16 PICTOGRAPHS OF THE NOETH AMERICAN INDIANS. 



mnemonic records and are treated of in connection with material objects 

 formerly and, perhaps, still used mnemonically. 



It is believed that the interpretation of the ancient forms is to be ob- 

 tained, if at all, not by the discovery of any hermenentic key, bat by 

 an understanding of the modern forms, some of which fortunately can 

 be interpreted by living men ; and when this is not the case the. more 

 recent forms can be made intelligible at least in part by thorough knowl- 

 edge of the historic tribes, including their sociology, philosophy, and 

 aits, such as is now becoming acquired, and of their sign-language. 



It is not believetl that any considerable information of value in an 

 historical point of view will be obtained directly from the interpretation 

 of the pictographs in North America. The only pictures which can lie 

 of great antiquity are rock-carvings and those in shell or similar sub- 

 stances resisting the action of time, which have been or may be found 

 in mounds. The greater part of those already known are simply peck- 

 ings, etchings, or paintings delineating natural objects, very often 

 animals, and illustrate the beginning of pictorial art. It is, however, 

 probable that others were intended to commemorate events or to repre- 

 sent ideas entertained by their authors, but the events which to them 

 were of moment are of little importance as history. They referred gen- 

 erally to some insignificant fight or some season of plenty or of famine, 

 or to other circumstances the evident consequence of which has long 

 ceased. 



While, however, it is not supposed that old inscriptions exist directly 

 recording substantively important events, it is hoped that some mate- 

 rials for history can be gathered from the characters in a manner similar 

 to the triumph of comparative philology in resurrecting the life-history 

 and culture of the ancient Aryans. The significance of the characters 

 being granted, they exhibit what chiefly interested their authors, and 

 those particulars may be of anthropologic consequence. The study has 

 so far advanced that, independent of the significance of individual char- 

 acters, several distinct types of execution are noted which may be ex- 

 pected to disclose data regarding priscan habitat and migration. In 

 this connection it may be mentioned that recent discoveries render it 

 probable that some of the pictographs were intended as guide-marks to 

 point out trails, springs, and fords, and some others are supposed to in- 

 dicate at least the locality of mounds and graves, and possibly to record 

 specific statements concerning them. A comparison of typical forms 

 may also usefully be made with the objects of art now exhumed in large 

 numbers from the mounds. 



Ample evidence exists that many of the pictographs, both ancient 

 and modern, are connected with the mythology and religious practices 

 of their makers. The interpretations obtained during the present year 

 of some of those among the Mold, Zuni, and Navajo, throw new and 

 strong light on this subject. It is regretted that the most valuable and 

 novel part of this information cannot be included in the present paper, 



