SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS, 1 93 1 



157 



more ancient nonpottery culture in the lower deposit is tremendously 

 important. Thanks to the action of Mr. Green, the owners of the site 

 have granted the Smithsonian Institution exclusive rights to continue 

 excavations here and it is planned to continue with the work early 

 next season. 



From Scottsbluff, our party drove on to Vermilion, S. Dak., where 

 a group of Plains and Upper Mississippi archeologists held a confer- 

 ence from August 31 to September 3. After an exceedingly interesting 

 meeting, the writer, with other members of the conference, accom- 

 panied W. H. Over on a visit to various prehistoric village sites along 



Fig. 151. — Bottom strata, north end of original trench, where broken 

 bones and stone implements occurred, but no pottery. (Photograph by 

 Lee A. Daniels.) 



the Missouri River. These sites are strikingly situated on bluffs just 

 above the river and are remarkable for their size, their splendid pres- 

 ervation and the clearly delineated earthworks which surround them. 

 It is impossible to obtain adequate photographs of such sites owing to 

 their location on the highest points in the vicinity. They should, how- 

 ever, show up beautifully from the air and it is to be hoped that an 

 airplane survey of the Upper Missouri River may be arranged before 

 the plow or other modern agency destroys them. Some of these sites 

 appear to be entirely prehistoric and a striking resemblance was noted 

 between pottery from certain of these villages and the ceramic re- 

 mains characteristic of the prehistoric Pawnee culture in Nebraska. 

 Under the expert guidance of Mr. Over a large number of such sites 



