ANTIQUITIES OP NEW YORK. 125 



there appears to be entire uniformity in conditions of occupancy, and in remains of 

 art within their walls. It is represented that these relics of art and traces of 

 occupancy are absolutely identical with those which mark the forts and fortified 

 towns occupied by Indians within the period of historical records. 



"All the facts and coincidences," says Mr. Squier, "go to show that if the earth- 

 works of western New York are of remote date, they were not only secondarily, 

 but generally occupied by the Iroquois, or neighboring and contemporary nations, 

 or else — and this hypothesis is most consistent and reasonable — were erected by 

 them. I am driven to the conclusion that they were erected 



by the Iroquois or their neighbors. 



" Except so far as they illustrate the system of defence practised by the aborigi- 

 nal inhabitants, and show that they were, to a degree, fixed and agricultural in 

 their habits, they have slight bearing upon the grand ethnological and archeeologi- 

 cal questions of the country." 



And yet — and here is food for reflection — we learn from the drawings and 

 descriptions that, while enclosures of a sacred or ceremonial character, with their 

 accompaniments, are wanting, the mural remains of New York bear a striking 

 resemblance to those of Northern Ohio ; and, with less of symmetry, less expenditure 

 of labor, and general inferiority of size, do not differ materially in form and struc- 

 ture from works of defence ascribed to the ancient race. Many of them are now 

 covered with heavy forests ; and the suggestion of Mr. Squier, that it may not 

 have been essential to the purposes of the builders that the forests should be 

 removed, cannot be more applicable to them than to others, especially as he speaks 

 of trees, from one foot to three feet in diameter, standing upon the embankments, 

 and in the trenches. The relics they yield, though characterized as such as are 

 known to have been common among the Iroquois, exhibit a near affinity to those 

 of the same class from the western mounds. The vases are described as of very 

 good material, and worked and ornamented with considerable skill and taste ; the 

 pipes as often fancifully moulded, some bearing the forms of animals, whose distinc- 

 tive features are well preserved, others in shape of human heads, of fine quality 

 and well burned ; some, indeed, so hard, smooth, and symmetrical, as almost to induce 

 doubts of their aboriginal origin. The terra-cottas, other than pipes, are also pro- 

 nounced to be very creditable specimens of art. 



The Appendix, in this publication, is of greater length than the memoir to which 

 it is attached; and treats more or less fully, with frequent illustrative drawings, 

 and much evidence of research, upon many points of general archaeological interest 

 essential to a comprehensive view of the subject of American antiquities. For the 

 convenience of readers seeking information, the titles of its contents are here sub- 

 joined in a note. 1 



1 Contents of Appendix to Aboriginal Remains of New York, viz : Ancient works in Pennsylvania 

 and New Hampshire. Character of Indian defences. Defences of the ancient Mexicans and Peru- 

 vians. Comparison of the defensive structures of the American Aborigines with those of the Pacific 

 Islanders, Celts, etc. Construction of mounds by existing Indian tribes. Sepulchral mounds in Mex- 

 ico, Central America, etc. Sepulchral monuments of the ancient world. Probable funeral rites of the 



