116 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. CO 



on tlie Pacific slope; the small adz blades take, in a measure, the 

 place of these tools. 



The dwellings were of grass, brush, bark, and earth, and in the 

 north were to a limited extent of slabs of wood. Some of the floors 

 were excavated to slight depths, and many of the more primitive 

 structures were co\ered with earth. Absence of stone building from 

 the area and the practical absence of potteiy are in striking contrast 

 with the well-matured state of these arts in the arid region on the 

 east, shortcomings which, notwithstanding the well-made utensils 

 of stone and the exquisite basketry and shell and bone Avork of Cali- 

 fornia, place the Pueblo culture on a considerably higher plane than 

 that of even the most advanced group of the Pacific States. The 

 l)ra('tice of agriculture gave the Pueblo people a decided advantage 

 o\er the nonagi'icultural peoples of the coast, whose chief food 

 resource, apart from the products of the chase, consisted of acorns, 

 seeds, and berries. 



The handiwork of the ti'ibes of the coast merges with that of 

 the inland valleys and ranges, and this blends in turn with the 

 culture of the Sierra, and the basin range region to the east. The 

 transition between the culture of southern California and that of 

 the Pueblo region is decidedly abrupt, although the somewhat recent 

 coastwise extension of the Shoshonean stock from the east has 

 resulted in limited blending. The transition to the north is gradual, 

 the disappeiuance of the oak being responsible for marked changes in 

 the activities and manner of life of the i)eople. 



A most extraordinary feature of California archeology is the 



occurrence of articles of stone — mortars, pestles, and 



i<" .1111 (Mous ^^^^\^Q^. objects of kindred culture grade, as well as 



Area J _ !-? 7 



fossil hunuin remains — in the gold-bearing gravels of 

 the mountain \allevs, numerous s])ecimens having been reported as 

 coming from beneath beds of lava of early Quaternary or late Ter- 

 tiary age. That the relics are old in cases can not be doubted, but 

 their exact chronological place and ^alue have not as 3'et been 

 ascertained. 



The most n(!tewortliy features of Californian culture are entirely 

 its own and are numifestly due in great measure to the molding 

 influences of the en\ ironment. The acorn is i^robably responsible 

 for the wonderful de\el()pnient of the mortar and pestle, and de- 

 ])(>sits of soapstone have made possible the uni(iue cooking pots and 

 other noteworthy features of the native handicraft. The art of 

 basketry was renuirkably develo])e(l and retains its superiority to the 

 pi-esent day. \\^ater-tight baskets and utensils of stone took the ])lace 

 of earthenware. 



It is intei'esting to note that, beginning in middle California, the 

 status of culture as represented by art works rises gradually as we 



