1()0 ABORIUTNAL PoTTKRY OF KASSTEHN UNITED STATES [eth.ann.20 



qut\stion of the inrtufiico nf the sea ami of the lake envirouiiients 

 upon their art, as disting-uished from that of the great interior upland, 

 has been raised ])v Mr Frank H. Gushing, who gives his observations 

 and deductions with respect to this obscure but interesting matter in a 

 paper published in IMemoirs of the International Congress of Anthro- 

 pologv at Chicago." At present I do not feel qualified to discuss the 

 question, lacking the necessary knowledge of the peoples and environ- 

 ments concerned. It is possible that the Algonquian Indians niaj- be 

 responsible for most of the shore work, and the Iroquois responsible 

 for the art of the inland and upland districts, which would account 

 for most of the differences. We are not able to determine the precise 



effect of environment on an art until 

 we have made full allowance for 

 peculiarities of peoples and differ- 

 ence in period. 



When the French entered the 

 great St Lawrence basin the Iro- 

 quoian tribes were actively engaged 

 in the practice of the plastic art, but 

 its tottxl abandonment was quickly 

 brought about by the introduction of 

 utensils of European manufacture. 

 That these peoples had dwelt for a 

 long period in this general province, 

 and that their arts, as developed at 

 the time of Columbus, were largely 

 of local evolution, seems highly 

 probable, and the stamp of local 

 environnii'nt is especially marked in the potter's art. The accom- 

 panying map. plate iv. indicates in a general way the distribution 

 of the IrO(pioian pottery. 



In the various groups of plastic products pre\iously examined, the 

 vessel in its numerous forms is the leading feature, and in some cases 

 it is almost the exclusive feature of the fictile remains. In the Ircxjuois 

 region it is different. The art of tobacco pipe making shared the 

 honors with vase making, and kui to an elaboration of plastic forms 

 and to a refinement of manipulation seldom surpassed within the area 

 considered in this paper. Life forms, rarely imitated liy the sur- 

 rounding Algonquian tribes, were freely employed by the Iroquois. 



The strongest characteristics of the earthen vessels, and those which 

 may best be relied on to distinguish them from all other like wares, 

 is the pronounced projecting or overhanging collar — a frieze-like 

 development of the rim — the outer surface of which was almost always 

 ornamented with incised patterns. A squarish mouth, with elevated 



FiK. 62— Bnrk vc^^lI .-huu ina iliaractiTs^oun 

 times copied in clay by Ir<><iiu)ian potters. 



aChioaKo. 1S94. p. 216. 



