BULL. 30] 



ARCHEOLOGY 



75 



others of northern America have occupied 

 their general historic habitat for unnum- 

 bered generations. The preliistoric re- 

 mains of the various regions thus pertain 

 in large measure to the ancestors of the 

 historic occupants, and the record is thus 

 much more simple than that of prehis- 

 toric Europe. 



Within the area of the United States 

 pre-Columbian progress was greatest in 

 two principal regions: (1) The Mississippi 

 valley, including portions of the South- 

 ern states farther eastward, and (2) the 

 Pueblo country, c(jniprising New Mexico, 

 Arizona, and parts of Colorado, Utah, 

 and Texas. The tirst-mentioned area is 

 characterized by remains of extensive 

 fixed works, such as mounds and fortifi- 

 cations; the second by its ruined pueblos 

 of st(^ne and adobe. In the remainder of 

 the area, as on the Atlantic and Pacific 

 slopes and in the regions of the (Treat 

 Lakes, the x. Rocky mts., and the Great 

 Basin, there is comparatively little save 

 minor movable relics and kitchen deposits 

 to mark earlier occupancy. The fixed 

 works which occur in the first-mentioned 

 region are very numerous, and are ex- 

 tremel}' important to the student of na- 

 tive history. In the Mississippi valley 

 and the Southern states these works con- 

 sist of moimds of diversified shapes, built 

 mainly of earth and devoted to a variety 

 of purposes, such as dwelling, observation, 

 defense, burial, and ceremony. Some of 

 these are of great size, as the Cahokia 

 mound (cj. v. ) in Illinois, and the Etowah 

 mound (q. v. ) in (leorgia, which compare 

 well in liulk with the great pyramids of 

 middle America. There are also fortifica- 

 tions and inclosures of extremely varied 

 form and, in many instances, of great ex- 

 tent. These are well illustrated liy Ft 

 Ancient (q. v. ), Adams co., Ohio, and the 

 earthworks at Newark, Ohio (q. v. ). The 

 animal-shaped mounds, occurring princi- 

 pally in the Ohio and upper Mississippi 

 valleys, are a striking variety of these re- 

 mains. Well-known examples are the 

 Serpent mound (q. v.), Adams co., Ohio, 

 and the so-called Elephant mound (q. v.) , 

 Grant co.. Wis. The materials used in 

 these structures include earth, clay, sand, 

 and, along the coast, shells. Stone en- 

 tered into the construction where it was 

 readily available, but rarely as well- 

 built walls or as masonry. These works 

 indicate the former presence in the region 

 of a numerous sedentary population rely- 

 ing mainly on agriculture for subsistence. 

 It is now known, as a result of the more 

 recent archeological investigations, that 

 these people, often called the "Mound- 

 builders," were no other than Indians, 

 and in some cases at least the ancestors 

 of tribes occupying the general region 

 within historic times. {See Fortifications, 

 Mounds. ) 



In the Pueblo region the fixed works 

 consist of villages and dwellings of stone, 

 and, inthesouthernPuebloarea, of adobe. 

 Of unusual interest are the cliff-dwellings, 

 built of stone in rifts and shelters in the 

 canyon walls and along the faces of the 

 taVjle-lands or excavated in friable cliffs. 

 The advanced condition of the earlier 

 occupants of the region is indicated not 

 only by these remains but by the pres- 

 ence of traces of extensive irrigating 

 ditches. A careful study of these various 

 remains, including the skeletal parts, 

 demonstrates the fact that they pertain 

 in large measure to the ancestors of the 

 present occupants of the Pueblo towns 

 and that no antecedent distinct people or 

 culture can be differentiated. (See Casa 

 Grande, Cliff'-dwelUngf^, Irrigation, Pnehlos. ) 



In the districts lying outside of the areas 

 referred to above are encountered occa- 

 sional burial mounds and earthworks, as 

 well as countless refuse dei^osits marking 

 occupied sites. The most notable of the 

 latter are the shell mounds of the Atlantic 

 and Pacific shore lines, which offer a rich 

 reward for the labors of the archeologist. 

 (See ,Sliell-}u'api<. ) 



Among fixed works of somewhat wide 

 distribution are the quarries where flint, 

 soapstone, mica, quartzite, obsidian, and 

 other varieties of stone were obtained 

 for the manufacture of implements and 

 utensils. Such are the extensive work- 

 ings at Flint Ridge, Ohio; Hot Springs, 

 Ark.; and Mill Creek, 111., the sites 

 being marked by numerous pittings sur- 

 rounded with the refuse of manufacture. 

 Their lesson is a most instructive one, 

 demonstrating especially the great enter- 

 prise and perseverance of the tribes. 

 There are also numerous copper mines in 

 theL. Superior region, marked by excava- 

 tions of no great depth l)ut of surprising 

 extent, indicating the fulness of the 

 native awakening to the advantages of 

 metal in the arts. (See Mines and Quar- 

 ries. ) Caverns formerly occupied by the 

 tribes also contain deposits of refuse, and 

 their walls display numerous examples of 

 pictography. In connection with fixed 

 works may also be mentioned the petro- 

 glyphs, or rock inscriptions, found in 

 nearly every part of the country. These 

 give little aid, however, to the study of 

 aboriginal history, since they can not be 

 interpreted, save in rare cases where 

 tradition has kept the significance alive. 

 ( See Pictographs. ) 



Knowledge of native history in post- 

 Columbian as well as in pre-Columbian 

 times is greatly enhanced by a study of 

 the minor remains and relics — the im- 

 plements, utensils, ornaments, ceremonial 

 and diversional objects and appliances — 

 great numbers of which are now pre- 

 served in our museums. (See^rte and 

 Industries, Stone-ioork, Bone-work, Shell- 



