PRERA CE. 
The following work substantially formed the Fifth Part of the origi- 
nal manuscript of “Ancient Society,” under the title “ Growth of the Idea 
of House Architecture.” As the manuscript exceeded the limits of a single 
volume, this portion (Part V) was removed ; and having then no intention to 
publish it separately, the greater part of it found its way into print in 
detached articles. A summary was given to Johnson’s New Universal 
Cyclopedia in the article on the ‘“ Architecture of the American Aborig- 
ines.” The chapter on the ‘ Houses of the Aztecs” formed the basis of the 
article entitled ‘‘ Montezuma’s Dinner,” published in the North American 
Review, in April, 1876. Another chapter, that on the ‘“ Houses of the 
Mound Builders,” was published in the same Review in July, 1876. 
Finally, the present year, at the request of the executive committee of the 
“ Archeological Institute of America,” at Cambridge, I prepared from the 
same materials an article entitled “A Study of the Houses and House Life 
of the Indian Tribes,” with a scheme for the exploration of the ruins in 
New Mexico, Arizona, the San Juan region, Yucatan, and Central America. 
With some additions and reductions the facts are now presented in 
their original form; and as they will now have a wider distribution than 
the articles named have had, they will be new to most of my readers. The 
facts and suggestions made will also have the advantage of being presented 
in their proper connection. hus additional strength is given to the argu- 
ment as a whole. All the forms of this architecture sprang from a common 
mind, and exhibit, as a consequence, different stages of development of the 
same conceptions, operating upon similar necessities. They also represent 
these several conditions of Indian life with reasonable completeness. Their 
Vv 
