Heye made it possible to 

 resume research in the West Indies, and in ( ictober Dr. Fewkes sailed 

 for Trinidad, after spending some time in New York City for the 

 purpose of studying the noteworthy collections of West Indian objects 

 in the Heye museum. On his arrival in Trinidad, Doctor Fewkes 

 made an examination of certain caves near Fort of Spain, but found 

 no indication of former troglodytes (cave dwellers). At Erin, a ham- 

 let of French negroes, he found a large shell-heap, the contents of 

 which indicated a high development of the aboriginal occupants, 

 especially in the manufacture of pottery. This pottery has relief 

 decorations, and is painted red, while one of several entire vessels 

 is decorated with incised figures. Doctor Fewkes also recovered 

 about a hundred animal heads of clay, some of which are well 

 modeled, together with typical stone axes and other utilitarian objects. 



As objects adequately illustrating the artistic ability of the pre- 

 historic inhabitants of Trinidad are unknown in the museums of 

 Europe or the United States, the collection of beautiful pottery made 

 by Dr. Fewkes in the shell heaps at Erin, opens a new chapter in the 

 history of West Indian culture and immigrations. While it is yet too 

 early to interpret the bearing of these objects on our knowledge of the 

 culture of the prehistoric people dwelling about the Caribbean Sea, it is 

 evident that the prehistoric culture of this island is closely allied to 

 that existing in ancient times on the neighboring coast of \ enezuela 

 and quite distinct from the so-called Carib of St. Vincent, Grenada 



