92 Report of the President 



panels. Mr. Edwin W. Deming has submitted two large can- 

 vases for the side walls of the Plains Indian Hall. 



Only minor collecting trips were made this year. The chief 

 activities were at Aztec, New Mexico, where Mr. Earl H. 

 Morris continued the systematic excavation and re- 

 E ield u P a i r °f standing walls in the large pueblo ruin noted 

 in last year's report. The funds for this undertaking 

 were donated by Mr. Archer M. Huntington. A large portion 

 of the ruin was uncovered and a fine series of specimens se- 

 cured. Among these are thousands of pieces of worked tur- 

 quoise and some unique examples of turquoise inlay. The pot- 

 tery received contains the finest examples of black-and-white 

 ware yet found in the Southwest. 



Late in the summer, Assistant Curator Nelson made an 

 inspection trip to Aztec and incidentally visited the lower bor- 

 ders of the Rio Grande pueblo area to get final data for the 

 installation of a chronological exhibit in our Southwest Hall. 

 Mr. Nelson traveled approximately four thousand miles on 

 foot and by horse, visiting practically every ruin in that part 

 of the country. While more exploration is desirable to com- 

 plete our knowledge, the essential chronological steps in the 

 development of pueblo culture are now evident. These will 

 soon be demonstrated in our Southwest Hall. Further, in con- 

 nection with the installation of the Zuni chronological exhibit, 

 it became necessary for Mr. Leslie Spier to return to Arizona 

 for additional data. The results of this trip, now being worked 

 out, promise to give us the required information. 



Last April we learned that certain large shell-heaps in Flor- 

 ida were being dug away by steam shovels. Accordingly, Assis- 

 tant Curator Nelson visited these sites, where by the courtesies 

 of the contractors in charge, sections of the entire heaps were 

 worked out. From this it appears that there were three well- 

 marked periods in the development of Southeastern culture, a 

 fact which will be of the greatest service in future studies in 

 this area. 



Assistant Curator Spinden spent most of the year in Central 

 America in a general archaeological survey upon which we 

 cannot report at this time. 



