THE ARCHEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF NEW YORK 3/ 



3 PROBLEMS IX XE\V YORK ARCHEOLOGY 



While great strides have been made in the study of the archeology 

 of this geographical area, there are yet many problems to engage our 

 attention, things to do in the way of excavation and research before 

 we may know even a portion of what we should know about the 

 activities and cultural conditions of the aborigines. In order that we 

 may study with purpose and pursue our field work with intelligence, 

 we ought to bear in mind constantly what the problems are. 



1 Our first problem is to determine what people or peoples lived 

 in this area, and what aboriginal tribes lived in it when the country 

 was first invaded by white men. It is not enough to make a general 

 guess, for there may have been isolated tracts held by several tribes, 

 some of different stocks, instead of the generally known tribe 

 mentioned in history and popular recital. 



2 From what locality or region did each tribe and stock come? 

 W'hat direction did they take to reach this region? What did they 

 bring with them that was distinctive? 



3 Whom did they find, and did they drive out or exterminate 

 the older occupants? Did they amalgamate with them? 



4 At what date approximately did each people arrive, and for 

 how long a time did they occupy the region ? 



5 What precise sites did each people occupy? W^hat area did 

 they cover ? 



6 Where are the oldest sites of each culture, where are the 

 intermediate and where the most recent ? 



/ What are the characteristics of the village, camp and burial 

 sites of each culture? 



8 What are the characteristic implements of each and what are 

 correlated ? 



9 Determine what each implement was used for, if possible, but 

 do not guess. Experiment and try the implement in the several ways 

 that suggest themselves to you, but unless you are positive, do not 

 give a use-name to an implement. Until you know the use of an 

 object, give it a descriptive name. 



10 To what extent was each culture modified as time went on? 

 Illustrate the modification. 



11 What tribes of the same or other stocks surrounded them? 



12 Whom do they seem to have influenced culturally? 



13 By whom do they seem to have been influenced? 



14 What are the salient features of each culture? 



