62 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 93 



In addition to the later and documented Pawnee sites just described 

 the University of Nebraska Archeological Survey has also surveyed 

 and excavated in two large and important protohistoric sites appar- 

 ently of the same culture but representing a somewhat earlier period 

 (map, fig. I, sites ii, 12). These protohistoric villages are not only 

 located in the very heart of the Pawnee territory but also contain much 

 internal evidence linking them with the historic Pawnee culture as 

 revealed by archeology. Both have already been described in some 

 detail by Wedel,^° although complete reports of later excavations car- 

 ried on during the summer of 1931 are in preparation. For our 

 present purpose it will suffice to sum up the general characteristics of 

 the culture thus revealed in order to facilitate comparison with other 

 and prehistoric cultures. The first of these is called the Burkett site 

 and is located above the Loup River 4 miles southwest of Genoa in 

 Nance County. The other, called the Gray or Schuyler site, is larger, 

 being strung out for some 2 miles along a ridge between Shell Creek 

 and the Platte 2 miles north of Schuyler, Colfax County. Judging 

 from the relative amount of metal and glass remains recovered from 

 each, the Burkett site appears to be the older of the two, though both 

 represent the same general culture horizon. So far no horse remains 

 have been reported in excavating either of these sites, whereas such 

 skeletal material is abundant in the historic Pawnee villages circa 1805. 

 This occurrence of rather rare Caucasian artifacts of metal and glass 

 in sites in which horse remains are either scarce or entirely lacking is 

 significant and offers a means of dating the culture with relative 

 accuracy. Such artifacts could hardly have reached the Pawnee prior 

 to 1540 and Robert La Salle reports horses as being numerous in the 

 Pawnee villages by 1682, hence the present culture must fall between 

 these two dates, giving us an approximate median dating of 1600 for 

 the protohistoric Pawnee culture as revealed in the Burkett and Gray 

 sites. 



Leaving for future publication the presentation of this evidence in 

 full, we will briefly sum up the salient characteristics of the rich cul- 

 ture so far revealed in these two sites. Both villages are scattered over 

 considerable areas without any apparent order and lack any visible 

 fortifications or earthworks, though both sites are marked by numerous 

 low- mounds or refuse heaps between the houses.'" In neither site are 

 the house remains marked by pits, and the earth lodges appear to have 



^'Wedel (no date). See Burkett and Schuyler sites. As previously mentioned, 

 Hayden (1868) and Blackman have briefly described certain aspects of these 

 protohistoric villages. 



'" See Wedel, no date, for further details. 



