NO. 10 NEBRASKA ARCHEOLOGY STRONG 55 



back upon the stage once more, but for the present we must still look 

 to the Old World for our prehuman predecessors. 



Our account of archeological research in Nebraska is almost up-to- 

 date. In 1929 the present author, while professor of anthropology at 

 the University of Nebraska, organized a State archeological survey 

 for that institution. The main results of this survey during the period 

 from September 1929, to September 1931, are included in W. R. 

 Wedel's report, " An Introduction to Pawnee Archeology," ^° in a pre- 

 liminary report by the writer (1933b), and in the present work. 



The work of the University of Nebraska Archeological Survey 

 since September 1931 has been under the direction of Dr. Earl H. 

 Bell. In cooperation with Mr. Hill and other agencies interested in 

 these problems. Dr. Bell is carrying on Nebraska field work. 



HISTORIC AND PROTOHISTORIC* PAWNEE CULTURE AS 

 REVEALED BY ARCHEOLOGY 



The study of historic Pawnee archeology was basic in the work of 

 the University of Nebraska Archeological Survey from 1929 to 1931. 

 Once the archeological criteria of this important Nebraska culture had 

 been determined, it was then possible to begin the advance from the 

 known and historic into the unknown and prehistoric. Much remains 

 to be done in the field of historic Pawnee archeology, but its outlines 

 are already clear enough to serve as a guide into the more murky 

 depths of the prehistoric cultures of the State. When the archeological 

 criteria for the sedentary Siouan occupation of Nebraska in early 

 historic times are equally clear, another great advance will have been 

 made. So far, however, attention has been concentrated on the historic 

 Pawnee and on various prehistoric cultures, and almost nothing is 

 known of the archeology of such Siouan tribes as the Omaha, Ponca, 

 and Oto. The excavation of historic villages of these peoples is the 

 next logical step toward an understanding of Nebraska culture 

 problems. 



Fortunately, the matter of historic Pawnee archeology has been 

 dealt with at some length by others and need only be summed up in the 

 present paper. Bushnell has gathered together various nineteenth cen- 

 tury descriptions of Nebraska Pawnee villages. '^ These include the 

 accounts of Pike, Long, Dunbar, Fremont, Murray, De Smet, and 

 Grinnell, which, with the excellent photographs of W. H. Jackson 

 showing Loup River Pawnee villages, furnish a good picture of the 



'^Awaiting publication by the Bureau of American Ethnology. 

 "1922, pp. 155-167; also see Bushnell, 1927, pp. 79-82, for historic data on 

 Pawnee burial customs. 



