156 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. 



tion prevailed among the builders of the emblematic 

 mounds. These relics have been discovered in various parts 

 of the state, and show that the copper age had been reached 

 by this unknown people. We do not say that the copper 

 age and village life were identical, but there was an approxi- 

 mation to the bronze age, and we know that the bronze age 

 was characterized by the, prevalence of villages. Mining 

 was probably known to the mound-builders, and this 

 would render probable that village life had been reached. 



(2) . Again, the tradition and known customs of the later 

 tribes would render it probable that the mound builders- 

 dwelt in villages. The remark of Miss Fletcher in refer- 

 ence to the Dakotas is that they have favorite places to 

 which they resort for generation after generation, and, judg- 

 ing from the tokens furnished by the emblematic mounds,, 

 we should say that the same custom prevailed among 

 them. Village life is known to have existed among the 

 Indians of this very locality, where the animal mounds are 

 found. There are many sites of villages which have been 

 identified by history. These differ from the sites of the 

 villages of the preceding race, but are often in the vicinity 

 of extensive groups of emblematic mounds. The record of 

 early explorers and travelers is that the natives dwelt in 

 villages, and the early maps locate these villages. 



(3). The succession of races betokened by the earthworks 

 would show that village life had existed in the earliest 

 period. It is sometimes the case that the village site of a 

 later tribe will appear with a certain class of earthworks in 

 the vicinity, which differ from the works which belong to the 

 emblematic mound builders, yet render it probable that both 

 people built their mounds near their villages. It is one 

 point for the archseologists to decide while studying the 

 mounds and earthworks^ which works belong to the later 

 Indians and which to earlier mound builders. 



(4). The universality of village life among uncivilized 

 races would prove that it existed among the emblem- 

 atic mound builders. This is a point which we shall 

 not stop to discuss, but shall take it for granted. The 

 similarity of village life is the point which we are to 



