NO. 6 



SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS, I914 



65 



undescribed prehistoric culture area in the valley of the Mimbres. 

 The symbolic and other figures show that this culture has affinities, 

 on the one side, with ruins in Chihuahua, and on the other with the 

 Pueblos in northern New Mexico. Some of the fragments of 

 Mimbres pottery are identical with Casas Grandes ware. 



Fig. 67. — Geometrical design. U. S. National Museum. 



The elevated plateau in which the Mimbres lies is commonly 

 known as the Sierra Madre plateau, which was a trail of migration 

 for interchange of prehistoric cultures of Mexico and the Pueblo 

 region. This plateau extends from the headwaters of the Gila far 

 down into Chihuahua, including the valley of the Casas Grandes 

 River, in which are situated the largest and best preserved ruins of 

 northern Mexico. Between these two extremities may be traced a 

 chain of ruins broken at a few points, indicating prehistoric connec- 

 tions between Mexican and Pueblo culture. 



