14 MOUND EXPLOIUNG OF THE 



valley of Aiiabuac or plains of Yucatan. It is also as decidedly against 

 Morgan's theory tbat tliey pertained to the Pueblo tribes of New Mexico. 

 It likewise gives a decided negative to the suggestion that the builders 

 of the Ohio works were pushed south into the Gulf States and incor- 

 porated into tlie Muskokee group. A study of the pipes, aside from 

 any other evidence, is sufHcient to show that this theory is not tenable. 

 Moreover, a study of the works of Ohio and their contents should con- 

 vince the archaeologist that they were built by several different tribes 

 and pertain to widely different eras. 



Thirteenth. Although much the larger portion of the ancient monu- 

 ments of our country belong to prehistoric times and some of them 

 l)0ssibly to the distant past, yet the evidence of contact with European 

 civilization is found in so many, where it cannot be attributed to intru- 

 sive burial, and in such widely separated localities, that it must be 

 conceded a goodly number of them were built subsequent to the dis- 

 covery of the continent by Europeans. E^'en some of the mounds of 

 Ohio, in which, according to report, such remarkable discoveries have 

 been made, appear to belong to this latter category. 



Ho far as the mound testimony' bears at all upon the question of the 

 entry of the tribes into the Mississippi Yalley, it leans toward the theory 

 which brings those of the northern and central districts from the ISTorth- 

 west. But here speculation must form such an important factor in 

 reaching a conclusion that it would be at best but a conjecture. All 

 that can be said on this i)oint with any degree of confidence is that 

 some of the tribes of mound builders whose works are found in Ohio 

 moved along the line leading from Iowa to the valley of the Ohio. 

 There are some indications that otishoots from southern tribes pene- 

 trated northward to the region of Northern Illinois, but were soon 

 destroyed or driven back. 



The numuscript of the report to which allusion is made in the com- 

 mencement of this paper is nearly ready for the press and most of the 

 illustrations (between five and six hundred) are prepared. It will form, 

 w hen printed, two quarto volumes of about five hundred })ages each. 

 The subjects of which it treats will be arranged as follows : 



First. The report of field work to the close of 188G, arranged by States 

 and counties. This will form the chief portion. 



Second. A chapter or section on the geographical distribution of the 

 ancient monuments. This will include a catalogue, arranged al[)habet- 

 ically by States and counties, of the localities of all the mounds aiid- 

 ancient works wliich have been discovered in the region investigated, 

 of which mention has been made in print, as well as those referred (o 

 in the report. References -will also be given by page and volume to the 

 Itooks, ])ai>ers, ]>ei'iodicals, &c., in which they are noticed. Maps will 

 l)e introduced to illustrate this distribution. 



