NO. lO NEBRASKA ARCHEOLOGY — STRONG 175 



parties in 1930 and 1931, this was the only one that was not square 

 or subrectangular in outHne. It was also the only one to contain any 

 large amount of human bones, although a few small fragments were 

 noted in house 2, at Rock Blufifs. 



May 17 was the last opportunity for field work during the spring of 

 193 1, and our excavations were carefully filled up before leaving. 

 The site had only been sampled, and much interesting work remained 

 to be done. It may also be mentioned that besides the Nebraska culture 

 remains briefly discussed herein, there are also said to be ash strata in 

 the deeply cut creek banks to the south and east of the site. These 

 should certainly be investigated. Moreover, the entire valley of the Elk- 

 horn is terra incognita so far as the scientific archeologist is concerned. 

 Through the efforts of enthusiastic amateurs such as J. B. O'Sullivan, 

 of O'Neill, we know that there are numerous and extensive pre- 

 historic sites to be investigated. This valley must always have been 

 an important artery of communication between the northern and 

 southern regions, since it is one of the few rivers cutting directly 

 through the desolate sand hills district. Dakota raids against the 

 Pawnee and vice versa passed through the Elkhorn Valley, and there 

 are much earlier evidences of human occupation there which should 

 be investigated. 



The Walker Gilmore (Stratified) Site, Cass County 



This is one of the most important as well as intrinsically interesting 

 sites in Nebraska, and it may be added, in the Plains region generally. 

 It is one of the very few stratified sites so far reported from the 

 Plains or Upper Mississippi regions and is also remarkable for its 

 topographical situation, extent, and type of cultural remains. Dis- 

 covered by Walker Gilmore, son of Dr. G. H. Gilmore, the site was 

 first worked by Dr. Fred H. Sterns, who has published a preliminary 

 report on his findings (1915). In his unpublished report on the arche- 

 ology of eastern Nebraska (191 5 a) Sterns devotes considerable 

 space to the site and gives a rather detailed map of deposits ; hence in 

 the following account we will only sketch in the general situation with 

 such new data as have been obtained in some lo rather brief visits 

 to the place. It may be mentioned at the outset that in general we have 

 found Sterns' conclusions adequate and well founded, and the major 

 part of our work has been supplementary and confirmatory rather 

 than original. 



The older culture strata under discussion occur in a deep, narrow 

 gully formed by an intermittent stream now called " Sterns Creek " 

 by various local archeologists. This stream and the deposits are 



