92 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 7/ 



PREHISTORIC ABORIGINAL CULTURE OF THE GULF STATES 



Of the aboriginal culture areas within the boundaries of what is 

 now the United States, there are two which, although related, are 

 widely diverse. One of these lies in the four States, Colorado, Utah, 

 New Mexico, and Arizona, the other formerly extended over portions 

 of the Gulf States, Florida, Georgia, Alabama. Mississippi, Louisiana, 

 or practically the Lower Mississippi Valley, Georgia, and Florida. 

 In both these areas there was an aboriginal culture prehistoric and 

 thoroughly Indian, which was on the decline when the region was 

 first visited by white men. Each area was inhabited by Indians speak- 

 ing different languages or dialects, but who had cranial similarities, 

 like means of obtaining a food supply, related social customs, rites, 

 and mythology. Ethnologists may have different opinions as to which 

 culture reached the higher development, but they generally agree 

 that we need more accurate knowledge of both to form a final judg- 

 ment of their character. 



The amount of scientific research that has been devoted to these 

 two culture areas is quite unec|ual. The pvieblo field has attracted so 

 many investigators that they far outnumber those studying all other 

 culture areas in the United States. Notwithstanding the fact that 

 the archeology of the Gulf States is as attractive as that of the 

 Pueblos, it has few votaries, possibly because the Pueblo culture has 

 survived less changed into modern times. The prehistoric culture of 

 the Gulf States may be termed Muskhogean, from the dominant 

 tribe of the Creek confederacy, though it is not limited to people speak- 

 ing any one language. 



The southwest area has long been a favorite subject of study for 

 members of the Bureau of American Ethnolog}'. The Smithsonian 

 was not only a pioneer worker in this area, but also for many years 

 the sole investigator. Of late, however, this field has attracted many 

 field workers and is now in good hands, producing annually many 

 discoveries. 



The southeastern area, although not wholly neglected since the 

 epoch making work of Clarence B. Moore, is now making strong 

 appeals for archeological investigation which have attracted members 

 of the Bureau of American Ethnology. The Chief has inaugurated 

 a new plan of work in this area, the first step being a determination 

 of the aboriginal culture of Florida and an adequate diagnosis of its 

 character and horizon. On the south and east, boundaries of the 

 Muskhogean culture are limited by the Gulf of Mexico and the 

 Atlantic Ocean ; its extension northward and westward is more 

 difficult to discover. 



