2/6 SMITHSOXIAX MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIOXS VOL. 93 



It has been stated that the Upper Repubhcan culture probably repre- 

 sents a prehistoric stage in Pawnee development. This is indicated 

 not only by the fact that the ranges of the two cultures coincide, but 

 also by the fact that a transition from Upper Republican culture to 

 protohistoric Pawnee and finally to historic Pawnee cultures is ap- 

 parent. This is particularly marked as regards the development of 

 house types and ceramics. 



The predominant Upper Republican culture house type appears 

 to have been a small, semisubterranean earth lodge with a four-post 

 central foundation, covered entry way (or entryways). and square or 

 rectangular outline with rounded corners. At the same time one round 

 and one intermediate earth lodge pertaining to this culture have been 

 uncovered at Sweetwater (1932). The former of these, except for 

 smaller size and deeper floor, is identical with the later protohistoric 

 Pawnee earth lodges. The latter are round in outline, about half as 

 deep as the earlier type, and considerably larger, but are otherwise 

 very similar, having the same four-jX)st central foundation, outer 

 circle (or circles) of posts and a post-lined passageway. The historic 

 Pawnee earth lodge is also round, is nearly on the surface of the 

 ground, and has from four to eight central posts instead of the al- 

 most universal four of the earlier types. In spite of this lapse from 

 the old pattern in building such lodges, the present Pawnee still refer 

 to only four house posts in their ceremonies. The outer circle of 

 posts and the post-lined passageways of the historic houses are the 

 same as those of the earlier types. There appears, then, to have been 

 a consistent development from the small, deep, square or round earth 

 lodge up to the large, slightly subsurface, round earth lodge of historic 

 times. Although the discovery that the square earth lodge is an earlier 

 type than the round lodge in central Nebraska may seem surprising, 

 it is in accord with the findings of Sterns in eastern Nebraska, where 

 the predominantly rectangular dwelling of the Nebraska culture pre- 

 cedes the round earth lodge of the historic Siouan tribes. Of these 

 two prehistoric house types, that of the Upper Republican culture 

 shows the most direct relationship to the historic Pawnee earth lodge. 

 It would take us too far afield to discuss the possible reasons for the 

 occurrence of this earlier rectangular tyi)e of dwelling in Nebraska. 

 It seems a promising hint that in the prehistoric Caddoan cultures 

 of southwestern Arkansas both the round and the square earth lodge 

 has been reported (M. R. Harrington, 1920, pp. 256-259, 291-297) 

 and that certain of these closely approximate the Upjx-r Republican 

 (or prehistoric Pawnee) culture type of dwellings in central and 

 southern Nebraska. The point that is stressed at this time, however, 



