Primitive Architecture in America. 291 



ures, and so the lines of distinction are somewhat similar. 

 The geographical lines separate the works, and the material distin- 

 guishes them. In Batope the different relics are found in the 

 same locality, and successive stages of cultus have been discov- 

 ered, being identified by the material used, as well as by other 

 •characteristics. It is supposed that successive wavesr of popu- 

 lation have thus left their tokens ; possibly different races 

 have overrun the same locality. But the growth of society has 

 been much more connected in Europe than in America. Here 

 wide districts have separated the races and their works, and the 

 ruins which are discovered in these districts are so unlike, that 

 they indicate different lines of development, if not different 

 ethnic origin. Wherever a succession of races has been discov- 

 ered, we have found that some of the races had prevailed else- 

 where, and intruded themselves upon the domain of others. The 

 study of the works, peculiar to each geographical locality, has 

 revealed this fact, for it is easy to trace the resemblances and so 

 identify the works with the races. If there are earth-works 

 found in Mexico and Central America, they are not the charac- 

 teristics or predominant structures. If there are stone cysts and 

 occasional stone-walls in the Mississippi Valley, still the earth 

 works are the prevailing structures here. This identifying the ar- 

 chitectural peculiarities of one locality, in the midst of the works 

 belonging to another, has this advantage; it enables us to see the 

 grades which architecture has reached and associate them with 

 the different states of society. The only disadvantage is, that it 

 prevents us from tracing any connected development; in other 

 words, instead of blending together, as they do in Europe, the 

 works are here separated in wide gaps ; great difference inr archi- 

 tectural forms being discovered. It is not difficult to trace the 

 grades, but it is difficult to discover the connecting links. 



We propose to examine the works which are peculiar to the 

 different geographical localities and to compare them with one 

 another, and so endeavor to ascertain if there was any separate 

 line of development. The first class of works which we shall ex- 

 amine will be those which are known to have been erected by the 

 Indian tribes and which prevailed, extensively, both on the Atlan- 



