REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 19 



tiqiie de Paris, and to study European collections of oriental art, 

 especially ceramics, 



BUEEAU OF AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGY. 



The material culture and ceremonials of the American Indian 

 are being modified so rapidly through contact with the white race 

 that it is imperative for the bureau to make every effort to record 

 all possible data bearing on the aboriginal Indian culture. The de- 

 sirability of preserving this material so that accurate knowledge 

 of this interesting and vanishing race may be available for future 

 generations is evident. Another important line of endeavor is the 

 excavating and repairing of prehistoric Indian dwellings. These 

 ancient ruins are the object of great popular as well as scientific 

 interest, and it is the aim of the chief of the bureau to continue 

 this archeological phase of the work in so far as funds will permit. 



A new line of investigation has opened up for the bureau dur- 

 ing the year, namely, the study of the material culture, and espe- 

 cially the architecture of the houses, of the aborigines of Alaska. 

 The early villages of the Alaskan Indians have in many cases been 

 deserted in the exodus to the canning factories, and the totem poles 

 and villages which are rapidly being destroyed by the elements 

 should be preserved in the immediate future so that they will not be 

 lost forever. During the spring of 1922, Dr. T. T. Waterman con- 

 ducted for the bureau an extended reconnaissance of the situation, 

 bringing back many interesting data and photographs. It is in- 

 tended to continue the work next year with a larger appropriation. 



The work in the field and in the office of the individual members 

 of the staff is reviewed somewhat in detail in Appendix 4 of this 

 report, so that it will be necessary here only to give an idea of the 

 scope of the Avork. The chief continued his successful archeo- 

 logical field work on the Mesa Verde National Park, Colo., bring- 

 ing to light a most interesting and instructive ruin which he has 

 named " Pipe Shrine House " on account of the numerous tobacco 

 pipes found on a shrine in the kiva of this ruin. He also excavated 

 and repaired Far View Tower, a round structure 10 feet high, 

 which was probably used for observations of the position of the 

 sun on the horizon at sunrise and sunset, in order to determine the 

 time for planting and other dates important for an agricultural 

 people. 



The chief also visited the three groups of towers in Utah which 

 he has recommended for the Hovenweep National Monument, and 

 determined the exact situation of these ruins as a preliminary to 

 a presidential proclamation setting aside this area as a national 

 monument. 



