Full text of "The Wisconsin archeologist"

f ubltr SItbrary 




This Volume is for 
REFERENCE USE ONLY 



I 



From the collection of the 



n 



m 



Prepnger 
^ Jjibrary 

t^ P 



San Francisco, California 
2007 



^' 



^^:^...,._ - ^\ 



MiarjittBtn 



lot. U ©rtnbpr 1931 ■No. 1 

NEW SERIES 



REPRINTS OF EARLY DESCRIPTIONS OF 
EFFIGY MOUNDS 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103, 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 






WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 

The Society is a state department, receiving a part of its support 
from the state. Its funds are under state control. Its work is well 
and widely known. It has received the approval of leading Ameri- 
can archeologists, who agree that it deserves the full support of all 
Wisconsin citizens interested in the state's archeological history. 

The Society's activities comprise the location, recording, investi- 
gating and preservation of Wisconsin Indian remains, folklore and 
history, all of which are rapidly disappearing and must be recorded 
and saved immediately if ever. 

Through its efforts many fine groups of Indian earthworks and 
other aboriginal monuments and remains have been permanently 
preserved to the public. Most have been marked with descriptive 
metal tablets. Others are being protected. Surveys and explorations 
have been conducted in many sections of the state. 

It is also engaged in encouraging the establishment of public mu- 
seums and collections and in discouraging the manufacture and sale 
of fraudulent antiquities. 

Regular monthly meetings of the Society are held during the 
months September to May, inclusive, in the Trustees Room of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum. Meetings are open to the public. No 
regular meetings are held during the months June to August, in- 
clusive. Special field meetings are occasionally held during the vaca- 
tion months. 

The results of its research and other activities are made known 
through its regular quarterly publication. The Wisconsin Arche- 
ologist. Thirty volumes have appeared. The Society has a large 
membership distributed through every part of the state. 

It is co-operating to the fullest extent with all of the various 
scientific and educational organizations and institutions of Wiscon- 
sin. 



MtBrflttfitn 



VOLUME 11 

NEW SERIES 

1931 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2007 with funding from 
IVIicrosoft Corporation . 



http://www.archive.org/details/archeolwisconsin11wiscrich 



MternnBtn 
Arrli^olflgtBt 



Unl. U Wttabn 1931 5fn. 1 

NEW SERIES 



REPRINTS OF EARLY DESCRIPTIONS OF 
EFFIGY MOUNDS 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



EDITORIAL COMMITTEE 

W. C. McKern (Editor), Ira Edwards, H. W. Kuhm, 

Charles E. Brown, Charles G. Schoewe 



Accepted for mailing- at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103, 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 






Incorporated March 23, 1903, for the purpose of advancing- the study 
and preservation of Wisconsin antiquities 



OFFICERS 

PRESIDENT 

Charles G. Schoewe 

VICE-PRESIDENTS 

W. C. McKern Dr. H. W. Kuhni 

Dr. A. L. Kastner E. F. Richter 

W. W. Gilman Paul Joers 
R. J. Kieckhefer 

DIRECTORS 

Joseph Ringeisen, Jr. Dr. E. J. W. Notz T. L. Miller 

Dr. S. A. Barrett Huron H. Smith L. R. Whitney 

George A. West Mrs. Theodore Koerner Alonzo Pond 

A. P. Kannenberg 

TREASURER 

G. M. Thorne 
, National Bank of Commerce, Milwaukee, Wis. 

SECRETARY 

Charles E. Brown 
State Historical Museum^ Madison, Wis. 



Bound 5^,. ^4 -g^ 

Periodical 



COMMITTEES 

REGULAR 

STATE SURVEY— T. L. Miller, Walter S. Dunsmoor, G. L. Pasco, 
T. M. N. Lewis, Dr. A. L. Kastner, J. P. Schumacher, Alonzo 
Pond, Geo. F. Overton, M. F. Hulburt, W. M. Maier, O. L. Hol- 
lister, Dr. F. G. Logan, David A. Blencoe, S. W. Faville, Col. 
R. S. Owen, Robert R. Jones. 

MOUND PRESERVATION — Mrs. E. H. Van Ostrand, Frank Wes- 
ton, Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, Dr. Orrin Thompson, Mrs. F. R. 
Melcher, Col. Howard Greene, Rev. O. W. Smith, J. J. Knudsen, 
H. W. Cornell, Dr. E. G. Bruder, A. H. Griffith. 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS— Milwaukee Public . Museum (Dr. S. A. 
Barrett), Wisconsin State Historical Museum (Dr. Joseph Scha- 
fer), Oshkosh Public Museum (Niles J. Behnke), Green Bay- 
Public Museum (T. T. Brown), New London Museum (Rev. F. 
S. Dayton), Lawrence College (Prof. J. B. MacHarg), White- 
water Museum (Prof. N. F. Heyer), La Crosse State Teachers 
College (Prof. A. H. Sanford), Kohler Museum (Miss Marie 
Kohler), Logan Museum (Dr. Geo. L. Collie), Minnesota State 
Historical Museum (Willoughby M. Babcock), St. Francis Mu- 
seum (Rev. Dr. A. J. Muench.) 

MEMBERSHIP — Louis Pierron, Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Paul Joers, 
Arthur Gerth, Dr. W. H. Brown, W. F. Yahr, Mrs. Anna F. 
Johnson, K. Freckman, Geo. Wright, Mrs. Hans A. Olson, Carl 
Baur, C. G. Weyl, A. R. Rogers. 

STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL PARKS— Geo. A. West, R. J. Kieckhef- 
er, R. P. Ferry, D. S. Rowland, Walter Holsten. 

PUBLICITY— J. B. Gregory, A. O. Barton, E. R. Mclnyre, R. K. 
Coe. 

SPECIAL 

BIOGRAPHY— H. H. Smith, G. M. Thorne, Milo C. Richter. 

FRAUDULENT ARTIFACTS — Joseph Ringeisen, jr., E. F. Richter, 
Geo. A. West. 

POTTERY SURVEY— A. P. Kannenberg, Ray Van Handel, R. N. 
Buckstaff. 

PROGRAM — H. H. Smith, Milo C. Richter, Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., 
Dr. A. L. Kastner, R. J. Kieckhefer, T. L. Miller. 

MARKING MILWAUKEE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES— W. W. Gil- 
man, Dr. Paul B. Jenkins, L. R. Whitney. 

PUBLICATION— W. C. McKern, Dr. Ira Edwards, Dr. H. W. 
Kuhm. 



MEMBERSHIP FEES 

Life Members, $25.00 Endowment Members, $500.00 

Sustaining Members, $5.00 Annual Members, $2.00 

Institutional Members, $1.50 Junior Members, $ .50 

All communications in regard to the Wisconsin Archeological Society 
should be addressed to Charles E. Brown, Secretary and Curator, Office, 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wisconsin. Contributions to the Wisr 
consin Archeologist should be addressed to W. C. McKern, Editor, Public 
Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or to the Secretary. Dues should be 
sent to G. M. Thorne, Treasurer, National Bank of Commerce, Milwau- 
kee, Wisconsin. 



CONTENTS 



Vol. 11, No. 1, New Series 



ARTICLES 

Page 
Reprints of early descriptions of effigy mounds 1 



INTRODUCTORY NOTE 

The two following papers are reprints of very early ref- 
erences to the Indian mounds of Wisconsin. They are not 
presented as new material, for the mounds mentioned have 
long been listed in the "Catalog of Wisconsin Antiquities", 
but only as interesting accounts, now not available to the 
great majority of the society's members. It will be noted 
that these greatly antedate the monumental work of Dr. 
Lapham and contain very interesting speculations in regard 
to the origin of these features. If any of the members have 
knowledge of still older descriptions of Wisconsin mounds, 
it would be interesting to determine the earliest mention of 
these artifacts. 

Ira Edwards. 



2 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 1 

wards those singular memorials which daily presented 
themselves on the route through this interesting region. 
Respecting the so-called city of Aztalan,^ I was prevented, 
unfortunately, when within a day's journey, from reaching 
its site; and regret my inability to speak from personal 
knowledge on this subject. Information of a more detailed 
and scientific character than we now possess is much needed. 
As relates to a great number of other positions, it was 
discovered that the configurations of the earthworks, or 
mounds as they are usually termed, which at first sight ap- 
peared decidedly to resemble the sites, or ground plan, and 
foundation lines of former buildings, were really designed 
as rude representations and outlines of certain animals,^ 
in Wisconsin. 
and even of the human figure; in addition to those tumuli 

which had been constructed in the usual circular, quadrang- 
ular, and oblong shapes. 

The circular tumuli of the Wisconsin prairies, are com- 
monly about fifty feet in diameter, and are not elevated, in 
general, more than ten or fifteen feet above the surrounding 
level ; but often not half so much. 

Those in the forms of parallelograms are seldom less than 
a hundred feet long, and are occasionally seen much longer, 
as in the example figured, (pi. II, fig. 3,)* which is six hun- 
dred feet in length. Perhaps in this instance it was thrown 
up as a defensive earthwork, as its situation seems to indi- 
cate. 

Above the junction of the Des Moines River with the 
Mississippi, in Missouri, in the region locally known as 
"Black Hawk's Country," we examined a long range of the 
circular tumuli. These were all of the common size, and 
some of them contained recent graves of deceased Indians, 
as was afterwards observed in many other localities. Thus, 
in the present day, the burial place of the Sauks and the 
Fox, the Winnebago, and other tribes, is very commonly 
chosen upon the site of the more ancient monuments; the 
memorials of a people that existed in unknown times. 



^ Lapham published the first map and description of this site some 
twenty years later. Another sixty-five years elapsed before the site 
was subjected to scientific excavations. 

^ This is possibly the first printed mention of animal-shaped mounds 

* Fig, 1 of this issue. 



Animal Effig-y Mounds. 



It is scarcely necessary here to include within our notice 
those mounds of much- larger dimensions, existing on the 
borders of the Ohio and Mississippi, to the south and east. 
On the former river one mound is seventy feet high, and 
thirty or forty rods in circumference. Even within the limits 
of the rapidly rising city of St. Louis, are some of great 
magnitude. On the American bottom, at the village of Ca- 
hokia, (Illinois,) it is stated by a contributor to a Western 
periodical that more than two hundred mounds are visible 
from one spot ; the largest being 2400 feet in circumference, 
and 90 feet in height ; in figure approaching to a parallelo- 
gram. In the Cherokee country an earthwork has been 
described, as 75 feet high and 1114 feet round. 




FIGURE 1 

The earthworks which have been constructed in the 
shapes of animals, abound in the Iowa district^ of Wiscon- 
sin. They occur, with the other varieties, in great numbers, 
around the high lands which skirt the "Four Lakes,"^ form- 
ing a species of alto relievo, of gigantic proportions. This 
district appears to have been originally much resorted to by 

' Iowa County? 
* Madison. . 



4 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 1 

the early tribes, whose relics we here behold, mixed with 
those of the modern Winnebagos. At one spot alone, prob- 
ably, at least one hundred tumuli may be counted. The In- 
dian path, along which we passed, has, for near half a mile 
in length, a series of these, mixed with circular mounds, in 
tiers several deep, on both sides; forming a cemetery in 
magnitude of itself sufficient, one would imagine, for the 
chiefs and warriors, and their descendants, of a whole tribe, 
if such was the original design of these earthworks. On the 
summits of some might be seen the recent graves, protected 
by pallisados, of the last Indian possessors of the soil. 

The site of the singular group of mounds exhibited in 
our figure, (pi. I. fig. 1,) Ms about eighteen miles west of the 
Four Lakes, and seven miles east of the two remarkable 
natural hills called the Blue Mounds.^ The area compre- 
hended in the drawing is about two thousand three hundred 
feet in length. The figures are traced from survey, and their 
dimensions and the intermediate spaces, were ascertained 
by admeasurements. In this group there are seen the effigies 
of at least six quadrupeds; six mounds in parallelograms; 
one circular tumulus; one human figure, and one circle or 
ring which may have been formed by the Indians in their 
dances, whether peaceful or warlike, or may have been oc- 
cupied for some such purpose, in by-gone times, as the tor- 
turing and destroying their prisoners. The great Indian 
trail, or war-path, which leads from Lake Michigan, near 
Milwaukie, to the Mississippi above Prairie du Chien, 
passes along the edge of this chain of earthworks, and is 
now for many miles adopted as the route of the military 
road to the latter fort. We pursued this route for a great 
distance along the dividing ridge between the northern and 
southern waters ; and we continually saw memorials of the 
character above described, along its borders. 

What animals are represented by these rude monuments 
of earth, now covered with the rank prairie grass, is not 
made altogether apparent by their designers. If of the 
horse, the design is somewhat doubtful. We were rather in- 
clined, however imperfect the representation, to attribute 
the intention of the constructors to be that of exhibiting the 



^■^ Frontispiece of this issue. 
* Western Dane County. 



Animal Efflgy MoUnds. 



figure of the Buffalo; an animal which had here the finest 
pasturage, and an almost boundless range, within one of the 
most ample hunting grounds, and were exceedingly numer- 
ous at the time of the first exploration of the country by 
the French. It is nevertheless to be admitted, that the hump, 
a remarkable characteristic of the Buffalo, which it would 
seem unlikely to have been omitted in the representations of 
that animal, is never seen in these figures, which are dis- 
tributed over the surface of so many hundred square miles 
of this country. 

The respective dimensions of these animal effigies in our 
ground plan, are 90, 100, 102, 103, 120 and 126 feet in 
length; all of them apparently represent the same descrip- 
tion of animal. Figures having precisely the same propor- 
tions in their outlines, may be seen at very short intervals 
throughout the Territory of Wisconsin, being generally 
from 90 to 120 feet, and extending to 150 feet long. This 
form, although the most prevalent, is by no means the only 
one, as we shall proceed to show. 

In the midst of this group, represented by our sketch, and 
forming a very important portion of it, we have now to 
notice the representation of a human figure, lying in an east 
and west direction ; the head towards the west, and the arms 
and legs extended. Its length is one hundred and twenty 
five feet, and it is one hundred and forty feet from the ex- 
tremity of one arm to that of the other. The body or trunk 
is thirty feet in breadth, the head twenty-five feet, and its 
elevation above the general surface of the prairie, is about 
six feet. Its configuration is so distinct, that there can be no 
possibility of a mistake in assigning it to the human figure. 

There is nothing remarkable about the oblong mounds. 
The circular tumulus in the centre is the highest, and over- 
looks the whole group. Whether all or any of these earth- 
works contain bones, we had no opportunity of determining. 
They probably all do. 

The site of this interesting series is an elevated open 
prairie, on the dividing ridge between the waters of the 
Wisconsin and Rock rivers. These monuments are covered 
with the same green carpet of prairie grass, intermixed 
with bright and brilliant flowers, as the prairie itself. There 



6 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 1 

is an intervening space near the centre of the group, now 
overgrown with bushes, which probably conceal some unno- 
ticed mounds. The figures marked on these and the other 
animal outlines in our drawings, indicate their dimensions 
in feet. 

We twice visited these singular specimens of Indian anti- 
quity,^ and consequently can speak with greater confidence 
as to the general accuracy of the sketch accompanying this 
article. 

Half a mile westward of this remarkable group, and on 
the same elevated prairie, occurs a solitary mound, about 
ninety feet in length, representing an animal in all respects 
like those we have described, but lying with the head to- 
wards the southwest. (PI. II. fig. 2.)^^ 

Along the space of twenty miles from this position, ex- 
tending to the Four Lakes eastward, similar monuments, 
intermixed with plain tumuli, are seen at almost every mile, 
in the lowest situations as well as crowning the highest 
swells of the prairies ; and they are still more numerous all 
around those beautiful but almost unknown lakes. It would 
be a ceaseless repetition of similar forms were we to figure 
many of these, but the outlines of a few of the most charac- 
teristic are introduced in the plate. Had time and circum- 
stances permitted a more leisurely investigation and survey 
of some of the groups of this region, thera is little doubt 
but many drawings of a highly interesting character could 
have been constructed in addition to those which illustrate 
this communication. 

Fig. 3. PI. 11.^^ An effigy ninety feet long, in form re- 
sembling the animal outlines previously described, is placed 



" The author seems to have been endowed with that practical and 
efficient type of mind which permitted him to see no occasion, in the 
absence of specific evidence, to suppose that the mounds were other 
than the works of early Indians. In years to follow, these simple 
earthworks were to be shrouded in colorful veils of mystery and 
ascribed to everyone from the Aztecs to the lost tribes of Israel. 
There are still those in our midst who prefer radiant fancy to less 
colorful but equally interesting fact. 

'"Fig. 1 of this issue. 
" Fig. 1 of this issue. 



Animal Effigy Mounds. 



nearly at the foot and at the point of a remarkable, pictur- 
esque, perpendicular bluff, of coarse, friable standstone, 
fronting a rich meadow, the favorite resort, no doubt, of 
numerous buffalos in olden times. In front of this bluff, and 
enclosing the mound or effigy, is a long earthwork in an ex- 
act straight line, about two hundred yards in length, having 
an opening in the centre opposite to the animal. The posi- 
tion of this earthwork indicates its having been designed 
for the purposes of defence or fortification against an ene- 
my; perhaps as an outwork to the strong hold in the rear, 
formed by the bluff itself. The great Indian road to which 
we have already referred, skirts along the outer or south- 
ern side of this embankment. 

Fig. 4, PI. 11.^2 This sketch is drawn from the admeasure- 
ment of a couple of animal-shaped mounds, between which 
passes the same Indian path, at the distance of six miles 
west of the Four Lakes. These figures are selected to shew 
that one, if not both of them, represented a different species 
of animal to those we have traced in the preceding outlines. 
In one instance only they were depicted with the appendage 
of a tail ; the others were tailless ; and whether in the pres- 
ent case this deviation from the usual configuration resulted 
from the caprice of the Indian artists, or really depictured 
some beast more favored by nature than his contemporaries, 
it is not easy at this period to decide. They are respectively 
one hundred and twenty and one hundred and two feet long, 
and perhaps may have been intended to represent foxes. 

Fig. 5.^^ Beyond the Wisconsin Territory, on the north 
side of the river of that name, in the region still held by the 
Winnebagos, are innumerable mounds, both of the circular 
and most of the other forms we have figured. At one posi- 
tion, however, near 'the river, and not far from English 
prairie, a group of six of these appear to represent birds, 
probably the eagle, or perhaps the crane, which was the an- 
cient badge of the chiefs of a branch of the once powerful 
tribe of Chippewas. This sketch was communicated to the 
writer by the person who took the original admeasurements. 
The scale of these is about the same as the preceding. 



^^ Fig. 1 of this issue. 
" Fig. 1 of this issue. 



8 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 1 

PL I, Fig. 2^* is a tracing from a sketch drawn to a larger 
scale, of a bird-shaped mound, in the same region; which 
sketch was furnished me by an intelligent individual, but of 
course I am unable to vouch for its accuracy. Possibly the 
figures which elsewhere I had noticed as possessing the gen- 
eral form of the letter T, might on further inspection have 
been found to approach to the bird form also. 

Forms supposed to represent turtles have also been seen 
in more than one situation, constructed on an equally large 
scale. Of this class I cannot speak with sufficient certainty 
from personal observation. We know that there existed the 
"Turtle Tribe" of Indians, which had that animal for its 
badge. The ^'Walking Turtle" family, according to McKen- 
ney, was one of the highest distinction in the Winnebago 
tribe. 

To the above notices may be added some memoranda of 
certain other points where I observed, or have knowledge of 
the existence of tumuli or mounds in the shape of animals 
in this western region. 

At the great savanna or prairie on the south bank of the 
Wisconsin river, called English prairie, are earthworks hav- 
ing the circular, the oblong, and the usual animal forms, 
and also some which bear resemblance to the Roman letter 
T, as shown in PI. II, Fig. 1. 

Animal effigies occur fifteen miles to the southwest of 
the last mentioned locality, along the course of an ancient 
trail, and also of the present military road to Prairie du 
Chien from Fort Winnebago. Numerous others may be rec- 
ognized beween these and the Mississippi. 

In the vicinity of the remarkable hills called the Blue 
Mounds,^^ they occur abundantly. These hills were, until 
very lately, a great resort of the Indian inhabitants ; as their 
existing paths, converging hither in singularly straight lines 
from every point of the compass, amply testify. 

In the centre of the territory, at sites which it would be 
tedious to enumerate, we repeatedly passed by similar 
mounds, almost invariably contiguous to Indian paths, 



" Frontispiece of this issue. 
" Dane County. 



Animal Effigy Mounds. 



whose deeply-worn, but narrow tracks, attest their extreme 
antiquity and long use. 

Between the interesting limestone hill, styled Sinsinnawa 
Mound, and the town of Galena, these animal representa- 
tions are seldom out of sight, and are accompanied by earth- 
works or simpler forms. They prevail equally in the low 
meadow sites, as upon the higher prairie ridges. 

Elevated circular tumuli rise from the flats on the margin 
of the Mississippi, at the old French village or trading sta- 
tion of Prairie du Chien. 

All along the borders of the beautiful Wisconsin river, ex- 
tending from its mouth to the Winnebago Portage, similar 
monuments are traceable on the high and dry lands. Occa- 
sionally they occur in groups and chains, and not solitarily, 
and are of various fashions. On the shores of Lac de Boeuf 
and Lac Apucaway, wherever the land is dry and sufficiently 
elevated, one may observe, even from the water, a vast num- 
ber of tumuli. Upon the summits of some of these may from 
time to time be recognized the modern grave of some Win- 
nebago or Menominie chief, strongly protected by pickets. 
The margins of the Fox river are remarkable for the numer- 
ous Indian remains of this description. Colonel Petitval, of 
the U. S. Topographical department, who was engaged dur- 
ing the last summer in a survey of this river, had the kind- 
ness, at my request, to give some attention to these mounds. 
He describes an immense assemblage of them, at a point on 
the river, called the Red Bank, extending far into the interi- 
or, both north and south, for an undetermined distance. 
Twelve of the mounds at this place were opened under his 
direction, among which was an animal mound one hundred 
and fifty feet long. All of them contained human bones in a 
very decomposed state. 

One of the most extensive and interesting collections of 
these monumental structures, exists near the eastern shore 
of Winnebago lake, within the reservation made to the 
Stockbridge and Brotherton, commonly called the New York 
Indians. I am indebted to Dr. Lyman Foote, of Fort Winne- 
bago, for information on this and some other localities of 
Indian monuments. 

At a place named Crawfordsville, -on the Fox river, a 
group of ancient mounds has recently been announced in 



10 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 1 

the western papers. These structures are described as being 
from three to seventeen rods (two hundred and eighty feet) 
in length ; generally about four feet high, and they are stated 
to resemble "lizards, turtles, buffalos, and even human 
here all point in the same general direction, but are not pre- 
cisely parallel. Among them there is. one very large mound, 
which overlooks all the rest. 

A writer in the United States Gazette, during a late visit 
to Wisconsin, observed numerous mounds and large embank- 
ments, spread over a space of thirty miles around the site of 
"the ancient city." Some of them were designed, he states, 
to resemble "lizards, turtles, buffalos, and even human 
forms." The present wandering tribes of Indians are "en- 
tirely unable to give any account of these remains, or to 
furnish the slightest tradition respecting the ancient posses- 
sors of the soil."^^ 

Having disposed of as much of the details in my posses- 
sion, as appear necessary in relation to the localities of ani- 
mal-shaped earthworks, I have little to add concerning the 
mounds and Indian antiquities of other parts of this conti- 
nent. Ample details respecting a great many of them may 
be found in well known works on these subjects, such as 
that of Dr. McCulloch, and the Archaealogia Americana. 

From these and other authorities it does appear, that the 
forms of these mounds elsewhere are materially different to 
those I have been describing in Wisconsin and to the north 
of it. 

The animal form does not prevail in the Indian monu- 
ments within the valley of the Ohio. No allusion is made by 
Colonel Long, in the narrative to his second expedition, to 
any but the ordinary circular tumuli, in the relative posi- 
tions of which the editor observes, "we could discover no 
order or plan." On the banks of the Miami river, a group 
of one elliptical and four circular mounds is described, and 
figured in plate 2, of the narrative. 

On the Fox river, of the Illinois, Colonel Long saw many 
mounds, counting twenty seven at one spot, arranged with 
a certain degree of regularity, "varying from one to four 



" If the Indians were so ignorant of the origin of the mounds one 
hundred years ago, how can one expect to obtain accurate informa- 
tion on the subject from theit descendants of three generations later? 



Animal Effig-y Mounds. 11 

and a half feet in height, and from fifteen to twenty five 
feet in length. Their breadth is not proportionate to their 
length, as it seldom exceeds from six to eight feet;" other 
mounds are described of an oval form. 

, The square and pyramidal mounds occur most frequently 
in the south; and Dr. McCulloch, who is good authority on 
the subject of Indian antiquities, observes, "that there seems 
to be a material difference in the construction and position 
of the mounds in Georgia and Florida, from those of Ohio, 
Kentucky, & c. 

Tumuli, in the form of truncated pyramids also occur in 
the south. Dr. Kain has described a group of six possessing 
this form in East Tennessee. Their proportions are ten feet 
in height, by thirty or forty paces in diameter, in the base ; 
the whole group being enclosed by a ditch. 

Mounds, having an exact rectangular form, are described 
by travellers as existing in Tennessee. 

Mr. Bringier, describing the Indian mounds in the re- 
gion of the Mississippi, states, that from Red river to St. 
Louis, a distance of five hundred miles, and in breadth 
eighty to two hundred miles, mounds constantly occur, and 
for the most part are symmetrically arranged, and contain 
human bones and other traces of man. This writer suggests, 
that they may be the ruins of ancient dwellings, constructed, 
on the old Mexican plan, of large bricks, and were covered 
with earth, which, mouldering down, left mounds in such- 
abundance that the traveller is never out of sight of them. 
What an immense population, he observes, must have occu- 
pied these dwellings, which cover so large a portion of the 
surface of this region. 

That some of the earthworks in the southern part of this 
continent are attributable to such an origin, appears to be 
the opinion of other investigators. Professor Rafinesque, 
on the authority of M. Rhea, states, that in an ancient walled 
town near Columbia, in Tennessee, are "the ruins of many 
houses of various sizes, from ten to thirty feet in diameter, 
all of circular form." 

The conical form is the most prevalent in Ohio. Mr. At- 
water has described many of these, and Dr. Drake, among 
others, has given the details of four large elliptical mounds 
within the limits of the city of Cincinnati. 



12 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 1 

It will be seen by a glance at our diagrams, that no precise 
position, with regard to points of the compass, determined 
the construction of the Wisconsin mounds ; and that in one 
case a single member of a group of animals has been placed 
at right angles to the rest. The choice, in selecting the sites 
of these memorials of ancient days, appears to have been 
influenced mainly by the contiguity to the lakes and princi- 
pal rivers, and to those great lines of interior communica- 
tion which from an unkown period traversed this fine 
country. By this arrangement the greatest publicity was 
given to the burial places of the distinguished dead ; to the 
simple yet permanent monuments erected to commemorate 
their fame and rank, and perhaps with the design to per- 
petuate the honor, and to flatter the vanity of some of the 
many tribes and branches into which this great Indian fami- 
ly appears, from remote times, to have been subdivided. 

Learned archaeologists have speculated as to what nation, 
in far distant times, constructed the ordinary tumuli of cir- 
cular form, so abundant in the great Mississippi valley. 
They have not yet, I believe, commenced to descant on the 
origin of those other configurations, the recent examination 
of which has given rise to the present article. From that 
highly important contribution to North American early 
history, the "Antiquitates Americanae," lately edited by the 
Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries of Copenhagen, little 
or no knowledge can be acquired respecting the mounds of 
North America; and the communication in the same work 
from the Rhode Island Historical Society, refers, for the 
most part, merely to the chiseled figures and hieroglyphics 
on the rocks of Rhode Island. 

There are few, if any, authentic sources at hand, from 
whence to draw information, and it is no doubt quite un- 
safe to rely upon the accuracy of Indian traditions concern- 
ning these mounds, especially as the last occupiers of the 
soil were but comparatively in recent possession.!^ Successive 
tribes have occupied, by turns, the region of country where 
these apparent animal and human efl^gies abound. The Win- 



" This is an important fact which is often overlooked by those 
arguing for the erection of mounds in this specific district by this or 
that local historic tribe. 



Animal Effigy Mounds. 13 

nebago Indians, a branch of the great Dahcotah or Sioux 
family, have held possession of that part of the Wisconsin 
country which lies immediately south of the Wisconsin riv- 
er, and east of the Mississippi, only from sixty to eighty 
years.^^ Previously to this time the district v^as in the 
hands of the Sauks and Fox Indians, a branch of the Chip- 
pewas, who dug and smelted the lead ore, but were driven 
out by the Winnebagos. Neither of these tribes now erect 
permanent monuments of this character, to the memory of 
their dead. We have seen them, it is true, in numerous 
places, excavate graves, and deposit the remains of the de- 
ceased on the summits of the ancient circular tumuli, which 
they appear to conceive were constructed for such purposes.^^ 
Some of these modern burial places are accompanied by 
rude memorials, denoting the tribe and rank, and some- 
times by hieroglyphics, in red paint, even recording the 
principal achievements of distinguished individuals. 

But to a far different race, assuredly, and to a far distant 
period, must we look when seeking to trace the authors of 
these singular mounds, and the earthworks of such various 
forms, which are spread over the North American conti- 
nent, from Lake Superior to Mexico. The degenerate Meno- 
minees, and the slothful Winnebagos, are retiring before the 
power and the intelligence of the white man of the old 
world, as the Sauks and Fox Indians had previously retreat- 
ed from the Winnebagos, and at a still earlier period, the 
Illinois Indians were nearly exterminated by the Sauks and 
Foxes. But who were they who have left almost imperish- 
able memorials on the soil, attesting the superiority of their 
race? Nation and tribe and family succeed each other, and 
for a while occupy the land. They vanish in succession, and 
leave few or no traces. Yet of this unknown people, thou- 
sands and tens of thousands of monuments remain, which 
will scarcely be obliterated so long as the earth retains its 
present form. 



" Despite this fact, these mounds were definitely ascribed to the 
Winnebago by Radin and others within the last fifteen years, and 
one would encounter no great difficulty in finding local students who 
still support a Winnebago origin. 

^® The origin of the intrusive burials so commonly encountered in 
the mounds. 



14 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 1 

The result of a recent examination, by a friend of the 
vriter, of the interior of many of the Fox river mounds, 
shews satisfactorily that the animal shaped earthworks con- 
tain human bones equally with the round tumuli.^*^ These 
bones were found in a very brittle and decomposed state, 
having roots and fibres growing through them, and were 
distributed, commonly, through every part of the mounds. 
These researches also threw some light on the mode adopted 
in the construction of these monuments ; for it became evi- 
dent that the bones or bodies of the deceased were originally 
laid upon the surface of the ground, and the earth was then 
heaped upon them. No appearances occur of graves being 
dug beneath the surface, in the first instance. Upon the 
summits of many of the original tumuli it is evident that the 
remains of other deceased persons have been subsequently 
placed ; and a new heaping up of soil thereon contributed to 
augment its former height. Finally, the wandering Meno- 
minee or Winnebago, the last Indian occupant of the prairie, 
excavates a grave upon the summit, places the body therein, 
in a sitting or reclining position, and strongly defends it 
with pickets. 

That the more ancient form of burial upon the surface, 
and of accumulating the soil over the remains of the dead, 
was not universal among the Indian tribes of North Ameri- 
ca, appears from the examination of M. Rhea of some an- 
tiquities in Tennessee, where, within the ruins of an ancient 
town or village, fortified with walls, "graves are found in 
abundance, from one to three feet in depth, containing hu- 
man bones. The bodies seem generally to have been buried 
in a sitting posture, with flat stones placed around and over 
them." I observed a grave or sepulchre of this kind on the 
summit of the natural hill, of limestone, called Sinsinnawa 
mound a few miles north of Galena. 

Whilst endeavoring to ascertain the origin of the animal 
forms, adopted in the Wisconsin territory for monumental 
purposes, the writer became early aware of the embarrass- 
ments attendant on all researches in Indian archaeology. 



'"Despite this early discovery oi. burials in effigy mounds, they 
were generally considered as ceremonial structures as distinct from 
burial tumuli to within fifteen years of the present date, and one 
still hears the term "burial mound" as distinct from effigy mound. 



Animal Effigy Mounds. 15 

It has been suggested, that they might be designed merely 
to record the achievements of certain i^hiefs in hunting. 
That they were sepulchral, and enclosed Ihe remains of hu- 
man beings, has been proved by the recent examination of 
many earthworks which have the peculiar forms noticed in 
the preceding pages. 

Concerning these ancient memorials of a by-gone people, 
viewing them as commemorative of the dead, it has occurred 
to me that they may have served in some way to designate 
the respective tribes or branches to which the deceased, in 
whose honor the structures were reared, belong. Even at 
the present day it is an undisputed fact, I believe, that cer- 
tain, perhaps most, Indian families and even tribes or 
branches, are distinguished from each other by badges in- 
dicating particular animals, or objects; or by devices sym- 
bolical of some memorable national event or peculiarity. In 
the same mode, and for the same purposes, many individuals 
also, among the more remarkable of their warriors, as- 
sumed similar devices ; commemorative of personal prowess, 
of success in the chase or in war; and were further dis- 
tinguished among their friends and adherents, by titles 
equally characteristic. Thus have we seen, even within the 
space of a few months from the time of writing this article, 
the survivors of an Indian chief recording at the head of 
his grave, by some rude hieroglyphics, the tribes and attri- 
butes of the deceased. And this is Indian heraldry : as use- 
ful, as commemorative, as inspiring to the red warrior and 
his race, as that when in the days of the crusades, the ban- 
ner and the pennon, the device and the motto, the crest, the 
shield and the war cry, exercised their potent influence on 
European chivalry. 

In all times have nations adopted and men arranged 
themselves under badges and symbols, to which custom and 
long cherished associations endeared them. Yet were they 
of no higher import than those of the North American In- 
dian. In the earliest periods men rallied around the sacred 
person of the standard bearer, with equal self-devotion, and 
perished in its defence with as much heroism, as after gen- 
erations have perilled life to guard the consecrated banner, 
or in our day have died to maintain the glory of a national 
flag. So far back, even, as the time of Moses, standards were 



16 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 1 

employed to distinguish the different tribes of the children 
of Israel. There was an assigned place to each banner in 
the order of the niarch of the entire host ; and all men were 
directed "to pitch their tents by their own standards, every 
one after their families, according to the houses of their 
fathers." 

From that time to the present, in nearly all stages of so- 
ciety, may be traced the existence of symbols which were 
adopted for purposes of a like kind ; certain natural objects 
being commonly selected to designate particular races, 
nations, or tribes. Among many of such nations, these 
badges were emblazoned on their military standards, and 
depicted on their commercial flags; they were sculptured 
upon their monuments, portrayed upon their escutcheons, 
incorporated with their architecture, inscribed upon their 
seals, and impressed upon their coinage. We are informed 
that the kings of the Medes bore golden eagles upon their 
shields ; that the Greeks, the Trojans, and other warlike na- 
tions, had devices painted or sculptured i!lpon their shields 
and helmets ; and that the ancient Germans bore standards 
before them in battle. 

The Roman legions planted the imperial standard over a 
large portion of the then known world. By turns, the shores 
of Albion have been invaded by the Roman eagle, the Dan- 
ish raven, the white horse of Saxony, and the Norman lion. 

And then, when the followers of the cross led on their 
marshalled thousands to war against the crescent, what 
hosts of devices, cognizances, achievements, and symbols, 
were emblazoned on banner, crest, and shield, — devices de- 
rived alike from natural and from imaginary objects, and 
born in commemoration of noble deeds, and indicating 
rank, and honor, and high resolve. Under the red cross of 
St. George, the lily of France, and a multitude of other 
standards, the leaders of the soldiers of Christendom were 
individually distinguished by their own proper heraldic 
bearings. 

That spirit which the olden time originated, and which 
was so strikingly displayed by the chivalry of the middle 
ages, has, it is true, been modified ; and as regards individu- 
als, has been almost obliterated under the changed aspect 



Animal Effig-y Mounds. 17 

of the civilized world. But with regard, perhaps, to all ex- 
isting nations, these symbols are yet associated with the 
spirit of patriotism, with national honor, or with deeply 
cherished remembrances of ancient grandeur. The crescent 
of the Ottoman empire still shines in the East ; the fleur-de- 
lis of France, originating at least as early as the fifth cen- 
tury, is still her honored emblem ; the lion of England, that 
for "a thousand years has braved the battle and the breeze," 
yet remains a cherished symbol; and, although arising in 
later times, the eagle of America is no less an object of na- 
tional pride and endearment. 

The foregoing remarks arise out of the obvious similarity 
of method by which, in all times and in all countries, men, 
whether barbarous or civilized, have found it convenient to 
distinguish and arrange themselves. If the untutored In- 
dians have adopted, as the badge of their nation, their race, 
or their kindred, some simple object in nature, so also have 
the more refined of the old world constantly pursued the 
same mode; and doubtless, one common motive led the peo- 
ple of Scotland to select the thistle, those of Wales the leek, 
of Ireland the shamrock, and of England the oak, for their 
national emblems; with each and all of which many fond 
recollections are associated. Thus also did the white and red 
roses of the rival houses of York and Lancaster, designate 
their leaders and unite their followers ; and the same feeling 
which gave rise to the local badges of the numerous Scot- 
tish clans, may be traced among the North American tribes, 
and in like manner, suggested the insignia of numberless 
orders and associations in the civilized world. If the mail- 
clad knight of old surmounted his helm with appropriate 
symbols of courage in the field, of devotion to the true faith, 
or of constancy to his ladye love, so also does the red war- 
rior assume the attributes of fierceness, of strength, re- 
venge, or cunning — qualities which rank among the highest 
in his esteem — in the trophies of the eagle, the bear, the ser- 
pent, or the fox. If among the boldest of knights and kings, 
Europe had her Coeur de Leon, so have the chiefs of our 
Indians, though far less known to fame, their appellations ; 
such as the Black Warrior, the Grizzly Bear, the Swift Deer, 
the Watchful Fox, the Rolling Thunder, and the North 
Wind. And if in the proudest days of romantic chivalry. 



18 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 1 

amidst the gorgeous panoply of the court, the tournament, 
or the battle field, all eyes might recognize him of the Fal- 
con, the Leopard, or the Bloody Hand, so also in humbler 
guise, yet with not less pride of heart, have the brave of our 
aboriginal Indians commonly been distinguished. No 
heroes of Greece, or Rome, or the Holy Land, were prouder 
of the badges of victory and the trophies of conquest, than 
are the natives of our western world. Within their own lim- 
ited sphere, they appear to have sought distinction and to 
have earned characteristic titles, by the exercise of those 
qualities which are most estimated in savage life; and our 
own ears are familiar, even at the present day, with such 
titles as the Black Hawk, the Panther, Alligator, and Rat- 
tlesnake ; the Young Eagle, the Black Wolf, the White Dog. 

But it was not individuals, merely, by whom such appella- 
tions were borne. We have good evidence that many tribes 
of North America adopted, and even yet retain for their 
badges, the simple natural objects whose names they also 
bear ; as in the mentioned instances of the Fox, the Turtle, 
and other tribes. Information on this head may be found in 
Colonel McKenney's work "On the Indian Tribes of North 
America." Another writer, familiar with Indian history, 
states that "all the Indian nations are divided into tribes, 
after the manner of the Jew." 

The Shawanese nation was originally divided into twelve 
tribes, or bands, all of which tribes were subdivided, in the 
usual manner, into families or .clans, of the Eagle, the Bear, 
the Turtle, & c. These animals constitute their "totems," 
among which is the family or totem of the Panther, which 
sprung from the Kickapoo tribe. 

The Crane was the badge of a branch of the Chippewa 
tribe, as was, doubtless, the Fox of another. The authority 
last quoted, notices that the Winnebagos, like the Algon- 
quin, and other tribes, are divided into bands, each desig- 
nated by some animal, as the bear or by the devil or some 
bad spirit. Among the clans or bands of the Mohawks, were 
those of the Bear, the Wolf, and the Turtle. The Hurons 
also had a Bear clan. The Natches, who lived on the borders 
of the Mississippi, had four clans, or classes; the Sioux 
proper were subdivided into seven bands, and the southern 
Sioux into eight tribes, each being separately classed by 



Animal Effig-y Mounds. 19 
7 ■ : 

some characteristic name. Whether the sduthern Indians 
were similarly subdivided and distinguished does not ap- 
pear. From the different structure and form of their monu- 
ments, it is not improbable that there always existed a va- 
riety of races upon this continent. And if in remote times 
those races were classified and designated in the mode which 
we have seen still exists, and long has existed, — that is to 
say, under the denomination of particular animals, — it is not 
altogether incompatible with probability, that the earth- 
works in which their dead were deposited, and which re- 
semble certain animal figures, were in fact designed as rep- 
resentations of those national or family badges, and conse- 
quently pointed out the burial place of the members of those 
particular tribes.^^ 

I confess that I am aware of no positive evidence to show, 
that any existing tribes or branches, thus distinguished by 
a species of armorial bearings, actually did erect monuments 
of earth in the shape of animals whose names they bear. 
In the absence of a more plausible conjecture, the idea sug- 
gested itself, perhaps on very insufficient grounds, that 
there might be some connection traced between the animal 
shaped configurations abounding in the west, and some of 
the tribes who assumed animals for their badges, and 
classed themselves under their names. 

If, as is perhaps the case, the foregoing views are inade- 
quate to establish the heraldic character of some of the mon- 
uments of the aborigines, they show at least that to the same 
common cause may be traced, at every period in the record- 
ed history of man, in all countries, and in every stage of 
civilization, the adoption of symbols and devices, derived 
from the simplest objects yet characterizing nations, orders 
and classes, and even the individual members of communi- 
ties. 

Philadelphia, Feb. 12th, 1838. . 



^^ These tentative conclusions of a century ago adequately sum up 
all that is known or logically surmised at the present time regarding 
the purpose of effigy mounds. In other words, in regard to this par- 
ticular problem, exactly no progress has been made in the last ten 
decades. 



2U WISCONSIN ARCHEOL.OGIST. Vol. 11, No. 1 



EARTHWORK ANTIQUITIES IN WISKONSIN 
TERRITORY 

By John Locke, M. D.'' 

I present this subject, not as a discovery, but merely to 
add such evidence to the discoveries and publications of 
others as seem, from the doubts I have heard so repeatedly 
expressed, to be necessary to convince the majority of read- 
ers of their correctness. In the 34th volume of "Silliman's 
Journal," is a communication from Richard C. Taylor, Esq., 
on the subject of these identical works, in which he 
describes them as being "in the form of animal effigies.'' 
The figures given by Mr. Taylor are so unlike any ancient 
tumuli in other parts of the country, that I had, ever since 
noticing them felt a strong desire to examine the originals. 
On entering Wiskonsin, I was so engaged in other pursuits 
that I had forgotten the "effigies," until upon examining the 
"sandstone bluffs," eight miles east of the Blue Mounds, I 
literally stumbled over one of them, overgrown with the 
rank prairie grass. I was at once convinced of the correct- 
ness of Mr. Taylor's representations, and not a little aston- 
ished that some well-informed persons there, in the midst of 
these strange groups still pretend to dispute their artificial 
origin. The same ambition to exercise an independent judg- 
ment might lead the same individuals to dispute that the 
ruins of Herculaneum are artificial; the same argument 
might be used — "that they just come so in the earth." With- 
out going into any discussion in regard to the origin, his- 
tory, or design of these figures, I shall merely represent 
their form and dimensions with as much accuracy as a very 
particular survey of a few of them enabled me to attain. I 
shall not even pretend to say that they are like animals ; for 
this the reader can determine for himself. I have not at- 
tempted, in any degree, to represent them as they might 
once have been, but exactly as I found them on the day that 
I surveyed them. 



"First published, without illustrations, in U. S. 26th. Cong., 1st. 
Sess., House Ex. Doc. 239, 1840. 

Republished, with illustrations reproduced herein, in U. S. 28th. 
Cong., 1st. Sess., Senate Ex. Doc. 407, 1844. 



Earthwork Antiquities in Wiskonsin Territory. 21 

The method pursued in making the surveys is represented 
in plate No. 1, Antiquities. Here, for convenience, I make 
use of the names of the parts of an animal. The figure deline- 
ated is the fotemost one of two, between which the road 
passes, and which are on the verge of a small prairie, about 
ten miles east of Madison, the capital of Wiskonsin. Small 



URTHwonK Aimoumis or Wisconsin. n9i. 

Sluming Uu manntr in wkitk Uu Ftfura were survtyed. and drawn.. 




FIGURE 2 

stakes were set in the following points, viz : the eye, the fore 
foot, the shoulder, the hip, the hind foot, and the end of the 
tail. The angular positions of these and other •points were 
determined by measuring, with a tape measure, the sides of 
the several triangles which those points form in such a man- 
ner that the determined side of one triangle shall be the base 
of a new one. After the determination of all the triangles, 
their several diameters and distances were measured and 
noted; and, finally, to determine the bearing of the whole 
figure, the magnetical bearing of the line from the hip to the 
shoulder was registered on the field-book.^^ 

The following is a copy from the field-notes, in reference 
to the above figures. (See Antiquities, plate No. 1.) ^^ 



L 



^^ The detailed accuracy which must necessarily result from such a 
survey answers a question raised by some students regarding the ac- 
curacy of any data of this nature obtained without the use of survey- 
or's instruments. One is impressed by the high quality of work 
turned out by the first students of Wisconsin archeology. 

^^Fig. 2 of this issue. 



22 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 1 

Triangles Feet Inches 

Eye to shoulder 23 

Shoulder to foot 29 4 

Fore foot to eye ^ 37 8 

Eye to nose 20 4 

Nose to shoulder 35 10 

Eye to point halfway between the ears 11 

Shoulder to same point 24 10 

Shoulder to hip 38 4 

Fore foot to hip 57 

Shoulder to hind foot 47 8 

Hind foot to hip 28 10 

Hip to the tip of the tail 38 

Hind foot to the tip of the tail 41 6 

Diameters Feet Inches 

Of the neck 13 

Of the fore leg 11 

Of the body 14 7 

Of the hind leg 9 9 

Of the tail 8 

Distances Feet Inches 

From the eye to the front 7 6 

From one ear to the other 14 

From shoulder to armpit 9 9 

From shoulder to back 8 4 

From hip to rump 7 

From hip to flank 9 7 

From hip to insertion of the tail 7 6 

Length of the throat 12 

Observations. — Ears distinctly separated. Two trees, six- 
teen inches in diameter, growing in the nose. Ground slop- 
ing gently towards the feet. Both the fore and hind legs 
curved a little backwards. The tail a little hollowed on the 
upper side. Height, or relief of the figure above the natural 
surface, about three feet; and the back somewhat steeper 
than the belly. Bearing of hip to shoulder N. 38° W. 

It will be seen, by examining the above notes, that 
they determine twenty-five points in the circumference of 
the figure; and that the connecting of these points by 
lines, and thus completing the outline, permits no exer- 



Earthwork Antiquities in Wiskonsin Territory. 23 

cise of imagination. The figure from the earth is simply 
transferred to the paper on a scale of the one hundred and 
twentieth part, in linear dimensions. Seven other figures 
were surveyed with the same degree of particularity, and 
the distances between them, and the relative positions of 
the same group, accurately noted. They are represented in 
the three following plates, on a smaller scale of forty feet 
to the inch. That which is above described, and repre- 
sented on plate No. 1, is again represented on the small 
scale "Plate No. 4, Antiquities," as figure 8.^^ 

The "military road" from Prairie du Chien to the Four 
Lakes, after crossing the Wiskonsin river, and ascending a 
small tributary, occupies the height or dividing-ridge be- 
tween the waters of the Wiskonsin on one side, and those 
of Rock river and some smaller streams on the other, for the 
distance of eighty or one hundred miles, occasionally de- 
scending into a moderate valley, and crossing a small rivu- 
let, a head branch of some of the incipient streams. Most of 
the route is on a high open prairie. From the Blue Mounds 
eastward to the Four lakes, the country abounds with the 
earthwork antiquities, of the origin of which the present 
aborigines are as ignorant as ourselves. About seven or 
eight miles eastward from the Blue Mounds, the road de- 
scends into the valley of a head branch of Sugar river, a 
tributary of Rock river ; and here, near a bluff of sandstone 
of a very picturesque and fantastic outline, commence our 
particular descriptions. 

Antiquities, plate No. 2,^^ — This plate represents a group 
of works about eight miles east of the Blue Mounds. It is on 
the great road from Prairie du Chien, through Madison, to 
Lake Michigan ; a road so decidedly marked by nature, that 
I presume it has been the thoroughfare — the "trail" the 
great "war-path" — ever since the region in the vicinity has 
been inhabited by migrating man, and will continue to be his 
pathway until the hills and the rivers exchange their places. 
The sand-bluff surmounted with pines is here a picturesque 
object ; and the streamlet and springs not very distant with 
a few scattering trees for fire, have long made it a camping- 



^' Fig. 5 of this issue. 
'* Fig. 3 of this issue. 



24 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 1 



ground. Mr. Taylor has represented only one of the two 
"effigies" which occur at this point ; the other was probably 
so overgrown with grass and small hazel-bushes as to escape 
his observation. Our encampment was near this place ;*and, 



ANTIQUITIES OF WISCONSIN 

I'l.ilr N"J 






-'-Kf^' 




FIGURE 3 

in the midst of some discussion with regard to the tumuli, 
they were opened to see whether they were stratified, and 
whether the black mould continued underneath them, even 
with the surrounding surface.^^ No. 2 was composed of 
sand, without any change to mark an original surface be- 
low, although it is now overgrown with grass, and is cov- 
ered with a thin black mould. The whole of this descent, 
near the bottom of which the figure lies, has evidently been 
formed" by the disintegration of the soft incoherent sand- 
stone bluff contiguous; and, at the time of forming this 
tumulus, it was very probably destitute of loam at this point, 
as it now is at a point still nearer the bluff. A section of 
the embankment, near the gap, exhibited a thin line of loam, 
even with what might be supposed to have been the original 
surface of the ground. Alluvial stratification is positive proof 
that a formation is not artificial, but the absence of a base of 
mould is not positive proof of the same thing ; for the con- 
structors may have r<6moved the surface on commencing 



" How rich in information we now would be if all subsequent ex- 
cavators in mounds had been directed by a similar desire to obtain 
a record of such structural and other obscure details rather than 
concentrating their efforts toward the securing of fine artifacts alone. 



Earthwork Antiquities in "Wiskonsin Territory. 25 

their work.^^ Many of our tumuli have not only a base of 
mould marking an original surface, but ashes, coals, bones, 
and artificial implements deposited at the bases of tumuli, 
of various forms and heights, from two to seventy feet. 

In examining the tumuli of Wiskonsin, I did not at any 
place discover a ditch or cavity from -which the earth to 
construct them had been taken. They abound along the nat- 
ural road, occupying the fertile and commanding hill-tops, 
and the gentle slopes into the valleys; being uniformly 
raised from a smooth and well-formed surface, always above 
inundation, and well guarded from the little temporary cur- 
rents produced by showers. 

The backs of the "effigies" were uniformly placed uphill, 
and the feet downward, as at the sand-bluff.^^ There are 
some points on the surface of soft ground, where we natur- 
ally expect chasms, rugae, mammillary points, and undula- 
tions. These occur from the uprooting of trees, from aval- 
anches, from the settling of banks, from the action of tem- 
porary streams and currents of water. Mammillary points 
are often left along the sharp crest of a hill; and insular 
mounds are not unfrequently left in low alluvial bottoms; 
certain points of upland having withstood that action of the 
currents which has carried away and degraded the sur- 
rounding surface to a lower level. But there are other situ- 
ations where we expect to find, and do actually find, the sur- 
face evenly graded into smooth undulations, as on the divid- 
ing tables between the heads of streams, and in the tops of 
moderate hills, where no current has room to accumulate; 
and especially if the same region be prairie, with the surface 
protected by the strong roots of wild grasses. 

Just such a situation is this part of Wiskonsin where the 
geologist suddenly and unexpectedly meets with these 
groups of gigantic basso-relievos, which appear to him as 
decidedly artificial as the head of Julius Caesar on an anci- 
ent coin, notwithstanding anything which may be imagined 
or said to the contrary. 



^* These simple facts are self apparent, but remain unknown to 
many of those interested in archeology nearly a century after the 
initial publication of this article. 

^* Our present knowledge of effigy mounds shows a general ab- 
sence of this uniform orientation of mounds in relation to adjacent 
natural features. 



26 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 1 



Antiquities, plate No. 3.^° — The first or left-hand figure on 
this plate, (marked 3) is about one mile and a half from 
the bluff above described. It appears to be solitary ; lies on a 
low, level, smooth ground, and seems to have been mutilat- 



4NTI0UITIES of WISCOMS 

1M»(.. M».« 







FIGURE 4 



ed ; the parts which I have called the legs seem to have been 
partially washed away. If intended to represent an animal, 
the head is evidently too large, and the altitude very stiff 
and rectangular. But I have drawn it as I found it, without 
any inclination to make it more like an animal than it was 
made in the original design, with all of the defacements 
which several hundred years have imprinted. The distance 
from this third figure to the next group is diminished on the 
plate. It is really one-fourth to one-third of a mile, where, 
on our progress towards Madison, we approach the termina- 
tion of the valley in which our figures, so far, have been 
sketched. Here, upon the side of a hill sloping gently toward 
the road, are three figures, and an embankment; the sizes, 
distances, and relative positions of which have all been 
drawn to a uniform scale of forty feet to the inch. 

Antiquities, plate 4.^^ — Leaving the group last described, 
and proceeding still eastwardly towards the Four lakes, we 
ascend a ridge, and pass out of the valley containing the six 
figures represented on plates 2 and 3. The road for about 
two miles lies over broken, thinly-timbered ridges, beyond 
which it crosses a small prairie, and again enters woodland. 
Just at the entrance of this woodland are the two figures 



*• Fig. 4 of this issue. 
" Fig. 5 of this issue. 



Earthwork Antiquities in Wiskonsin Territory. 



27 



sketched on the plate, and numbered 7 and 8. The pathway- 
passes with scanty space, between the nose of the one and 
the tail of the other. These, as appears in the drawings, are 
the most perfect, if we consider them as "effigies" of ani- 
mals, of any of the figures here represented, and are singu- 
larly alike in their form and dimensions. A short distance 
(500 or 600 feet) to the west of them is a natural swell of 
ground, with an artificial circular tumulus on the top of it, 
overlooking the two figures. 



ArarictaL 



Miiund 



1#% 






ANTIQUITIES OF WISCONSIN 

Plate N9 4. 



Scale 40 ft to the iiicK. 




FIGURE 5 

If these figures were originally intended to represent ani- 
mals, they might have been much more distinct and specific 
than they now are. It is obvious that any minute delinea- 
tions must soon be obliterated by the agency of the weather. 
Most of them have the upper -part of the head, the ears, or 
antlers, apparently too large — at least it appears so in the 
drawings. But this part, in the originals, is not raised- from 
the ground so high as the other parts, and appears like sev- 
eral small parts trodden down and blended together. In the 
eighth figure especially, there is a decided notch or separation 
still remaining between the two horns or ears. They are the 
favorite resort of badgers ; who finding them raised and dry, 
have selected them for burrowing ; and it is wonderful that 
they retain their outlines so perfectly. But, above all other 



28 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 1 

creatures, civilized man will obliterate them the most speed- 
ily ; and it is much to be regretted that the multitude of ex- 
traordinary figures raised like embossed ornaments over the 
whole of this part of the country, could not be accurately 
measured and delineated before they shall be obliterated for- 
ever. The reader will please to observe that these observa- 
tions were made, as it were, by stealth. I had other duties 
to perform and was enabled to take these measurements by 
an enthusiasm which awoke me in my tent at midnight, as- 
sisted me to prepare my breakfast before day, and sent me 
into the cold bleak fields on a November morning, to finish 
the admeasurenients of a whole group of figures, before the 
usual time of commencing the labors of the day. I had no 
time to turn aside to examine still other groups, evidently 
more extensive and interesting than those which we have 
endeavored to represent. Mr. Taylor has represented the 
effigies of birds, and one of the human figure, as occurring 
here ; and I am happy, with a full conviction of the general 
accuracy of his representations, to call the reader's attention 
to his interesting paper. 

On one of the hills I saw an, embankment exactly in the 
form of the cross, as it is usually represented as the emblem 
of Christianity. Some of the surveyors brought in sketches 
of works in the form of birds with wings expanded ; and 1 
heard of others in the form of lizards and tortoises. From 
what I have seen, I should think it very probable that these 
forms are to be found. But, in order that their existence 
should excite in the public that interest which, as relics of 
ancient history, they really possess, they should be so exact- 
ly surveyed and depicted that their representations can be 
relied upon with confidence. I object to the very careless 
and imperfect manner in which most of our antiquities have 
been examined, by which they have been rather guessed at 
than surveyed.^^ Although I have given a pledge not to un- 
dertake to make animals of these figures, yet, to the eyes of 
all, except very sagacious people, they will look very like an- 
imals; and the question will arise, what kinds of animals 
were intended to be represented? In the originals, the size 
is so great, and the outline more or less obscured by herbage 
and undershrubs, that the impression of an effigy is much 



The objection might still be voiced with equal emphasis. 



Earthwork Antiquities in Wiskonsin Territory. * 29 

less decided than when the same is diminished and brought 
into one point of view, in which all the parts are under the 
eye at once. A comparison of the difference of expression, 
form, and attitude, does not strike one at all in the originals, 
while it is very decided in the diminished copies. Mr. Tay- 
lor suggests that those were intended to represent the buf- 
falo, though he acknowledges the representation to be im- 
perfect, especially in wanting the *'hump". It appears to me 
that the figures 1, 2, 3, and 6, might have been intended as 
effigies of the bear; the clumsy proportions, and want of the 
caudal appendage, appear like that animal. Figure 5, 7, 
and 8, have decidedly an expression of agility and fleetness. 
They may have been intended for the couger, or American 
tiger — an animal still existing in that region. The only gen- 
eral disproportion to that animal is the length of the head. 

I have thus, my dear sir, laid before you, as well as cir- 
cumstances would permit, the result of a few hours' very 
hard labor in the examinations of the antiquities of .Wiskon- 
son, with the faint hope that, from some source or other, 
there may emanate an interest sufficient to cause an ac- 
curate and general survey and history of them to be im- 
bodied and preserved. I know of no prospective volume 
which I should open with more interest than an accurate 
representation of all of our remaining earthwork an- 
tiquities.^^ 



^^ Such a complete record, due to the destruction of un-mapped 
mounds which has already taken place, can never be realized, and 
the continued destruction of mounds each year reduces the possible 
degree of completeness of our records more and more. 



30 WISCONSIN "ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 1 

ARCHEOLOGICAL NOTES 

Wisconsin Field Work 

The second largest bundle reburial ever reported from a Wiscon- 
sin mound was uncovered this summer in a large conical mound, one 
of the Raisbeck effigy mound group in Grant County, as the result 
of excavations conducted by the Milwaukee Public Museum, under 
the personal direction of W. C. McKern. Thirty-five skulls were 
present in the ossuary, with a large quantity of other skeletal ma- 
terials. A majority of the bones were in a fair state of preservation 
and have been added to the osteological collections of the museum. 
A larger bundle reburial was excavated by Dr. S. A. Barrett at the 
Kratz Creek Group, Marquette County, in 1917. Associated with the 
bones of the Raisbeck mound burial were two pottery pipes and an 
unclassified artifact fashioned of turtle bone. In all, twenty burial 
mounds, of effigy, conical and linear shape, were excavated. The first 
extended burial ever reported from a tumulus of an effigy mound 
group was encountered in one of the mounds. 

Mr. Alton K. Fisher has recently completed for the Milwaukee 
Public Museum an archeological survey of Washington Island. 
Eleven canip sites, all bearing evidence of the Lake Michigan pottery 
industry, were located and mapped. A few sherds of the Upper 
Mississippi type of pottery were found at one site. A survey of the 
entire beach line failed to disclose petroglyphs previously reported 
'there. No mounds were found. A "cemetery" reported at the north- 
west beach of Detroit Harbor was shown, by excavation, to consist 
of a series of windfall mounds. The survey was conducted for the 
purpose of checking up on previous surveys and reports, and re- 
cording sites not previously reported. 

During the past summer, Mr. Arthur Kannenberg, of Oshkosh, was 
engaged for more than a month in excavating for the Milwaukee 
Public Museum an ancient village site in the city of Oshkosh, reputed 
to be a proto-historic Winnebago camp site. A large quantity of 
culture detritus, in refuse pits and associated with stone fireplaces, 
was obtained, including implements and ornaments of shell and bone, 
chipped-stone artifacts and a fine series of potsherds. All these ma- 
terials are representative of the Lake Winnebago variant of the Up- 
per Mississippi culture. A number of interesting burials were also 
encountered. The work was conducted with great care, the exact 
lateral and vertical position of each specimen and feature carefully 
charted, and it is hoped that a detailed study of the materials may 
determine growth changes in the culture represented during the 
period from pre-historic to proto-historic times. Examinations of 
several reputed Winnebago camp sites in Winnebago County have 
produced data which support the theory that the Lake Winnebago 
variant of the Upper Mississippi culture is to be identified with pre- 
historic Winnebago culture. 

Mr. Geo. L. Pasco, of Ripon, assisted by Mr. Walter Walker and 
his sons, has devoted a considerable amount of time recently to the 
excavating of a pre-historic burial ground on the property of Mr. 
Walker, Green Lake County. Eight burials in the flesh have been 
located, of which six were extended, prone on the back, one was 
partially flexed and one apparently was carelessly rolled into a pit 
where it assumed a haphazard position not typical of any known type 
of prehistoric Wisconsin burial. Culture materials associated with 
the remains, consisting of copper beads, shell and bone implements, 
pottery fragments and one small celt, identify the culture respon- 



Archeological Notes. 31 

sible for these burials as basicly the same as that responsible for 
the erection of the adjacent Grand River mounds, a variant 
of the Upper Mississippi culture. It thus becomes apparent that this 
ethnic group did not bury its dead in mounds exclusively, and that 
outside the mounds the extended position was more commonly em- 
ployed than in the mounds. The well preserved skeletal and cultural 
remains collected from these graves have been deposited in the Mil- 
waukee Public Museum. 

Mr. Philleo Nash, of Wisconsin Rapids, with the assistance of Mr. 
L. J. Dartt of Montello, and others, has excavated a number of 
mounds of a group of effigy, conical and linear tumuli near his home. 
The burials in the mounds were found to have entirely disappeared 
due to decomposition and were indicated alone by the presence of 
the burial pits and typical burial discoloration. The placement of 
burials, the association with burials of features which appear to 
have been food offerings, and the artifacts found are typical of the 
Effigy Mound culture as determined from research in other effigy 
groups. 

New Pottery Finds 

Mr. Iran Otto, of Milwaukee, has recently found, at a camp site 
in Green Lake County, a broken but practically complete pottery 
vessel of most unusual type. The vessel is of heavy, grit-tempered 
ware with the cord-imprinted outer surface additionally decorated 
with a single lateral band of thumb-and-finger imprints above a second 
band of small circular indentures. It stands fourteen and one-half 
inches in height and is ten and one-half inches in diameter at the 
rim. Its remarkable feature is its shape. Tapering gradually from 
the straight vertical rim toward the base, it culminates in an abrupt- 
ly flat bottom, not unlike that of a flower pot. The pot has been 
restored for Mr. Otto by the Milwaukee Public Museum. 

Mr. Arden Sheldon of Oshkosh has found at a camp site in Winne- 
bago County the intact lower half of a good-sized pottery vessel of 
grit-tempered, cord-imprinted ware, to be classified as a product of 
the Lake Michigan culture. Unfortunately, no single fragment of 
the missing rim was encountered. 

It is reported that Mr. Clarence A. Rothe, of Green Bay, recently 
found a pottery vessel of medium size near his home city. 

Mr. Henry Damerau, of Fairwater, reports that he has found 
a pottery vessel, badly broken but with the majority of the parts 
represented, at a camp site in Green Lake County. 

Mr. Milton F. Hulburt, of Reedsburg, has been busily engaged 
during the past year, as a part of his general survey work, in making 
a pottery survey of Sauk County. Sherds are being collected from 
all known camp sites, and a number of new sites have been dis- 
covered. So far, wares representative of three distinct cultures have 
been encountered. 

Reports from Neighboring Fields 

The first Plains Archeological Conference was held at Vermilion, 
South Dakota, August 31 to September 3 of this year, under the 
auspices of the University of South Dakota. Archeologists active in 
the plains and neighboring middle western fields were present, includ- 
ing representatives from Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, South 
Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and the 
Smithsonian Institution. One or more speakers for each state gave 
a brief summary of the salient archeological features of his area, 
and these talks were followed by general discussion and the exami- 
nation of typical specimens from each of the described areas. Em- 



32 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 1 

phasis was placed upon the need for the full co-operation of all to- 
ward the accurate definition and solution of problems. Your edi- 
tor was particularly interested in noting that the great woodland 
pottery industry, of which our Lake Michigan type of ware is the 
local representative, extends westward entirely across the great 
plains to the Rocky Mountains, and that the culture which is called 
Upper Mississippi in Wisconsin is one of the outstanding plains cul- 
tures. Through the courtesy of Prof. W. H. Over, Curator of the 
Museum, University of South Dakota, a pilgrimage was made to cer- 
tain typical ancient village sites along the shores of the Missouri 
River. At the final meeting it was voted to make the conference an 
annual affair, and an invitation to meet at Lincoln next year was 
accepted. 

The excavation of a small mound of the Cahokia Group, near Col- 
linsville, Illinois, conducted by a University of Illinois party under 
the direction of Dr. A. R. Kelly, has resulted in the discovery below 
the mound floor of an old Cahokia camp site, which is producing an 
important series of artifact materials illustrative of that culture. 
This is of special interest to students of Wisconsin archeology since 
the Cahokia culture is that most plentifully represented at the Azta- 
lan site in Jefferson County. 

Dr. P. F. Titterington, of Saint Louis, has partially completed the 
excavation of a burial mound in western Illinois,' near the Mississippi 
River. This research has produced some exceptionally interesting 
information. The mound is low and elliptical in shape. A total of 
fourteen burials were generously distributed over the burial floor of 
the mound, including flexed, partly flexed *nd extended types. Sev- 
eral of the flexed individuals had the hands placed upon the shoul- 
ders. Two good-sized pottery vessels were found associated with the 
burials. The mound, of which only a part has been excavated, will 
be subjected to further investigations early next year. 

Miscellaneous 

Our esteemed secretary, Charles E. Brown, Director of the State 
Historical Museum at Madison, has received, as a mark of appre- 
ciation for his many years of valuable services in the fields of Wis- 
consin history and anthropology, the honorary degree of master of 
arts from the University of Wisconsin. 

Mr. Brown this year completed thirty years of service as editor 
of The Wisconsin Archeologist. 



It 
WmttnBxn 



NEW SERIES 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing" at speial rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103. 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



The Society is a state department, receiving a part of its support 
from the state. Its funds are under state control. Its work is well 
and widely known. It has received the approval of leading Ameri- 
can archeologists, who agree that it deserves the full support of all 
Wisconsin citizens interested in the state's archeological history. 

The Society's activities comprise the location, recording, investi- 
gating and preservation of Wisconsin Indian remains, folklore and 
history, all of which are rapidly disappearing and must be recorded 
and saved immediately if ever. 

Through its efforts many fine groups of Indian earthworks and 
other aboriginal monuments and remains have been permanently 
preserved to the public. Most have been marked with descriptive 
metal tablets. Others are being protected. Surveys and explorations 
have been conducted in many sections of the state. 

It is also engaged in encouraging the establishment of public mu- 
seums and collections and in discouraging the manufacture and sale 
of fraudulent antiquities. 

Regular monthly meetings of the Society are held during the 
months September to May, inclusive, in the Trustees Room of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum. Meetings are open to the public. No 
regular meetings are held during the months June to August, in- 
clusive. Special field meetings are occasionally held during the vaca- 
tion months. 

The results of its research and other activities are made known 
through its regular quarterly publication, The Wisconsin Arche- 
ologist. Thirty volumes have appeared. The Society has a large 
membership distributed through every part of the state. 

It is co-operating to the fullest extent with all of the various 
scientific and educational organizations and institutions of Wisconsin. 






Hoi. n Sanuarg IB2Z No. 2 

NEW SERIES 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 
WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec 1103. 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. . 



Mxlmnnkn, Htsrnitattt 



Incorporated March 23, 1903, for the purpose of advancing the study 
and preservation of Wisconsin antiquities 



OFFICERS 

PRESIDENT 

Charles G. Schoewe 

VICE-PRESIDENTS 

W. C. McKern Dr. H. W. Kuhm 

Dr. A. L. Kastner E. F. Richter 

W. W. Gilman Paul Joers 
R. J. Kieckhefer 

DIRECTORS 

Joseph Ringeisen, Jr. Dr. E. J. W. Notz T. L. Miller 

Dr. S. A. Barrett Huron H. Smith L. R. Whitney 

George A. West Mrs. Theodore Koerner Alonzo Pond 

A. P. Kannenberg 

TREASURER 

G. M. Thorne 
National Bank of Commerce, Milwaukee, Wis. 

SECRETARY 

Charles E. Brown 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wis. 



COMMITTEES 

REGULAR 

STATE SURVEY— T. L. Miller, Walter S. Dunsmoor, G. L. Pasco, 
T. M. N. Lewis, Dr. A. L. Kastner, J. P. Schumacher, Alonzo 
Pond, Geo. F. Overton, M. F. Hulburt, W. M. Maier, 0. L. Hol- 
lister. Dr. F. G. Logan, David A. Blencoe, S. W. Faville, Col. 
R. S. Owen, Robert R. Jones. 

MOUND PRESERVATION— Mrs. E. H. Van Ostrand, Frank Wes- 
ton, Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, Dr. Orrin Thompson, Mrs. F. R. 
Melcher, Col. Howard Greene, Rev. O. W. Smith, J. J. Knudsen, 
H. W. Cornell, Dr. E. G. Bruder, A. H. Griffith. 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS— Milwaukee Public Museum (Dr. S. A. 
Barrett), Wisconsin State Historical Museum (Dr. Joseph Scha- 
fer), Oshkosh Public Museum (Niles J. Behnke), Green Bay 
Public Museum (T. T. Brown), New London Museum (Rev. F. 
S. Dayton), Lawrence College (Prof. J. B. MacHarg), White- 
water Museum (Prof. N. F. Heyer), La Crosse State Teachers 
College (Prof. A. H. Sanford), Kohler Museum (Miss Marie 
Kohler), Logan Museum (Dr. Geo. L. Collie), Minnesota State 
Historical Museum (Willoughby M. Babcock), St. Francis Mu- 
seum (Rev. Dr. A. J. Muench.) 

MEMBERSHIP— Louis Pierron, Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Paul Joers, 
Arthur Gerth, Dr. W. H. Brown, W. F. Yahr, Mrs. Anna F. 
Johnson, K. Freckman, Geo. Wright, Mrs. Hans A. Olson, Carl 
Baur, C. G. Weyl, A. R. Rogers. 

STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL PARKS— Geo. A. West, R. J. Kieckhef- 
er, R. P. Ferry, D. S. Howland, Walter Holsten. 

PUBLICITY— J. B. Gregory, A. O. Barton, E. R. Mclntyre, R. K. 
Coe. 

SPECIAt 

BIOGRAPHY— H. H. Smith, G. M. Thorne, Milo C. Richter. 

FRAUDULENT ARTIFACTS— Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., E. F. Richter, 
Geo. A. West. 

POTTERY SURVEY— A. P. Kannenberg, Ray Van Handel, R. N. 
Buckstaff. 

PROGRAM— H. H. Smith, Milo C. Richter, Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., 
Dr. A. L. Kastner, R. J. Kieckhefer, T. L. Miller. 

MARKING MILWAUKEE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES— W. W. Gil- 
man, Dr. Paul B. Jenkins, L. R. Whitney. 

PUBLICATION— W. C. McKern, Dr. Ira Edwards, Dr. H. W. 
Kuhm. 



MEMBERSHIP FEES 

Life Members, $25.00 Endowment Members, $500.00 

Sustaining Members, $5.00 Annual Members, $2.00 

Institutional Members, $1.50 Junior Members, $ .50 

All communications in reg-ard to the "Wisconsin Archeolog-ical Society- 
should be addressed to Charles E. Brown, Secretary and Curator, Office, 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wisconsin. Contributions to the Wisr 
consin Archeologist should be addressed to W. C. McKern, Editor, Public 
Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or to the Secretary. Dues should be 
sent to G. M. Thorne, Treasurer, National Bank of Commerce, Milwau- 
kee, Wisconsin. 



CONTENTS 



Vol. 11, No. 2, New Series 

ARTICLES 

Page 

Birdstones of North America, Joseph Ringeisen, Jr 33 

"Old Kentucky", T. M. N. Lewis 41 

The Lake Geneva Centennial, Paul B. Jenkins 44 

The Educational Objective and Business Side of the Geneva 

Lake Centennial Celebration, J. Sidney Hotton 55 

Archaeological Surveys, Carl E. Guthe 57 

Report of the State Archeological Survey Committee for the 

Season of 1931. T. L. Mller 61 

Report of Survey Work in Sauk County, Milton F. Hulburt. ... 67 

A Card Index Method of Recording Acheological Surveys, Mil- 
ton F. Hulburt 68 

Archeological Notes 70 



ILLUSTRATIONS 
Birdstone, Ringeisen Collection Frontispiece 

Figure Page 

6. Birdstone of porphyry 35 

7. Map of Eastern United States, showing strong center of 
birdstone distribution 36 

8. Newly discovered birdstone of quarzite 38 

9. Archeological survey form card 68 

10. Filled-out form card 69 



®I|f Utarnnain Ktt^t aia^ist 

Published Q.uarterly by the Wisconsin Areheologrlcal Society 

VOL. 11 MADISON, WIS., JANUARY, 1932 No. 2 

Ne^v Series 



BIRDSTONES OF NORTH AMERICA 

Jos. Ringeisen, Jr. 

Of all prehistoric Indian relics, the birdstone is least 
known. It is very obvious how stone axes, celts, spears, ar- 
rowheads, gorgets and other artifacts were used by their 
aboriginal owners, but due to a lack of information from the 
first white men among the Indians, nothing is known about 
the use of birdstones. How, by whom and on what occasions 
they were worn still remains a mystery. Archeologists gen- 
erally agree that these objects had a religious significance 
and were held in high veneration by their Indian owners, as 
very few of these specimens show evidence of having been 
broken while in possession of the Indians. A study of most 
of the broken birdstones I have seen,^ and information I have 
received from birdstone collectors in Michigan, Ohio and In- 
diana, show that they were broken by the white man's im- 
plements ; the plow, disc, harrow and the hoe. 

Some of the early writers claim that the birdstone was 
worn on the head by women when pregnant. If this were 
true, birdstones would outnumber all other specimens. 
Others say that it was fastened to a stone tablet, such as a 
gorget, but we have still to find the first gorget or tablet on 
which the perforations correspond to the holes of a single 
birdstone. All theories advanced so far can easily be dis- 
proved. One man's guess is as good as that of another. I 
shall make mine later. Without a doubt, birdstones were 
fastened to some perishable material, such as wood or bone, 
which would rot away, leaving only the birdstone and thus 
making it difficult to ascertain how they were used or worn. 

With the exception of fluted axes, birdstones are the 
most rare of all prehistoric Indian relics encountered within 
the birdstone-producing territory (frontispiece) . In Wiscon- 
sin the birdstone is more rare due to the fact that the fluted 



34 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

ax originated here and, consequently, is more numerously 
represented. When two collectors meet, the usual greetings 
are followed by the question, "How many birdstones have 
you?" In 1909, when our secretary, Chas. E. Brown, wrote 
his first birdstone bulletin (Wisconsin Archeologist, No. 1, 
Volume 8) , he had the record of only 54 specimens from Wis- 
consin, and Warren K. Moorehead, of the Andover Museum 
of Massachusetts, who was probably the best posted man at 
that time, due to his travels all over the United States in 
the interests of archeology, stated that he knew of only 
264 birdstones in both private and public collections in 
the entire United States. We know that these figures have 
been greatly increased in the last 22 years. Approximate- 
ly, I now know of 69 birdstones in Wisconsin, 202 in 
Michigan, 145 in Ohio, 152 in Indiana, 23 in New York, 
20 in Pennsylvania, 18 in Illinois and 16 in Canada. I 
know that 650 specimens will more than cover all the 
genuine birdstones in public and private collections both in 
the United States and Canada, in fact, we may say in the 
world ; so you can see that they are comparatively rare. The 
Wisconsin specimens aj^-e distributed as follows : the Milwau- 
kee Public Museum, 6 ; the State Historical Museum at Madi- 
son, 13 ; the Logan Museum at Beloil, 9 ; the Oshkosh Public 
Museum, 3; the Neville Museum at Green Bay, 2; and in 
private collections, the Jos. Ringeisen collection, 27 ; the Olen 
collection at Oshkosh, 4; the Notz collection at Milwaukee, 
1 ; the Schoewe collection at Milwaukee, 1 ; the Faville collec- 
tion at Lake Mills, 1; and I have just heard of two more, 
making in all 69. 

Slate birdstones are much more numerous than those 
made of porphyry or granite; about twenty of slate have 
been found to one of the harder materials. In my collection 
from Wisconsin there are, at present, 11 birdstones with 
eyes and 16 without eyes, 27 in all. Of these, 11 are of por- 
phyry and granite, 1 of quartzite and 15 of slate. Of the 
specimens from other states, I have 15 with eyes and 17 
without eyes. Of these, 14 are of porphyry and granite and 
18 of slate, making in all 59 specimens. The relative large 
number of harder materials employed in these specimens is 
due to the special effort I have made in the last 25 years to 



Bird Stones of North America. 



35 



get specimens of porphyry or granite, because when you do 
get one of these, in nine cases out of ten it is a beauty (fig- 
ure 6). The smaller circle on the map (figure 7) shows the 
territory in which the birdstone originated, including the 
southern half of Michigan and all of Ohio and Indiana, just 




Fig. 6. Birdstone of porphyry, Ringeisen collection 



k 



as the fluted ax originated in Wisconsin, and the barbed ax 
in Michigan. The larger circle, which takes in parts of Illi- 
nois, Wisconsin, western New York and Pennsylvania, and 
that portion of Canada bordering on the Great Lakes, shows 
the territory in which birdstones have been found, but not so 
numerously as in the states of their origin, Michigan, Ohio 
and Indiana. I do not believe that a dozen specimens could be 
located which were actually found outside of this larger 



36 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 2 



circle. Having originated in the smaller circle, the fad, if 
we may so call it, spread east, west and north, probably due 
to tribal migrations. But why did it not spread to the south 
of the larger circle ? It would seem more natural if the ter- 
ritory of their origin were in the center of the territory of 
birdstone distribution. 



^^ 



Fig. 



7. Map of Eastern United States, showing strong center of birdstone 
distribution 



We know that at the coming of the white man, the Indian 
stopped the making of stone ornaments and implements, due 
to the fact that he could, by the trading of furs, get orna- 
ments of glass and metals, iron implements and guns which 
were far superior to his stone ornaments and implements 
and his bows and arrows, and not nearly as bulky. 



Bird Stones of North America. 37 

He acquired these trade specimens just as fast as the 
white man could furnish them. To this fact, I attribute the 
scarcity of the birdstone, since I beheve that it was first 
made or invented very near to the first arrival of the white 
man, when the manufacture of stone artifacts ceased. Other- 
wise, the birdstone, which is the most beautiful of all stone 
specimens the Indians made, would surely have spread to 
every tribe on the continent, just as in the case of gorgets, 
stone beads, boat stones and other ornaments whose designs 
are similar from one end of the country to the other. 

I believe that another reason for their scarcity might be 
that they were probably worn by the chief or the medicine 
man, or used at the making of an important treaty to sym- 
bolize, as it were, the Dove of Peace. 

Birdstones had a tendency to break at the neck, since that 
was the weakest part. If a break occurred while the ob- 
ject was still in use, it was not discarded, because of the 
large amount of labor required in its manufacture, and also 
because of the veneration in which it was held ; so the brok- 
en surface was smoothed and the specimen continued in use. 
I have three of these broken and refinished specimens, 
known among the collectors as saddle stones. I have seen 
about one dozen of these saddle stones, which I am positive 
were originally birdstones. 

In making my collection, I have had the assistance of Wm. 
Elkey, a traveling salesman, John Evans and Ed. Richter. 
The two first mentioned are now collecting relics in the Hap- 
py Hunting Ground. These men, who were well posted on 
Indian relics, would locate and buy these specimens for me. 
In case they could not purchase them, they would let me 
know where they were and I would try and pry them loose 
with a silver crow bar. 

Because of their scarcity, very few birdstones found in 
Wisconsin have left the state. The first Wisconsin bird- 
stones were found about thirty years ago, and when found 
were prized very highly by the finders because of their rare 
form and beauty. I know of very few instances of a bird- 
stone having left Wisconsin through sale or removal. I have 
had the good fortune to get two of these back. One was of a 
beautiful mottled granite, with pop eyes, found at West 
Bend. It was sold to a collector at Houghton, Michigan. The 



38 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 2 



other, also of mottled granite, was found at Evansville, and 
was in the possession of the finder who moved to Nara Visa, 
New Mexico. 

Recently the Milwaukee Journal pictured my birdstones, 
and a few days later I received a letter containing this pic- 
ture from Chas. H. Roberts, a farmer at Glen Flora, Rusk 
Co., Wisconsin. The letter stated that he had found a stone 
just like the one he had marked with a cross on the picture. 
I tried to get him to send it to me but did not succeed, so on 
June 19, 1931, I started from Milwaukee for Glen Flora at 
4 A. M. and amved home again at 11:30 P. M. after motor- 
ing 585 miles in one day, with another pop-eyed birdstorie 
made of quartzite in my pocket (figure 8). 




Fig. 8. Newly discovered Wisconsin blrdstone of quartzite 



Mr. Roberts found this birdstone, in 1910, between the 
North and South forks of the Jump River, right at the junc- 
tion, in Sec. 19, Kennan Township, Price County. He was 
at that time a timber cruiser employed by a lumber com- 



Bird Stones of North America. 39 

pany in Kennan, and he and another cruiser by the name of 
Norton were sent out to estimate the timber south of Ken- 
nan along the North Fork of the Jump River. When they 
got down to the south fork of the river they found a clearing 
of about 10 acres between the two forks right at the junc- 
tion. This greatly excited their curiosity as all the rest of 
the country around was in virgin timber. They crossed the 
north fork of the river to investigate and while looking 
around between the shrubs and young trees, which had 
started growing in the clearing, they found pieces of pottery 
and other refuse, and stone fire places, showing that it had 
been an Indian village site. In the center of this clearing 
there was a space about 100 feet in diameter where the 
vegetation was considerably lower than that surrounding it ; 
even the ground was exposed in places. This was evidently 
where the dance circle used to be. While Mr. Roberts was 
examining the places where the ground was exposed, he saw 
the head of the birdstone projecting out of the ground. 
Thinking it was an insect of some kind, he took a twig and 
worked the object loose from the earth. He then saw that it 
was a stone and picked it up. During all the years that he 
had possessed this specimen, he had never known what it 
was until he saw the picture of my birdstones. Curious to 
know what it was, he wrote a letter to the State Historical 
Museum several years ago, describing the birdstone and ask- 
ing for information. He received a reply from our secretary, 
Chas. E. Brown, stating that the description was so vague 
that he could not decide and that Mr. Roberts should send 
it to Madison for identification, which Mr. Roberts refused 
to do. This was a lucky break for me. 

The high prices paid for genuine birdstones have induced 
fakers to get to work and their products are to be found not 
only in private collections but also in public museums. These 
frauds are usually made of slate, modeled after genuine 
specimens and then artificially aged. Some of these are made 
so cleverly as to fool even a seasoned collector. For this 
reason, our society has appointed a fraud committee, con- 
sisting of collectors who have had years of experience in 
locating and tracking down fakers and putting them out of 
business by law. This committee is at the service of all col- 



40 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

lectors and dealers and all doubtful specimens can be sent to 
Jos. Ringeisen, Jr., 1804 N. 3rd St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 
who is the chairman. They will be examined by this commit- 
tee and an opinion will be rendered and promptly returned 
to the sender. Collectors are urged. to report to the com- 
mittee any fakers operating in their vicinity. 

In conclusion, I wish to impress upon all collectors of In- 
dian relics the importance of insisting on perfect data on all 
specimens they purchase, and, if such information is not 
available, of refusing to buy it, no matter how good a speci- 
men it seems to be. Public museums and most of the larger 
private collectors will not buy a specimen unless it is accom- 
panied by complete data- which should include the following 
information : by whom was it found ; if by a farmer, in what 
year and what season of the year, while plowing, cultivating 
or cutting grain ; was it found on the surface or in a mound ; 
with or without a burial; in what section, range, township, 
county and state was it found ; any other information avail- 
able. If the specimen has changed hands since the finding, 
get the names of the persons through whose hands it has 
passed before you secured it. In most cases it is easy to get 
this information when you buy the specimen and extremely 
hard in after years. A specimen with perfect data is a liv- 
ing thing, it talks and tells a story which, if compared with 
the story told by the data of relics of other collectors, will 
soon tell our scientific men of the rovings and migrations of 
the different tribes, and also handicap the faker of prehistor- 
ic relics. Following this advice, the amateur collector will 
soon build up a valuable and saleable collection and not a 
graveyard of prehistoric Indian relics. A specimen without 
complete data is looked upon with suspicion and is hard to 
sell should disposal become necessary. 



t 



"Old Kentucky" 41 

"OLD KENTUCKY" 

T. M. N. Lewis 

From the archaeologist's point of view the epithet ".old" 
is most appropriate. From every other angle the ^tate now 
warrants the name of "New Kentucky", for new roads, fine 
schools, and many other indications of progress are man- 
ifest. 

It is naturally to be expected that a part of the country 
where such large rivers as the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, 
and Cumberland are all but a stone's throw from one an- 
other, would abound in archaeological remains. And so it 
does. 

At the invitation of Mr. Fain King of Paducah, Dr. Walter 
B. Jones, Director of the Alabama Museum of Natural 
History, his three assistants, and the writer convened in 
that city during last September for the purpose of making 
a survey of western Kentucky. 

Mr. King, in his modest manner, had previously advised 
the writer that he probably possessed the largest collection 
of American Indian artifacts in the state of Kentucky. Since 
viewing this collection. Dr. Jones and the writer are in ac- 
cord in our belief that this is the largest private assembly 
of flint specimens in existence. There are nearly two hun- 
dred excellent flint spades ranging in length from twelve 
inches to eighteen inches and nearly one hundred notched 
hoes of superior workmanship. Furthermore, there are hun- 
dreds of other artifacts of the most unusual types, consist- 
ing of banner stones of rose quartz, objects of fluorite, an in- 
scribed slate tablet, stone effigies, a double-headed, pop-eyed 
birdstone, discoidals and pipes by the dozen, and numerous 
pottery vessels, chiefly of the eflfigy type. 

The bulk of the material was gathered from western Ken- 
tucky, western Tennessee and the extreme southern portion 
of Illinois. Although Mr. King is a very busy man, being 
identified with numerous enterprises, his great interest in 
archaeology and kindly disposition towards others similarly 
interested, prompts him to close up shop the moment there 
is an opportunity to converse with another who is either vo- 



42 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

cationally or avocationally interested in the subject. The 
writer has been asked to urge all who are thus interested to 
avail themselves of his good nature whenever they may have 
an opportunity to visit the city of Paducah, the "Gateway to 
the South". 

Under the guidance of Mr. King and Mr. Phil Porter of 
Clinton, Kentucky, we were given an alluring opportunity to 
examine numerous large mounds in western Kentucky and 
western Tennessee. For the most part they were the round, 
truncated type ranging in diameter from 100 feet to 250 
feet, and usually quite precipitous except in one direction. 
Whether this gradual incline in one direction was an origi- 
nal feature of the mounds or due to subsequent erosion by 
rains was not determined. A short trench dug to the depth 
of three feet in the top of one mound, which was 35 feet in 
height, revealed no evidence of habitation. What appeared 
to be the remains of right and left human femurs were en- 
countered at the bottom of the trench. These femurs were 
so thoroughly disintegrated and absorbed by the surround- 
ing soil that barely enough ash remained to fill the palm of 
one hand. An ounce or two of red ocher paint was associat- 
ed with this skeletal material. 

The mounds varied in height from 20 feet to 40 feet. It 
is supposed that the flat tops were used for habitation, as 
most of them are located in the bottom lands which are in- 
undated in the spring of the year. 

Near Barlow, Kentucky, on the bank of the Ohio River op- 
posite Moundville, Illinois, we excavated a camp site in a 
cornfield. Many surface finds had been made on this site and 
it was abundantly covered with potsherds. The surface 
sherds were of a quality inferior to those found several feet 
below the surface. The texture of the clay and the higher 
degree of polish seemed to indicate that the culture of the 
last aborigines to inhabit that site was subordinate to that 
of their ancestors, a situation which is encountered general- 
ly throughout the country where habitation has been of 
long standing. 

Many of the sherds found three or four feet below the sur- 
face were portions of extremely shallow dishes, quite similar 
in size and depth to our modern dinner plates. These were 



"Old Kentucky" 43 

black in color, very hard and highly glazed. Portions of effig^' 
pottery were encountered, such as a human forearm and 
hand with the fingers clenched, a deer head, a duck head, and 
several problematical forms. Numerous antler flaking tools, 
bone awls, and needles were found. The rfiost interesting of 
the bone specimens was an awl fashioned from the leg bone 
of a wild turkey, having inserted in the cartilage sheath on 
the concave side, a round, slender needle a millimeter in di- 
ameter. This was found four feet below the surface. 

In Hickman County, Kentucky, a prehistoric canal three 
miles in length was pointed out to us by Mr. Phil Porter. 
Although we did not traverse the length of this canal, Mr. 
Porter stated that it was as straight as if it had been sur- 
veyed with modern instruments. It meets a wide creek at 
right angles at one end and a burial ground at the other. At 
the creek there are evidences of an extensive camp site and 
several very large tumuli. From the burial ground at the 
head of the canal Mr. Porter has recovered over one hundred 
and eighty clay vessels, many of which are of the effigy 
type, the owl face predominating. 

The ceramic art in this region seems to have been devel- 
oped to a high degree. The effigy pieces in particular are not 
only of great interest to the layman, but are also most inter- 
pretive from an archaeological standpoint. Plans are being 
laid to investigate this canal and burial ground further dur- 
ing the coming April, and the writer hopes to have some- 
thing of considerable interest to report subsequent to the 
proposed investigation. 



44 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

THE GENEVA LAKE CENTENNIAL 

Paul B. Jenkins 

As many of you know, the Geneva Lake region — including 
the three lakes, Delavan, Geneva, and little Lake Como — is 
especially rich in historical associations of three periods. 
These are of course the Indian era ; the pioneer period ; and 
the later developments of an intensive agriculture, a notable 
social life and status, the accession and influence of the great 
Yerkes Astronomical Observatory of the University of Chi- 
cago, a considerable development and modernization of the 
communities on the lakeshores, and, finally — for this is also, 
I suppose, an historic, even if a present-day, feature — the 
growth of a summer-resort and tourist Mecca which brings 
to the region a three-months' summer-time population from 
ten to twenty times as numerous as its residents for the re- 
mainder of the year. Of this social and economic aspect I 
shall not speak further than to remark that you may ima- 
gine the problems of traffic, accomodation, control, business, 
sanitation, morale and the like, that such an annual cycle 
brings in its train. 

In naming the periods of the past of which evidences are 
found in the Lake Country, I ought perhaps to have men- 
tioned that strange, mysterious, and, alas, so little-known 
age, the far pre-historic epoch extending from the post-gla- 
cial day of the mastodon through the unknown centuries of 
habitation by the people known — first by popular fancy but 
now by Dr. Shetrone's scientific classification — as the 
"Mound-Builders." Of such habitants, both faunal and hu- 
man, the region does not lack for traces as fascinating as 
they are baffling. Mastodon remains have been found at half 
a dozen points around Lake Geneva alone. Mounds, both 
burial and empty, are known — and others have been most 
unfortunately obliterated — a total of probably between one 
and two hundred; at least two large bird and one turtle 
effigy mounds are known to have been among those de- 
stroyed by the ruthless plow of the pioneer. Excavations of 
these by methods formerly rude and careless, today happily 
careful and scientific, have disclosed numerous burials, ob- 
viously of dateless antiquity. 



The Geneva Lake Centennial. 45 

Coming to the historic period — and, it should be added, 
to the period immediately prior thereto, of which we have 
no little knowledge, thanks to recovered Indian legends and 
traditions— the Geneva Lake neighborhood is peculiarly for- 
tunate in the lateness of the date, now but a few months 
over a century, at which it was invaded by the westward 
tide of pioneer settlement. While the Green Bay region has 
. been known for now almost three centuries ; the vicinity of 
Milwaukee possessing at least some records extending back 
to the time of the American Revolution ; our lakes were un- 
seen by the white man's eye and their shores untrodden by 
the white man's foot until as late as the month of May, 1831. 
In consequence, a Stone Age culture, as far as represented 
by the Potawatomi people, persisted — only slightly affect- 
ed by the white man's proximity, his ways, his goods, and 
alas, his "fire-water" — until the removal of the red man in 
September, 1836, in accordance with the terms of the treaty 
of the great Council of Chicago of 1833. 

It is of course unnecessary for me to explain that this late 
isolation — so happy for the archaeologist and the historian 
— of our region from intimate contact with the white man 
and his inevitable erasures of the evidences of the past, was 
due to the absence of direct access by water, such as led to 
the far earlier arrival of the explorer, trader, soldier, mis- 
sionary and settler at all points of the territory of Wiscon- 
sin readily reachable by canoe and bateau, as along Lake 
Michigan, the Fox, the Wisconsin, the Mississippi, and the 
tributaries of these waters. The Potawatomi of our neighbor- 
hood had of course their trails, without doubt centuries old, 
reaching east and west and north and south, and by means 
of these they were accustomed to travel to trade with the 
earliest posts or forts at Milwaukee, Chicago, and probably 
northward to Fort Howard at Green Bay, Fort Winnebago 
at Portage, and Fort Crawford at Prairie du Chien. From 
these points of contact with the white man's world they 
were able, however, to retire to their native fastnesses and 
to a culture but little altered from its origins among the Al- 
gonkins of the eastern states, their aboriginal ancestors. 
Notable among such retreats were the villages of bark and 
reed-mat dome lodges on the shores of what they knew as 
''Maung-zet Ne-biss," or **Big-Foot Lake," from the popular 



46 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 



nickname for the local chief, "Maung-zet," or "Big-Foot." 
This nickname was bestowed, by the way, so recovered Pota- 
watomi traditions definitely tell us, by the chief's brother-in- 
law, and alluded to the size of his foot-prints in the snow 
covering the frozen surface of the principal bay (now Wil- 
liams Bay), as he was carrying home the frozen carcass of a 
deer which he found in the ice where it had been killed, along 
the eastern shore of the bay, by the wolves that swarmed in 
the neighborhood. This Potawatomi name for the lake the 
first French traders translated, of course, as "Gros-Pied," 
and the English or Americans as **Big-Foot Lake," by which 
names it was known until its christening by the first Govern- 
ment surveyor, John Brink, in 1836, as "Lake Geneva;" a 
name arbitrarily but successfully bestowed by him from its 
resemblance to the surroundings of his earlier residence at 
Geneva, New York State, on the upper end of Seneca Lake. 
Not to dwell longer in the Indian period — much as we 
could wish that we might do so in reality — let me abbreviate 
the story by commenting that the first recorded sight of 
Geneva Lake by any of the white race was on the occasion 
of the arrival at its west end of the historic and famous 
"Kinzie party," in the last week of the month of May, 1831. 
This party consisted of John H. Kinzie, a son of the famous 
trader beside old Fort Dearborn at the mouth of the Chicago 
River, his bride of a few months, his mother, a sister-in-law 
and her little boy, two French voyageurs or coureurs des 
bois, a negro boy and a half-breed French-and-Indian girl, 
Mrs. Kinzie's maid. John H. Kinzie was the Government 
Indian sub-agent at Fort Winnebago, now Portage, and had 
been on a visit to his parents at Chicago. With his bride he 
had travelled to Chicago on horseback over a trail leading 
to "Dixon's Ferry" (now Dixon, Illinois) on the Rock River, 
and thence to Chicago. Returning, finding that a body of 
troops was to be transferred from Fort Dearborn to Fort 
Howard at Green Bay, and that these were to follow the 
known but untravelled Indian trail via "Big-Foot Lake," the 
party elected to accompany (actually, as it happened, most 
of the way to precede) the soldiers. The party travelled in 
the saddle — two of the men and two of the women — and in 
what was then called a "Dearborn wagon" (very like the 
later "democrat buggy"), the first vehicle of its kind ever 



The Geneva Lake Centennial. 47 

seen in the region, and which gave them trouble enough to 
get it through the woods and along the ancient, narrow 
single-file Indian trail which they followed. I will not further 
distract you with the story of the party — so curiously and 
almost symbolically composed of representatives of the 
white, the black, and the red races — their trip, and the oc- 
casion of their reaching the lake, other than to comment 
that, thanks to young Mrs. Kinzie's mentality and her facil- 
ity alike with pen and pencil, we possess a full and absorb- 
ingly interesting account of the journey and especially of 
their arrival at Chief Big-Foot's village on the western 
shore, on the site of the present thriving and popular sum- 
mer-resort village of Fontana. Nor have we only her descrip- 
tion of the historic occasion, but we have also her drawing 
of the appearance of the lake as seen from the point — readi- 
ly identifiable today — where the trail emerged from the 
woods and came out upon the edge of a bluff on the south- 
western shore. How many places in all America can boast 
of a full description of the first arrival of the whites at the 
historic site and also of a picture drawn at the time of its 
appearance on the historic day! True, our mutual friend 
and eminent historian, Mr. Milo M. Quaife, so long himself 
of Wisconsin and of this Society, remarks of Mrs. Kinzie's 
narrative that it has all the reliability of the tales of the 
late Baron Munchausen ! Yet despite a certain literary em- 
broidering bestowed upon it by the fair authoress, we can 
still check it so thoroughly that we can tell quite definitely 
how much of it may be fiction and how much is indisputable 
fact. 



But now to come — after so prolix, but, I think you will ad- 
mit, not uninteresting a preface — to the connection of all 
this with the recent Centennial of, to us at least, so notable 
an event. 

The very point is that much of this that I have had the 
pleasure of recounting thus far, was almost unknown — exist- 
ing only in diverse and scattered records nowhere gathered 
together, all of it almost unscrutinized by the historian — up 
to a date only about ten years ago. Almost no attention 
whatever had been given to it by local residents, though 



48 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

much of it was of record in Mrs. Kinzie's narrative or scat- 
tered through the many volumes of pubHcations of the State 
Historical Society. An interested elderly resident of Lake 
Geneva had compiled, now thirty-four years ago, a small 
book of local records and reminiscences, not a little of it of 
real value but much of it also of that amateurish and unver- 
ified nature with which we are all familiar in the usual tales 
of "oldest inhabitants" and the like. For instance, he mis- 
stated the year of the arrival of the Kinzie party, and his 
error has passed into local acceptance, necessitating no small 
labor to undo the popular misinformation. Excellent but un- 
recorded or even unknown records of early comers to the re- 
gion had not come to light; and the Indian sources of in- 
formation had been wholly ignored. 

In December of 1922 the University of Chicago Press pub- 
lished "The Book of Lake Geneva," known possibly to some 
of you ; a work the result of forty years' acquaintance with 
the region, many years of study of scattered records, and a 
year of intensive compilation. Despite defects (as none 
know better than the writer) largely due to insufficient in- 
formation available at the time, much of which has been cor- 
rected by later researches, its publication had the fortunate 
result of arousing for the first time a widespread and en- 
thusiastic interest in the history of the Lake Country. The 
continuous growth of this interest developed, four and a half 
years later, in several notable forward steps in the summer 
and fall of 1927. These were (1st) the marking, by local, 
large glacial boulders and bronze tablets, of the known sites 
of Indian residence and history; (2nd) the conduct of a 
thorough study of the Lakes Geneva and Como area by Mr. 
Charles E. Brown of the State Historical Museum, assisted 
by Mr. Theodore T. Brown, now Director of the Nivelle His- 
torical Museum at Green Bay ; (3rd) a trip to visit the Pota- 
watomi of Forest County in an endeavor to recover tradi- 
tional and legendary information about the period of Pota- 
watomi residence on Geneva, an expedition productive of an 
unanticipated wealth of data, place-names, local customs, 
and the like. This trip was made by Mr. Brown, Mr. Theo- 
dore Brown, the writer and Mrs. Jenkins, and has proved to 
be, perhaps, the most valuable single effort in the Society's 
history; resulting, as it has, in not only the recovery of 



The Geneva Lake Centennial. • 49 

much priceless information concerning details of the Pota- 
watomi period, which in a few years would, through the 
death of the elders of the tribe, have been lost forever ; but 
it brought about also an intimacy of touch between the So- 
ciety and many of the present Potawatomi descendants of 
those living on the lake in the long-ago, which we hope to 
maintain; (4th) The material thus accumulating and the op- 
portunities and demands which it presented led to the or- 
ganization of the Geneva Lake Historical Society on Septem- 
ber 23rd, 1927, and (5th) the results of these studies were 
published in the Wisconsin Archaeologist for April, 1928. 
A second edition of this material was issued by the Society 
in booklet-form in 1929 in response to popular demand, and 
still a third in December, 1930, with the addition of a resume 
of the Indian and pioneer history of the Lake country. I 
may comment that a fourth fuller and up-to-date publication 
is now in contemplation by the Society, and will probably be 
available by the summer of 1932. 

On Memorial Day, 1929, the Society dedicated a boulder- 
and-tablet marker on the site of the grave of one of the 
wives of Chief Big-Foot, the site of the grave being on one of 
the residence-streets of the village of Williams Bay. As a 
feature of this occasion the Society had as its guest the late 
venerable Chief Simon Oh-ne-gas-sum (or 0-nan-guis-se) 
Kah-qua-dos, who became a firm friend of ours for the re- 
mainder of his long and worthy life. 

There should be mentioned also the fact that the interest 
and generosity of Mr. Simeon B. Chapin of New York city, 
who has a summer home on the lake and is himself a native 
of Milwaukee, have done much to make possible the Society's 
spirit and work, throughout its history. 

All this interest could not but lead to a wide-spread feel- 
ing that the next work of the Society must take the form of 
an adequate observance of the hundredth anniversary of the 
discovery of the lake by the whites, the mentioned historic 
and famous ''Kinzie party" on May, 1831. The first steps 
were taken by the appointment, in October, 1930, of a Cen- 
tennial Committee to whom the work was entrusted. This 
committee met almost weekly for the next six months, then 
transferred its trust to a larger group of forty members 
from the communities of the Lake country, with an Execu- 



50 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

tive Committee of a dozen, among whom may be named the 
following : — 

Mr. S. B. Chapin of New York; Dr. Otto L. Schmidt of 
Chicago, President of the Illinois Historical Society; Mr. L. 
E. Myers, President of the Chicago Board of Education ; Col. 
Wm. Nelson Pelouze of Chicago ; Mr. Wm. J. Wrigley, Jr., of 
Chicago; Mr. Robert Tarrant, Chicago; Prof. George Van 
Biesbroeck of the Yerkes Astronomical Observatory; Mr. 
Blake B. Bell of Harvard, Illinois, President of the Big-Foot 
Country Club ; and Messrs. S. P. Taggart, L. G. Buckles and 
J. S. Hotton, mayors or presidents, respectively, of their lo- 
cal communities. Lake Geneva, Fontana, and Williams Bay. 

This committee made the late Mr. Wm. S. Perrigo of Be- 
loit its chairman, and Mr. J. S. Hotton of Williams Bay the 
Centennial Manager. It needs no comment to remind you 
that this year was no period of financial ease ! — yet the sur- 
prising result followed, that all needed funds for the project 
were promptly forthcoming, alike from individuals and from 
the communities and clubs around the lake, and at the close 
of the Centennial all bills were paid and a substantial sum 
remained over, to be presented to the treasury of the So- 
ciety ! 

From the first, a two-days' program was contemplated, 
divided into opening exercises (on the afternoon of Friday, 
June 26th) at which Governor La Follette was invited to 
speak ; a night-time illuminated marine parade of all the wa- 
ter-craft jof the lake, followed by a fireworks exhibition in 
the harbor at Lake Geneva ; on the next morning the open- 
ing of a Centennial Historical Exhibit of relics of the Indian 
and pioneer periods at Williams Bay; and that afternoon a 
historical pageant re-enacting the coming of the Kinzie par- 
ty, on the exact site of their arrival on the west shore, this 
site being the notable beach and residential area of the vil- 
lage of Fontana. For the greater convenience of many con- 
cerned, especially school-children, summer residents and vis- 
itors, the date was shifted from the last week in May to 
June 26th and 27th. 

All this was successfully carried out, with the single ex- 
ception that the Governor was at the last moment unable to 
attend. The music accompanying the opening exercises was 
furnished by a band of 300 pieces and a chorus of over 200 



t 



The Geneva Lake Centennial. 51 

voices, all drawn from the public schools of Walworth Coun- 
ty, by whom the music had been rehearsed for several 
months. 

Thanks to the experienced command of Col. Wm. Nelson 
Pelouze of Chicago, ex-commodore of the Lake Geneva 
Yacht Club, and of the present commodore, Mr. Ernest 
Schmidt of Chicago, the afternoon and evening events of the 
first day, culminating in the marine parade and fire-works, 
drew a crowd of visitors and spectators such as the whole 
region had never seen before and whose numbers indeed all 
but appalled the city of Lake Geneva, for not less than 20,- 
000 persons crowded the lake-shore to witness the spectacle ! 

At the opening of the Centennial Historical Exhibit in the 
public library at Williams Bay the next morning. Dr. Louise 
Kellogg of the State Historical Society made the opening 
address. There was presented Miss Fay Brink, daughter of 
the Government surveyor who first surveyed and named the 
lake ninety-four years before; and Prof. Alonzo K. Pond, 
late of the Department of Anthropology of Beloit College, 
gave an exhibition of the Indian methods of manufacture of 
flint arrow and spear heads and other implements. The ma- 
terial collected for this Historical Exhibit certainly surprised 
not only the thousand visitors but even those responsible for 
its display ; for, while gathered almost wholly from the Lake 
neighborhood, we presently found ourselves compelled to in- 
sure it in the sum of $10,000.00 against theft and fire, to 
have it guarded day and night for the ten days of its dis- 
play, and to have guides and custodians constantly on hand 
to answer the endless questions of the interested public. 

The pageant re-enacting the coming of the Kinzie party of 
1831, held on the lake-shore at Fontana was not only bril- 
liantly carried out — largely thanks to the labors and taste of 
Mrs. Robert Tarrant of Chicago, formerly of Milwaukee — 
but the numbers attending its scenes were an unanticipated 
embarrassment to all concerned ! It was impossible to count 
them, but when I tell you that 3,000 automobiles were 
parked in the streets of a village of hardly more than 300 in- 
habitants, you can imagine the crowd ! Probably some 12,000 
persons witnessed the pageant — or as much of it as any of 
them could see ! Most fortunately, owing to the interest and 
personal direction of Mr. Harley Clark, President of the Fox 



52 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

Film Company, full "sound movies" of the entire pageant 
were taken; to be preserved, we earnestly hope, in the ar- 
chives of the Society for the interested study of genera- 
tions to come. 

An unexpectedly successful feature was the installation 
in a tall tree on the lake-shore of a replica of a Potawatomi 
"tree-burial" which is known to have been placed near-by 
during the period of the Indian village there. Placed in a 
genuine hollowed-out log dug-out Potawatomi canoe recent- 
ly recovered from the lake, very much as the original is 
known to have been, this novelty proved so fascinating to 
the visiting public that, the night before the pageant, van- 
dals or thieves climbed the tree and robbed the log coffin of 
its contents, with which they escaped ! To this day we have 
no idea as to whether they were mere vandals, or "racket- 
eers" fancying that they were securing a possibly valuable 
Indians remains and skeleton ! Their deed certainly set a lot 
of us furiously at work the next morning, making a new 
"dead Indian" and installing him in the tree before the pa- 
geant began ! 

You would not thank me to try to describe in any detail 
the scenes enacted ; beyond noting that there were brilliant- 
ly impersonated the Kinzie party of 1831, all correctly 
garbed, equipped, mounted and armed; the interesting and 
dramatic incident of the "unknown French trader" who is 
known to have visited the lake prior to 1836; John Brink, 
the Government surveyor, whose impersonator carried the 
original instrument with which the work was done ; the illit- 
erate first frontiersman and Indian-fighter, Christy Payne; 
Rev. A. S. Dwinnel, the first missionary of the region; and 
the first "covered wagon" of incoming settlers. 

Impersonating their own ancestors of Chief Big-Foot's vil- 
lage we had thirty-two Potawatomi men, women, and chil- 
dren from Forest County in northern Wisconsin, actual 
"woods Indians" and no theatricalized or even modernized 
red'men. Some spoke little or no English ; all wore their best 
tribal regalia — one wore little else than his leggins, beads, 
head-dress, and his beloved insignia, a white swan's wing. 
They built their own domed lodges, of material brought with 
them from northern Wisconsin, and all certainly had "the 
time of their lives" during their stay. Three chiefs were 



The Geneva Lake Centennial, 53 

among them, Wampum, Shawano, and Tecumseh, the last a 
great-grandson of the original chieftain of that name, him- 
self a Shawnee, killed at the battle of the Thames in 1813, 
Accompanied by their former Government agent, Mr. Henry 
Ritchie of Laona, himself a half-breed — '^Me-soh-quod" as is 
his Indian name — we were able with his aid to add to our So- 
ciety's records translations of the phraseology of both the 
Potawatomi "Adoption Ceremony" and of the traditional- 
prayers used in their re-enacting of the aboriginal custom of 
praying beside the ''Seven Sacred Springs" which have been 
preserved and beautified on the magnificent grounds of the 
near-by Big-Foot Country Club. 

Let me add a word about these springs : perhaps the most 
remarkable site of all the Geneva Lake region. In accord- 
ance with the familiar Indian conception of "water-spirits" 
as inhabiting bodies of water everywhere, and conceived of 
as possessing powers for weal or woe over mankind, the un- 
usual conjunction of seven spring-fed pools, close together 
and naturally arranged in descending steps on a beautiful 
slope near the lake, were long ago seized upon by the original 
Potawatorai of the region — quite possibly also by their pre- 
decessors of the so-called "Mound Builders" — as thus in- 
habited. Here it was their long-established custom to come 
to pray on every important event of either chase or warfare. 
To this spot we even know that, years after their removal in 
1836, representatives of the local group were accustomed to 
return, here to re-enact the primitive rites of their fore- 
fathers. This most touching observance of primitive reli- 
gion has now been enacted twice in the presence of members 
of our Society ; once by the late Chief Kah-qua-dos in June, 
1929 ; and by these our visiting Potawatomi who participat- 
ed in the Centennial. Of this intensely interesting primitive 
rite we now have both photographs and translations of the 
prayer spoken on the occasion. 

The scene of this incident has been marked by the officers 
of the Big-Foot Country Club with ^ huge boulder marker 
and a beautiful bronze tablet describing the ancient signifi- 
cance of the spot and commemorating the Centennial and 
the performance here of their ancient worship. 

Finally, let me say that every bit of all the work of prep- 
aration and execution was (of course with the exception of 



54 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

the Indian participation) done by local talent, generosity, in- 
terest and taste. No charge was made for any part of the 
occasion whatever. No one was injured despite the unpre- 
cedented throngs attending. We believe that the work of 
the Society was, in the language of the street, **put on the 
map" of Wisconsin in a degree that leaves the Society both 
deeply gratified and thrillingly incitejd to finer things yet 
to be accomplished. 



The Objective of the Geneva Lake Centennial. 55 

THE EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE AND BUSI- 
NESS SIDE OF THE GENEVA LAKE 
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 

J. Sidney Hotton 

The object of this celebration was distinctly educational, 
not commercial ; to review the progress of a century, not to 
bring a lot of people to town to spend money and have a 
grand whoopee. The people came in large numbers, but they 
came to see and to compare and contrast things as they were 
a hundred years ago with things as they are now. 

The Potawatomi Indians were there, living in tepees and 
wigwams made of bark and skins stretched over poles in the 
ground as their ancestors lived when the whites first saw 
Lake Geneva in 1831. They cooked their meals in a kettle 
hung over the camp fire. They made their baskets, their 
moccasins, and their bows and arrows. They sang their 
songs, beat their tom-toms, whirled through their ecstatic 
dances, sprinkled their incense upon the moving waters and 
offered up their worship to the invisible spirits as in the 
days when Mrs. John Kinzie and her husband made friends 
with their great grandfathers and grandmothers on these 
same Lake Geneva shores. 

The covered wagon was reproduced and the frontiersman 
faithfully impersonated in what we called the Historical or 
Kinzie Pageant. There was perhaps no contrast between the 
early days and these present times more engaging than the 
slow moving canvas-covered wagon lumbering along the 
ground and the high-powered air ship speeding over head at 
more than 100 miles an hour. 

An outstanding educationa feature was the historical ex- 
hibit. Relics of the Indian days and of the pioneer days were 
there in abundance. They told a thrilling story of early 
fashions in dress and early methods of work. 

One circumstance that greatly enhanced the educational 
value of the celebration was the deep interest of the County 
Superintendant of Schools, Miss Maud Mitchell. Months be- 
fore the event, she began to talk and write about the value 
of the celebration. She encouraged her teachers and many 
of the pupils to read Waubun and other books on the history 



56 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

of the county and the Geneva Lake region. She arranged for 
the great high school girls' chorus, and the high school band 
of 200 instruments. In fact the work she did brought home 
the significance of the centennial to nearly every household 
in the county. 

The educational objective of the program might be 
summed up thus: The century of progress now ended is a 
pledge of another century of progress now beginning. The 
progress of the century past was due to the enterprise and 
industry of the boys and girls of that century. ' It is up to 
the boys and girls of the next century to make good. 

The Financing 

An experienced money-raiser once said to the writer, ''Do 
your work well and your money will be raised before you ask 
for it." So well conceived was the Geneva Lake Centennial 
by its originator. Dr. Jenkins, and so well was its plan and 
purpose worked out by the sponsoring committee that the 
financing presented very little difficulty. 

There were three main steps in the financing plan of the 
Executive Committee. 

1. The preparation of a budget assigning to each phase 
of the program a definite amount of money. 

2. The communities chiefly concerned were each assigned 
a quota and each appointed a local committee to raise it. 

3. Each local committee solicited and collected its own 
money and turned it in to the general treasurer. 

The total budget estimate was $3500.00 

The total expenditure was $3204.00 

The total amount raised by subscription was $3887.00 
Leaving a surplus of $ 683.00 

Out of this surplus the executive committee awarded cer- 
tain honorariums to people who had worked hard without 
thought of compensation — the leader of the high school 
band, and the chorus director, for example. These gifts 
amounted to $425.00. When these were paid there remained 
a balance of $258.00 which was turned over to the Geneva 
Lake Historical Society. We might have done better finan- 
cially M the Kinzies had not elected to visit Geneva Lake 
just one hundred years ahead of one of the worst financial 
depressions the world has ever known. 



Archaeological Surveys. 57 

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYS '' 

Carl E. Guthe '' 

An archaeological survey is the logical first step in a study 
of the earlier civilizations of any region. Just as a business 
firm planning to invest funds in a corporation would make a 
survey of its assets and potentialities, so a research organiz- 
ation expecting to invest time and money in a study of the 
pre-history of a region should first devote its energies to an 
inventory of the archaeological assets and potentialities of 
the area under consideration. 

In assembling data for the survey, it is advisable to con- 
centrate upon such materials as may be obtained without ex- 
cavation. There are two reasons for postponing intensive 
excavational activities. The first is that a satisfactory piece 
of work requires considerable time and a large amount of 
money. If the general archaeological problems involved are 
not understood, it is probable that both time and money will 
be wasted in investigating sites which have no scientific sig- 
nificance. The second reason for delaying excavation is that 
such work should be done by individuals who have been 
trained in interpreting the several kinds of evidence secured 
by exposing objects and by determining the relationshipsy^ 
which they bear to one another and to the deposits in which 
they occur. 

The sources from which the data for an archaeological 
survey may be drawn are books and manuscripts, private col- 
lections, and original research. 

An almost unbelievable amount of information may be se- 
cured from libraries. The personal, popular, or scientific re- 
ports of journeys by individuals in a region during the early 
days of European occupation, while the native Americans 
still occupied the land, contain valuable details concerning 
the ways in which the Indians used the land and customs and 
habits which may have a direct bearing upon the interpreta- 
tion of evidence found in deposits. Following the days of the 



^' A reprint from The Colorado Magazine (July, 1931), published 
by the State Historical Society of Colorado. 

^^ Dr. Guthe is Director of the Museum of Anthropology of the Uni- 
versity of Michigan and is Chairman of the Committee on State 
Archaeological Surveys of the National Research Council. 



58 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

pioneers and settlers, the Government sent representatives 
into the various parts of the country to make scientific ex- 
plorations and to survey the land according to the custom of 
the European. These men, trained in accurate observation 
and in various forms of engineering, placed in their official 
records information concerning trails, village sites, and ruins 
which they encountered. In many states these early govern- 
mental records may be found in manuscript form in the 
state and county archives. Finally, there are the more re- 
cent professional archaeological publications dealing with 
the records of the immediate region under consideration and 
related areas, which must be studied and abstracted in order 
to afford the individuals conducting the survey a basic 
knowledge of the problems involved with the least amount 
of expense. A study of these scientific publications is ana- 
logous to the training received in school by means of which 
experiences may be secured vicariously. 

The second major source of information for use in anarch- 
aelogical survey is the group of private collections within 
the district. In practically every county in our country, it is 
possible to find one or more individuals who are interested in 
what is known as ''Indian curios." Unfortunately, some of 
these collectors do not have materials which are of value 
historically, although they may have an emotional value to 
the owner, or a commercial value to that group of persons 
who buy and sell such objects. In order that these collec- 
tions may have historical significance, it is necessary that 
each object have with it a record showing where, when, and 
by whom it was collected, and the conditions under which it 
was secured. Some collectors have supplemented the materi- 
als obtained in their vicinity with objects of doubtful his- 
toric value from other regions. To the archaeologist only the 
specimens actually found by the collector himself can have 
any historical significance. The owners of such collections, 
through a life-long, intimate acquaintance with the immedi- 
ate region surrounding their homes, are better equipped 
than anyone else to study the Indian records of that vicinity. 
Each of them can render a unique service to the history of 
our country by gathering and properly recording the data 
concerning the remains of the Indian occupation of his 
neighborhood. 



Archaeological Surveys. ^^ 59 



The third source of evidence for use in an archaeological 
survey is the field work itself. The primary purpose of a 
field reconnaissance is to secure accurate information re- 
garding the Indian remains in such a way that a future re- 
view of the assets of the region will be unnecessary. A 
knowledge of the kind of information required and of the 
probable types of evidence to be expected is an essential 
part of the equipment of the man doing such field work. Un- 
less a trained man can be obtained, this aspect of the survey 
should not be undertaken without the guidance of experi- 
enced individuals in other organizations. In addition to this 
technical knowledge, the individual in charge of the recon- 
naissance should be able to make acquaintances easily and 
keep on good terms with the people living in the region 
which he studies. 

The field reconnaissance may take one of several forms, 
depending partly upon the kind of country in which the 
work is done, and upon the organization sponsoring the sur- 
vey. Sometimes a house-to-house canvass will reveal prac- 
tically all of the Indian sites of the region. Again, a contact 
with local enthusiasts or a single individual who is well- 
known in a county or smaller division of the area may make 
possible a saving of time and effort. Or it may prove advis- 
able to run survey lines much in the way civil engineers do. 
In the less inhabited regions, following river courses and 
other natural routes of travel may result in the discovery of 
most of the Indian localities. 

It is not sufficient merely to secure the various kinds of 
data obtainable from these three sources. Some provision 
must be made correlating the information and for analyzing 
it according to different criteria, many of them statistical. 
The survey must be administered by an organization, pref- 
erably already in existence, the personnel of which is suffi- 
ciently interested in the archaeology of the region to give to 
the survey the necessary facilities for its advancement. In 
various parts of the country, state departments of educa- 
tion, conservation, or history; universities; museums; and 
occasionally privately organized groups have undertaken 
such a survey. The facilities needed for the co-ordination of 
the data are an office force and technical staff equipped to 
handle correspondence ; to create a system of records which 



60 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 



makes possible the filing of information in available form; 
and to arrange archaeological specimens systematically, 
thereby creating confidence in the survey on the part of in- 
dividuals interested in what it is doing. By means of com- 
pilations in the form of statistics, groups of materials and 
data, and carefully prepared charts showing distribution of 
various characters, the interpretation of the many kinds of 
information received from the three major sources may be 
demonstrated. 

Such a survey cannot be completed within a few weeks or 
months. The State Historical Society of Iowa spent seven 
years upon the preliminary survey of that state. The Uni- 
versity of Michigan is publishing, after nine years of investi- 
gation, an archaeological atlas of Michigan. It is essential 
that the plan of procedure of an archaeological survey be 
considered carefully, and that definite arrangements regard- 
ing personnel and financial support be made to care for the 
work over a number of years. 

The promotion of an archaeological survey is not a pure- 
ly theoretical matter, since such enterprises are being car- 
ried forward by a variety of organizations in seventeen 
states of the union. Some of them are just beginning, others 
are already well under way, and Michigan, New York, and 
Ohio have published atlases. 



Report of the State Survey Committee. 61 

REPORT OF THE STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL 

SURVEY COMMITTEE FOR THE 

SEASON OF 1931 

T. L. Miller, Chairman 

An appeal for assistance in carrying on the surface survey 
of the State was sent out and published in the April issue of 
this bulletin. The following reports were received and are 
submitted herewith. 

Messrs. Walter Dunsmoor of Markesan and George L. Pas- 
co of Ripon have been conducting a very recent survey of 
several groups of mounds in Marquette and Green Lake 
counties. This is an attempt to finish surveys for the coun- 
ties named. A full report and maps are expected to be ready 
soon. 

Survey expedition of the Milwaukee Public Museum, by 
Towne L. Miller. With the main body of the Department of 
Anthropology, under the direction of Mr. W. C. McKern, ex- 
cavating the extensive group of mounds on the Clarence 
Raisbeck farm in section 5, Waterloo townsliip. Grant Coun- 
ty, during the months of June and July, it was thought best 
to make, at the same time, as much of a surface survey of 
that county as possible. 

Two short trips into Grant County that had been made 
during the summer of 1930 enabled the writer to become ac- 
quainted with the lay of the land. The well-known collector, 
Mr. Ernest Bright of Prairie du Chien, accompanied one of 
the trips and it was through him that we met the enthusias- 
tic collector and ardent amateur archeologist, Mr. George 
Foehringer of Cassville. Because Cassville is centrally lo- 
cated along the Mississippi River front of the county, it was 
thought best to locate there for the summer. 

On June first, I and an assistant^ Kenneth Drugan of 
Trempealeau, Wisconsin, who was with me last year, rented 
a room from Mr. George Foehringer who, with his wife, 
made our stay most pleasant and profitable. In every in- 
stance we found everyone friendly and anxious to help and 
inform us in every way. 

As a preliminary to the survey, a note book had been com- 
piled of all the archeological information that could be ob- 



62 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 



I 



tained regarding Grant County. Previous work has been 
contributed by : Messrs. Charles E. Brown and Albert 0. Bar- 
ton, whose survey of part of the county was made in August, 
1911, and published in the Wisconsin Archeologist Vol. 15, 
No. 4. ; Moses Strong, published in the Smithsonian Reports, 
1876; and Cyrus Thomas, whose survey is published in the 
12th Annual Report, Bureau of American Ethnology. These 
data were arranged according to townships and sections so 
as to avoid repetition. 

With the aid of the camera and enlarger, prints were made 
of the government topographical maps on a more readable 
scale and these, with county atlases, proved very useful, for 
in most of Grant County the roads follow the ridges and 
valleys and this renders it very difficult to find one's way 
about. 

Many thanks are due to the county authorities for their 
many and well kept roads, for with camera and heavy plane 
tables a car is necessary and good roads are appreciated in 
wet weather. 

Wherever possible, if the mound grouping was at all com- 
plicated, the plane table and stadia rod were used, but when 
the mounds were placed in rows along the ridges, as was 
often the case, it was found that a tapeline and prismatic 
compass were just as accurate and much easier to carry. 

Beetown Township: Section 2, N. % of S. W. 14, 2 bird ef- 
figy mounds, five miles west of Lancaster, near the juncture 
of the Little Grant and Grant rivers. Previously reported as 
seven miles west of Lancaster. Surveyed with tapeline and 
prismatic compass. 

Section 34, W. 1/2 of N. E. 14, group of 2 bird effigy, 2 line- 
ar and 4 conical mounds ; surveyed with tapeline and pris- 
matic compass. There is reason to believe that this group 
formerly extended through a cultivated field, but this por- 
tion of the group has been obliterated. 

Section 35, R. 5 W., Rattle-snake Creek group of 13 coni- 
cal mounds, on the George Clauer place, near the bridge 
crossing the creek on the Cassville-Beetown road. Surveyed 
with tapeline and prismatic compass. There are said to be 
some more mounds near by but they could not be located. 

Blomington Township: Sections 27 and 28, August Plond- 
ke Group I., consisting of 8 conical mounds; Group XL, con- 



I 



Report of the State Survey Committee. 63 

sisting of 7 large conical mounds on the high bluff east of 
the house; Group III., consisting of 4 conical mounds south 
of the "Elephant Mound." The above were all surveyed with 
tape-line and prismatic compass. Group IV., a group of 8 
linear and conical mounds, locally known as a fort, on a 
small flat top of a hill just east of the house and near the 
road to Bagley. These were surveyed with the plane table. 

Mecum and Patch group of mounds on the flats near the 
C. B. & Q. R. R., consisting of 21 conical mounds, four of 
which are connected with a linear mound, and a group of 
four large linears. 

Evidences of camp sites on all of the flats on and around 
the farm. Some Hopewell-type potsherds were found. 

In front of the August Plondke house and east of the C. B. 
& Q. R.R. is the "Elephant Mound.'^ The field has been so 
long under cultivation that the eflftgy outline has been oblit- 
erated. To the north and south of this mound there are said 
, to have been some large eagle mounds. 

Boscobel Township: Section 28. A group, previously re- 
ported as the Ruka mounds, consists of two bird effigies; 
surveyed with tapeline and prismatic compass. There are 
camp sites on the east, south and west. 

Cassville Township: Section 11. On the south side of 
Muddy Hollow Creek and on the high bluff above, on Mr. 
Fishnick's property, are 10 conical and 8 linear mounds. 
They were surveyed with tapeline and prismatic compass. 
There is a camp site at the base of the bluff. On the south- 
east corner of the same section there are 17 mounds consist- 
ing of 1 linear, 15 conicals and 1 canine effigy. The field was 
in growing crops and could not be surveyed. 

At a site on the bluff nearer the Mississippi River was a 
linear which was surveyed with tapeline and prismatic com- 
pass. There is said to have been others but they have been 
destroyed by cultivation. 

Section 13. On the flats south and east of the Dewey farm 
house is a group of about 65 conical mounds, some of which 
were very large. They have been nearly obliterated by cul- 
tivation. These were surveyed with a plane table. Two were 
excavated by the Museum expedition. There is a large 
camp site on the same location. On the bluff east of the 



64 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

Dewey house are several mounds but they were not 
surveyed. 

Section 27. There is a camp site on the Matt Adrian farm. 
There are said also to have been mounds there. 

Glen Haven Township: Sections 27 and 34. On a high 
ridge, commencing about two miles south of the village of 
Glen Haven and extending to Goodenough Hollow, is a group 
of 65 mounds consisting of linear, conical, chain and dumb- 
bell types. These were surveyed with the tapeline and pris- 
matic compass. First reported by George Foehringer. 

Potosi Township: N. 1/2 of S. 1/2 of section 6. Next to the 
Mississippi River on high bluffs is a group of 23 mounds. 
This was previously reported as the John Kading farm and 
now belongs to Mr. Schall. These were surveyed with tape- 
line and prismatic compass. 

S. W. 14, of Section 5. There is a camp site on a sand hill 
back of the A. Richter farm. 

N. W. 14. of Section 9. There is a camp site on the flats 
south of the C. B. & Q. R. R. tracks. 

N. W. 14 of Section 10, There is a camp site between the 
C. B. & Q. R.R. tracks and the road. 

N. W. 14 of N. W. 14 of Section 28. Here is a group of 5 
mounds consisting of 1 bird, 1 linear and 3 conicals. There 
are the remains of other mounds that were destroyed by the 
road, and reason to believe that others extended across a cul- 
tivated field. Surveyed with tapeline and prismatic compass. 

Section 33. The Fred Wurster mound is located in the ex- 
treme N. W. corner of the section. This is of linear type. 
Surveyed with tapeline and prismatic compass. 

Section 36, T. 2 N. There is a camp site at the railroad 
siding at Blake. Reported by Mr. Ernest Bright. 

Waterloo Township .-Section 3. S. W. 14 of S. W. 14 of sec- 
tion on the Emma Blackburn place, on the north side of Mar- 
low Creek where it joins the Grant River, is a group of 2 lin- 
ear mounds. Surveyed with tapeline and prismatic compass. 
A group of 47 mounds surmount a high bluff on the south 
bank of the Grant River, starting on the Nick Adams place 
and following the ridge for nearly a mile. There are 6 birds, 
5 linears and 2 animal effigies; the rest are conicals. Sur- 
veyed with a plane table. 



I 



l^eport of the State Survey Committee. 



Section 5. The Clarence Raisbeck group, consisting of 85 
mounds, including 42 conicals, 14 bird effigies, 11 animal ef- 
figies, 13 linears, 1 chain and 1 linear with a conical mound 
on one end. This group was surveyed by Mr. W. C. McKern 
with a transit. 

Section 6. N. W. % of N. E. 14 of section, on the John 
Glassmaker place, a group of 6 mounds, 2 of which are linear 
and the rest conical. Surveyed with tapeline and prismatic 
compass. N. W. 14, of S. E. % of section, back of the William 
Glassmaker house on a high hill, 1 small conical mound. 
There is also a group of mounds on the John Bausch farm. 
These were not surveyed. 

Section 28. A group of 30 conical mounds on the Henry 
Schaal place. They are situated on the edge of the bluff on 
the south bank of the Grant River. Surveyed with tapeline 
and prismatic compass. 

Woodman Township: Section 12. There is a camp site 
east of the village of Woodman and north of the C. M. & St. 
P. tracks. 

Collectors and Collections: The Gardner collection of 
Platteville is now in Milwaukee at the home of Mr. K. B. 
Oyer. It consists of arrowpoints collected from all parts of 
the county. Paul E. Grimesey of Bagley has a fine local 
general collection of materials found in and around his 
neighborhood. George Foehringer of Cassville has a fine lo- 
cal collection of specimens gathered in his vicinity. Henry 
Pink of Lancaster has a local collection of Indian artifacts. 
Otto Roesche of Lancaster has a small collection. Earl Weis- 
beener has made a fine collection of artifacts gathered on his 
farm and lands adjoining near Lancaster on the Beetown 
road. William M. Rinlaud, editor of the Platteville Witness, 
has a small collection. Mr. Grindel of Platteville has a small 
collection. Prof. J. A. Wilgus of the State Teachers College 
at Platteville has charge of a fine collection of Indian arti- 
facts. Otis Culver is a collector of pottery in and around 
Bagley. Charles Taylor of Bagley collects arrowpoints. Mr. 
Ben Orr of Glen Haven has a small local collection. Julius 
Bandacow of Cassville has a collection of arrow points. 



66 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

Mr. Alton K. Fisher of the Milwaukee Public Museum con- 
ducted a survey of Washington Island in September, of 
which a preliminary report has appeared in a previous issue 
of this series, under Archeological Notes and News. 

It is hoped that other reports will be received soon. 






Report of Survey Work in Sauk County. 67 

REPORT OF SURVEY WORK IN SAUK COUNTY 

Milton F. Hulburt 

During the year of 1931 little effort was made to re-ex- 
amine mounds and sites that have previously been described 
in the Wisconsin Archeologist. Attention was directed to 
plotting additional trails and a survey of the fields along the 
trails for camp site material. Special interest was taken to 
collect all specimens of pottery, large or small, with the re- 
sult that a number of new pottery-bearing sites were 
located. 

The greater part of my 1931 survey was made in the Bara- 
boo River Valley in central and western Sauk County. In 
previous publications, little has been written regarding the 
numerous camp sites located along creeks flowing into the 
Baraboo River. By the aid of soil maps, sandy fields adja- 
cent to the river and its tributaries were examined, to show 
a high percentage yield of camp and workshop materials. 
In Section 20, Excelsior Township, enough pot-sherds were 
found by Mr. Richard Adams and the writer to restore a 
pottery cup about the size of a coconut. Pottery remains in 
western Sauk County are very scarce and a large percentage 
of the sites produce no pottery. 

Three uncharted mounds were surveyed and mapped. The 
mounds are located on the Sprecher farm. Sec. 4, T. 9N\, R. 
5 E., Troy Township, Sauk Co., and consist of one linear and 
two effigy types. 

A check up of my survey work in Sauk County indicates 
that I have found archeological data, mostly sites, in 39 dif- 
ferent sections that were not on record in previous publica- 
tions. Of the total, only eight sections have yielded pottery 
remains. An archeological map of Sauk County has been 
prepared, and by the use of colors I have indicated the re- 
corded areas, and areas that have been surveyed by the 
writer. 



k 



68 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 2 



A CARD INDEX METHOD FOR RECORDING 
ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEYS 

Milton F. Hulburt 

For quick reference to archeological data for any particu- 
lar township or section, I have always felt that a card index 
system could best serve the purpose. Often times, in order 
to answer inquiries regarding certain areas, it becomes nec- 
essary to refer to previous publications and to search exten- 
sively through notes. With the use of cards a great deal of 
this work may be eliminated. New material may be added to 
the file from time to time, thus making an up to date refer- 
ence to archeological survey progress. 

After numerous trial forms, I found a 3 x 5 card with 
printed outline most satisfactory (Figure 9). Each card has 



SEC. 



N. R 



Fig. 



Archeological .survey form card 



at the top a space for the name of the site area or feature 
with spaces for the number of the section, town and range. 
On each card is printed an outline of a section two inches 
square. This square is again divided by smaller 'lines into 
sixteen squares each representing an area of forty acres. If 
one wishes the key square to represent only a quarter sec- 
tion, then each square is reduced proportionately. However, 
for practical purposes, full section representation is most 
desirable. The cards are filed in sequence of section num- 
bers and indexed according to townships (Figure 10) . 



Card Index Method For Recording Surveys. 



69 



Ah -ho cho kcL l/illaqe 



SEC. Z9 T /g N. R ^ E. 




^O acres of /<fnc( 
of C/?/ef y9/thocAoAa 
(l^/nrre i?aaro) 

friend a/^ /t^f/orfe^r 
^estcients 

Wt5 Arch, /9ZZ 
Western 3^ok Co 
i/oL / A'o. 3. 



Filled-out form card 



The file should contain a card for each section containing 
archeological data. In the case of a preliminary survey, as 
soon as a site is discovered or reported a card should be im- 
mediately placed in the file for future reference. 

The use of colored pencils or ink may well be applied to in- 
dicate sites or mound areas. Personally, I use orange for an 
area previously surveyed and described in publications, 
green for an area under survey and yellow for areas report- 
ed by residents but not checked or verified. The advantage 
of using yellow is that, if it is found to have been previously 
surveyed, it may be shaded to orange, and likewise to green 
as soon as investigated. 

In forwarding specimens to a museum, it is well to inclose 
a card with specimens showing the location of the site from 
which the material was taken. This of course to be followed 
by the customary detailed report of the results of the 
survey. 

The card system of recording data resulting from field 
survey work must not be confused with the more elaborate 
and necessary note book system. The cards are merely de- 
signed to give a quick reference to archeological data. 



70 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

ARCHEOLOGICAL NOTES 

Meetings 

September 21, 1931. President Charles G. Schoewe presided. Mr. 
W. C. McKern acted as secretary in the absence of Secretary Brown. 
There were about twenty members and visitors in attendance. 

Reports of archeological investigations conducted by several of the 
members present, during the past summer, were received. Mr. A. P. 
Kannenberg reported on the excavation of an old Winnebago camp 
site located at the confluence of the Fox River with Lake Winnebago, 
at Oshkosh. He described the technique employed in the excavation, 
and the pottery, shell and bone artifacts obtained. He exhibited his 
field notes, maps and some selected specimens. His report was dis- 
cussed by the Messrs. John G. Gregory and W. C. McKern. Mr. Geo. 
L. Pasco reported on the progress of an Indian mound survey which 
he is conducting in Marquette County for the Society. He told of the 
investigation of some burial places near Kingston, Green Lake Coun- 
ty. He told of being present during some mound excavations under- 
taken by Philleo Nash, a Wisconsin University student, at Ross Lake, 
Adams County. Iran Otto told of recovering a large earthenware ves- 
sel on a camp site in Green Lake County. This was rather extraor- 
dinary in having a flat bottom. Mr. T. L. Miller reported that in an 
archeological survey of Grant County which he conducted for the Mil- 
waukee Public Museum he had located twenty mound groups, con- 
taining a total of 320 mounds, and ten camp sites. He had also se- 
cured data on many private collections. Mr. H. H. Smith gave an 
account of a recent re-visit to the Seminole Indians in Florida. He 
described their mode of life and customs. The Seminole have changed 
but little during the period of their recorded history. Mr. Schoewe 
told of a visit to the intaglio effigy preserved in River Park at Fort 
Atkinson, and to a group of mounds located at Hoard's hotel. Lake 
Koshkonong. Mr. Gregory contributed the information that a stock- 
ade had been built on the site of Fort Winnebago prior to the erec- 
tion of the fort. Mr. A. K. Fisher reported on a general survey of 
Washington Island made by himself. Mr. G. M. Thorne described 
his visit to an old camp site at Nagowicka Lake. Mr. Frey told of 
the excavation of a Washington County mound. Mr. W. S. Dunsmoor 
reported that he had been unable to devote much time to conducting 
investigations in Green Lake County. Mr. Schoewe had given a talk 
to Boy Scouts in camp at Lake Amy Bell. 

The President reported that Secretary Brown had been one of five 
men who had received honorary doctors and masters degrees from the 
University of Wisconsin during the June 1931 commencement. 

October 19, 1931. President Schoewe conducted the meeting. 
There were thirty-five members and visitors present. Secretary Brown 
announced the election by the Executive Board of the following an- 
nual members: — John G. Franz, Darlington; Robert B. Halpin, Madi- 
son; Dr. C. J. Heagle, Seymour, Dr. C. L. Fortier, Charles T. Frey, 
and J. Maitland Cook, Milwaukee. The Salzman Library, St. Francis, 
and Lawrence College, Appleton, had been accepted as institutional 
members. Dr. Geo. L. Collie of Beloit had been made an honorary 
member. 

John Bell Chapter, D. A. R., Madison, had erected a fine tablet 
marker on the old Milwaukee-Madison-Mississippi River trail, at 
Madison. The Society had expressed its appreciation to the ladies of 
the Chapter. Mr. Einert Jensen of Wisconsin Dells had undertaken 



Archeological Notes. 71 

the preservation in a private mound park of several groups of Indian 
mounds located near that city. 

Mr. Schoewe stated that lapel buttons bearing an arrowhead device 
and the Society's name had been ordered and would soon be available 
to all members. Mr. H. H. Smith reported on the progress of the 
work of the Biography Committee. Mr. McKern requested the con- 
tribution of papers to the Wisconsin Archeologist. 

Dr. Paul B. Jenkins of Williams Bay, gave an interesting lecture in 
which he described in detail the program of the* recent Lake Geneva 
Centennial celebration. This he illustrated with interesting exhibits. 
He told of the addresses delivered in the two days program by Louise 
P. Kellogg, Alonzo Pond and Charles E. Brown, members of the Wis- 
consin Archeological Society. 

Mr. T. M. N. Lewis told of some excavations of an Indian camp site 
located near Paducah, Kentucky, and in which he had participated. 
He exhibited several stone spades, clay pipes, a pottery trowel and 
bone implements obtained from this site. He also showed some photo- 
graps. 

Mr. Ringeisen exhibited an interesting birdstone found near Glen 
Flora, Rusk County. To obtain it he had made an automobile journey 
from Milwaukee to Glen Flora, a journey of 585 miles. It was found 
in an Indian dance circle on the banks of the Jump River. 

November 19, 1931. At this meeting, held in the Trustee's Room 
of the Milwaukee Public Museum, there were one hundred members 
and. visitors present. President Schoewe was in the chair. The elec- 
tion of/ Mr. George Overton, Butte des Morts, as an honorary member, 
and of Dr. Paul H. Nesbitt, Beloit, as an annual member was an- 
nounced. Mr. H. H. Smith offered an amendment to the by-laws re- 
lating to the membership dues of delinquent members. This provided 
for the giving of notice by the Treasurer to members in arrears in 
their dues : — ninety days to those owing two years dues, sixty days to 
those owing three years dues, and thirty days to those owing four 
years dues. Being an amendment, this resolution was laid on the 
table, to be considered and acted on at the December meeting. 

Mr. Geo. M. Waite, of Wauwatosa, gave an interesting lecture on 
"Desert Sheiks", which he illustrated with autochrome stereopticon 
slides. He had accompanied the last Logan Museum expedition to the 
Sahara Desert as photographer. While there he had taken advantage 
of every opportunity to observe and photograph the home life of the 
natives. This lecture was discussed by Dr. A. L. Kastner, Mr. George 
A. West and others present. Several members made interesting exhib- 
its of Indian archeological and ethnological specimens during the 
meeting. 

December 21, 1931. President Schoewe presiding. Seventy-six 
members and visitors were present. Secretary Brown announced the 
election by the Directors of Miss Rachel Mary Campbell and Louis B. 
Siegriest of Milwaukee as annual members. Mrs. Babina M. Dengel, 
of Madison, was elected an honorary member. The amendment to the 
by-laws offered by Mr. Smith at the November meeting was read and 
adopted. 

Dr. Paul H. Nesbitt, of Beloit, gave an interesting lecture on "The 
Archaeological Explorations of the Logan Museum in the Southwest." 
He spoke of the exploration of the Mattocks Ruin, in the Mimbres 
Valley, in southwestern New Mexico, a report of which investigations 
the Logan Museum has since published. Of exceptional interest were 
some of the pottery bowls bearing realistic human and animal figures 
obtained in this ruin. The speaker presented an interesting picture of 
the ancient agricultural and hunting tribes of the Mimbres Valley and 



72 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

of the evidences of their life as shown by the presence of numerous 
cliff dwellings, pueblos and widespread agricultural areas. He illus- 
trated his lecture with a fine collection of lantern slides. Various 
members participated in the discussion which followed. 

Mr. Schoewe told of a visit made by himself and Dr. Kastner to a 
group of Indian mounds located on the south shore of Lake Puck- 
away. Dr. Kastner described an interesting pit and a probable boul- 
der mortar found there. Mr. Rudolph Boettger described the partial 
excavation of a mo^nd located in Marquette Township, Green Lake 
County. 

Mr. Arthur Gerth exhibited an unusually interesting group of nine- 
teen pecked stone celts of different shapes and sizes and three chipped 
flint celts. Mr. Schoewe showed an exceptionally fine old wooden Pota- 
watomi food bowl, and two silver bracelets made by the same Wiscon- 
cin Indians. After a discussion of these the meeting adjourned. 

PUBLICATIONS 

From Mr. Carlyle Morris comes a plea for more bibliographical 
data. It is not always an easy matter for interested students of 
archeology to obtain accurate information regarding new publications, 
including the price and place whence they may be obtained. What 
better medium for such information could be found than The Wis- 
consin Archeologist ? The editorial staff is inclined to agree with Mr. 
Morris, and if others who would appreciate this service will address 
their desires to the editor, a serious effort will be made to list impor- 
tant publications in the Notes and News columns of this quarterly. 
The following recent publications have come to our attention. 

Swanton, J. R., Source Material for Social and Ceremonial Life of 
Choctaw Indians, Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin No. 103, 
270 pages, price 60c. This book presents valuable information on the 
social organization, government, property, crime and punishment, 
education, marriage, division of labor between sexes, games, travel 
and greetings, war customs, burial customs, religion and medicine of 
this Indian tribe originally located approximately in southeastern 
Mississippi. 

Funkhouser, W. D. and Webb, W. S., The Duncan Site. University 
of Kentucky, Repts. in Archeology and Anthropology, Vol. 1, No. 6, 
71 pages, price 50<^. This is a report on investigations of prehistoric 
burial grounds on the Kentucky-Tennessee line, between Trigg Coun- 
ty, Kentucky, and Stewart County, Tennessee. Sixty-two graves were 
excavated. These were scattered in a haphazard fashion over an area 
of approximately five thousand square feet. "In all cases the graves 
consisted of a flat, pavement-like floor, made of comparatively small 
pieces of thin limestone fitted rather closely together. The walls con- 
sisted of heavy flat limestone slabs set on edge, imbedded in the earth 
to a depth of three or four inches below the floor of the grave and 
probably extending to within a few inches of the surface at the time 
of the burial." All of the graves contained burials in the flesh with 
the exception of two bone burials. As a rule the burials were fully 
extended with arms and legs straight. Three double burials were 
found, consisting of infants placed with adult females. A pottery effi- 
gy water bottle and four small pottery vessels were found associated 
with the dead in this stone grave cemetery. The report is profusely il- 
lustrated. 

Du Bois, Cora and Demetracopoulou, Dorothy, Wintu Myths. Uni- 
versity of Calif. Pbls. in American Archaeology and Ethnology, Vol. 
28, No. 5, Berkeley, Calif. 135 pages, price $1.25. The seventy-five 
myths recorded in this paper were collected among the Northern Win- 
tun Indians of California during the summer of 1929. 

Shapiro, H. L., The Alaskan Eskimo. Amer. Mus. of Nat. Hist., 
Anthropological Papers, Vol. 31, Part 6, New York City. 34 pages, 



Archeological Notes. 73 

illustrated, price 50<;'. A study of the relationship between the Es- 
kimo and the Chipewyan Indians of central Canada. 

Wissler, Clark, Observations on the Face and Teeth of the North 
American Indians. Amer. Mus. of Nat. Hist., Anthropological Pap- 
ers, Vol. 33, Part 1, New York City. 33 pages, price 40^. A highly 
technical paper discussing physical similarity and dissimilarity be- 
tween various Indian tribes. 

Vaillant, G. C, Excavations at Ticoman. Amer. Mus. of Nat. Hist., 
Anthropological Papers, Vol. 32, Part 2, New York City. 241 pages, 
many illustrations, price $2.00. The results of recent important 
archeological investigations in the Valley of Mexico. 

Holand, H. R., The Kensington Runestone. Published by the 
author, who will state price if request is sent to him at Ephraim, Wis- 
consin. This book is a history of the stone slab obtained at Kensing- 
ton, Minnesota, some years ago, which bears an inscription in Scandi- 
navian runes purporting to be a record of an early group of Norse 
adventurers in that state. 

The Denver Art Museum, the following leaflets: The Puget Sound 
Indians; The Havasupai Indians; Puget Sound Indian Houses; Santa 
Clara and San Juan Pottery; The Ojibwa or Chippewa Indians. Nos. 
32, 33, 34, 35, and 36, respectively. Prices may be obtained by writ- 
ing to Fredrick H. Douglas, Curator of Indian Art, Denver Art Muse- 
um, Denver, Colorado. 

Shetrone, H. C, Primer of Ohio Archaeology. Published by the 
Ohio State Museum, Columbus, Ohio. The price may be obtained by 
writing to Mr. Shetrone. This was published in response to a popular 
demand for a brief outline of the main features of prehistoric archae- 
ology in Ohio, and is intended primarily for the use of students in the 
elementary schools. The pamphlet has 42 pages and 28 illustrations. 

Leechman, D., Technical Methods in the Preservation of Anthropo- 
logical Museum Specimens. Reprinted from the Annual Rept. of the 
National Museum of Canada, 1929. 31 pages. Copies may be obtained 
by applying to W. H. Collins, Acting Director, National Museum of 
Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The paper includes discussions of collect- 
ing in the field, cleaning, repairing, restoring, numbering, storing, ex- 
hibiting, protecting against pests, and the treatment of various ma:- 
terials of vegetable, animal and mineral origin. 

The American Anthropologist for January-March, 1932 (address 
Dr. Robert H. Lowie, National Research Council, 2101 Constitution 
Ave., Washington, D. C), contains the following articles: Configura- 
tion of Culture in North America, by Ruth Benedict; Aboriginal Sur- 
vivals in Mayo Culture, by R. L. Beals; The Problem of the Sweet 
Potato in Polynesia, by R. B. Dixon; Pottery on the Middle Colum- 
bia, by V. F. Ray; miscellaneous articles by W. S. Stallings, Helen H. 
Roberts, Gene Weltfish and R. L. Roys. 

Under the title of "Hobby Riders", Charles E. Brown, State Histori- 
cal Museum, Madison, is publishing a booklet of archeologists, histori- 
ans, naturalists, and collectors of every kind and other interesting 
people in Wisconsin, Northern Illinois and Northern Michigan. Ac- 
companying these useful data there is a section devoted to tourist 
trails (scenic, historic and industrial) in Wisconsin. This booklet is 
expected to be ofi" the press and ready for circulation early in March. 

WISCONSIN FIELD WORK 

Mr. and Mrs. Alton K. Fisher and a brother of Mr. Fisher recently 
surveyed an ancient camp site and mounds situated on a prominence 
on the west bank of the outlet of Anderson Lake, Oconto County. 
The camp site was flanked on either side by one or two conical 
mounds. These mounds averaged about fifty feet in base diameter and 
the larger, in spite of the fact that the top has been removed, is ap- 



74 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 2 

proximately seven feet in height. The smaller mound is between three 
and four feet in height. The camp site produced implements of chert 
and quartz and the Lake Michigan type of pottery. Surface refuse 
indicates relatively sparse occupation. 

WISCONSIN ARTIFACTS 

Mr. M. S. Thompson, of Sheboygan, reports finding in that vicinity 
fragments of a double pottery vessel. The two sections of the pot, 
each about the size of a large cup, were apparently joined at the rims. 
The ware is of Lake Michigan type. In so far as known to the edi- 
tor, this shape is unique for Wisconsin. 

Mr. E. F. Richter, of Milwaukee, has just acquired a fluted axe 
found last summer by a farmer in Columbia County. The axe is nine 
inches in length and weighs five pounds and five ounces. The flutes 
are placed longitudinally on one side and horizontally on the other, 
and one flute circles the head. An exceptionally fine, smooth granite 
axe, of the long-bitted grooved type, was also secured by Mr. Richter 
from the same gentleman. 

NEW MUSEUM EXHIBITS 

Museums in every part of the United States are preparing to par- 
ticipate in the celebration of the George Washington Bicentennial 
(1732-1932) by preparing appropriate exhibits, lectures and similar 
features. The State Historical Society of Wisconsin is printing a book- 
let describing the valuable George Washington letters, manuscripts, 
maps, books, pamphlets and specimens among its historical treasures. 
The State Historical Museum will make an extensive exhibit of these 
and of other Washingtonia. The Milwaukee Public Museum is pre- 
paring an exhibit consisting of a comprehensive photographic collec- 
tion of copies of Washington portraits. This collection was started 
in 1897 by Mr. Towne L. Miller. It includes all the well known, and 
many little known representations of the first president, numbering 
some hundred and twenty subjects. This will be on exhibit for one 
month starting about February 1. About fifty other historical muse- 
ums in the state have been requested to prepare commemorative ex- 
hibits. 

The year 1932 is also the centennary year of the Black Hawk War, 
a White and Indian conflict which was the cause of the greatest 
anxiety to White settlers in Illinois and Wisconsin. In this state com- 
memorative markers and monuments have been placed on the Black 
Hawk War battlefields of the Pecatonica, Wisconsin Heights and the 
Bad Axe, on the sites of Fort Atkinson and Blue Mounds Fort, and on 
the old war trail on the campus of the University of Wisconsin. Oth- 
er markers should be erected this year on other sites identified with 
this war which, through the attention it received in eastern papers, did 
so much afterwards to bring an army of settlers to the prairies of 
Illinois and Wisconsin. 

Five additional birdstones have been added to the number of those 
rare and interesting ceremonial objects in the Henry P. Hamilton 
collection in the State Historical Museum at Madison. The largest 
collection of birdstones in the Northwest is that of Mr. Joseph Ringei- 
sen at Milwaukee. This fine collection is the subject for an article 
in this issue. 

The Milwaukee Public Museum has just installed a realistic restor- 
ation of an Aztalan burial, just as it was encountered at the time of 
excavation. The well preserved bones of an adult female, in extend- 
ed position, are seen literally loaded down with more than two thou- 
sand disc-shaped shell beads. 



Archeological Notes. 75 

The Missouri Magazine announces, in a well-written illustrated ar- 
ticle by Mabel D. Thompson, the gift to the Missouri Resources Mu- 
seum, by Miss Mary Alicia Owen, of St. Joseph, of her collection of 
ethnological specimens made among the Meskwaki (Fox) Indians in 
Iowa in the years 1881 to 1889. Miss Owen is the author of "Folk- 
Lore of the Musquakie Indians", published in 1904. She also pre- 
sented a Meskwaki collection to the Cambridge University Museum, 
England, and a smaller collection to the State Historical Museum at 
Madison. Dr. A. C. Burrill, formerly with the Milwaukee Public Mu- 
seum and the University of Wisconsin, is the director of the Missouri 
Resources Museum. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

The Central Section of the American Anthropological Association 
will hold its 1932 meeting at Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Thursday and 
Friday, March 17 and 18. Geo. R. Fox, secretary-treasurer of the 
Section, has sent out a circular letter to all members requesting the 
titles of papers to be presented, and urging a full attendance of 
members. 

The Midwest Museums Conference, the Wisconsin Academy of Sci- 
ence and the Wisconsin Archeological Society meet jointly in annual 
convention at the Milwaukee Public Museum, April 8 and 9. Inter- 
esting programs are planned and a large attendance urged. 

The Michigan-Indiana Museums Conference held its annual meet- 
ing at Peru, Indiana, on Friday, January 15. Mr. Edwxird M. Brig- 
ham, Jr., of Battle Creek, is the secretary of the Conference which 
was organized by George R. Fox and others at Three Oaks, Michigan, 
some years ago. It has been suggested that a union of the Michigan- 
Indiana Conference with the Midwest Museums Conference (Wiscon- 
sin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois museums) in a strong Central Mu- 
seums Association is now very desirable. 

Dr. Anton H. Sohrweide, who recently returned from his station in 
Virginia to recuperate from an illness, is preparing a paper on Wis- 
consin Indian trade sheet copper and brass artifacts. He is staying 
at his home in Watertown. 

Dr. A. Gerend, well known to members of this society for his work 
in and about Sheboygan, and other archeological activities, is now 
living at Deer Isle, Maine. 

President Charles G. Schoewe has on hand a supply of official Wis- 
consin Archeological Society buttons, fashioned of copper, to be worn 
on the coat lapel. Members may obtain these, while they last, by ad- 
dressing Mr. Schoewe at 2260 North 60th St., Milwaukee. Price 45 
cents. 



HtBrnnatn 



InL U 



April 1932 

NEW SERIES 



No. 3 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103. 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28. 1921. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



The Society is a state department, receiving a part of its support 
from the state. Its funds are under state control. Its work is well 
and widely known. It has received the approval of leading Ameri- 
can archeologists, who agree that it deserves the full support of all 
Wisconsin citizens interested in the state's archeological history. 

The Society's activities comprise the location, recording, investi- 
gating and preservation of Wisconsin Indian remains, folklore and 
history, all of which are rapidly disappearing and must be recorded 
and saved immediately if ever. 

Through its efforts many fine groups of Indian earthworks and 
other aboriginal monuments and remains have been permanently 
preserved to the public. Most have been marked with descriptive 
metal tablets. Others are being protected. Surveys and explorations 
have been conducted in many sections of the state. 

It is also engaged in encouraging the establishment of public mu- 
seums and collections and in discouraging the manufacture and sale 
of fraudulent antiquities. 

Eegular monthly meetings of the Society are held during the 
months September to May, inclusive, in the Trustees Room of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum. Meetings are open to the public. No 
regular meetings are held during the months June to August, in- 
clusive. Special field meetings are occasionally held during the vaca- 
tion months. 

The results of its research and other activities are made known 
through its regular quarterly publication, The Wisconsin Arche- 
ologist. Thirty volumes have appeared. The Society has a large 
membership distributed through every part of the state. 

It is co-operating to the fullest extent with all of the _ various 
scientific and educational organizations and institutions of Wisconsin. 






Unl. n April 1932 No. 3 

NEW SERIES 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103. 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 






Incorporated March 23, 1903, for the purpose of advancing the study 
and preservation of Wisconsin antiquities 



OFFICERS 

PRESIDENT 

W. C. McKern 



VICE-PRESIDENTS 

ne 

R. J. Kieckhefer 



Dr. A. L. Kastner Dr. H. W. Kuhm 

W. W. Gilman Rev. F. S. Dayton 



DIRECTORS 

Charles E. Brown Dr. H. W. Kuhm 

Rev. F. S. Dayton W. C. McKern 

W. W. Gilman Charles G. Schoewe 

Dr. A. L. Kastner G. M. Thorne 

R. J. Kieckhefer George A. West 

TREASURER 

G. M. Thorne 
National Bank of Commerce, Milwaukee, Wis. 

SECRETARY 

Charles E. Brown 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wis. 



COMMITTEES 
REGULAR 

STATE SURVEY— T. L. Miller, Walter S. Dunsmoor, G. L. Pasco, 
T. M. N. Lewis, Dr. A. L. Kastner, J. P. Schumacher, Geo. F. 
Overton, M. F. Hulburt, W. M. Maier, O. L. Hollister, Dr. F. G. 
Logan, David A. Blencoe, S. W. Faville,. Col. R. S. Owen, Dr. 
Ralph Linton. 

MOUND PRESERVATION— Mrs. E. H. Van Ostrand, Frank Wes- 
ton, Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, Dr. Orrin Thompson, Mrs. F. R. 
Melcher, Col. Howard Greene, Rev. O. W. Smith, J. J" Knudsen, 
H. W. Cornell, Dr. E. G. Bruder, A. H. Griffith. 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS— Milwaukee Public Museum (Dr. S. A. 
Barrett), Wisconsin State Historical Museum (Dr. Joseph Scha- 
fer), Oshkosh Public Museum (Niles J. Behnke), Green Bay 
Public Museum (T. T. Brown), New London Museum (Rev. F. 
S. Dayton), Lawrence College (Prof. J. B. MacHarg), La Crosse 
State Teachers College (Prof. A. H. Sanford), Kohler Museum 
(Miss Marie Kohler), Logan Museum (Paul H. Nesbitt), Minne- 
sota State Historical Museum (Willoughby M. Babcock), St. 
Francis Museum (Rev. A. J. Muench.) 

MEMBERSHIP— Louis Pierron, Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Paul Joers, 
Arthur Gerth, Dr. W. H. Brown, W. F. Yahr, Mrs. Anna F. 
Johnson, K. Freckman, Geo. Wright, Mrs. Hans A. Olson, Carl 
Baur, C. G. Weyl, A. R. Rogers. 

STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL PARKS— Geo. A. West, R. J. Kieckhef- 
er, R. P. Ferry, D. S. Howland, Walter Holstein. 

PUBLICITY— J. G. Gregory, A. O. Barton, E. R. Mclntyre, R. K. 
Coe. 

SPECIAL 

BIOGRAPHY— H. H. Smith, G. M. Thorne, Milo C. Richter. 

FRAUDULENT ARTIFACTS— Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., E. F. Richter, 
Geo. A. West. 

PROGRAM— H. H. Smith, Milo C. Richter, Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., 
Dr. A. L. Kastner, R. J. Kieckhefer, T. L. Miller. 

MARKING MILWAUKEE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES— W. W. Gil- 
man, Dr. Paul B. Jenkins, L. R. Whitney. 

PUBLICATION— Dr. Ira Edwards, Dr. H. W. Kuhm, Alton K. Fisher. 

.APHAM RESEARCH MEDAI^— Dr. S. A. Barrett, Geo. A. West, 
Charles G. Schoewe, Milo C. Richter, Dr. A. L. Kastner. 



MEMBERSHIP FEES 

^Life Members, $25.00 Endowment Members, $500.00 

'sustaining Members, $5.00 Annual Members, $2.00 

Institutional Members, $1.50 Junior Members, $ .50 

All communications in regard to the Wisconsin Archeological Society 
Should be addressed to Charles E. Brown, Secretary and Curator, OfRce, 
?tate Historical Museum, Madison, Wisconsin. Contributions to the Wis- 
consin Archeolog-ist should be addressed to Dr. Ira Edwards, Editor, 
Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or to the Secretary. Dues 
should be sent to G. M. Thorne, Treasurer, National Bank of Com- 
merce, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 



CONTENTS 



Vol. 11, No. 3, New Series 

ARTICLES 

Page 

A Distinguished Member of the Wisconsin Archeological Society, 

Dr. George Lucius Collie, Geo. A. West 77 

Black-on-white Pottery from the Mimbres Valley, New Mexico, 

Paul H. Nesbitt 82 

The Indians of Virginia, Dr. H. W. Kuhm 91 

Explorations in Western Green Lake County, Geo. L. Pasco 100 

A Copper Bird Effigy Ornament, Charles E. Brown 104 

Present Condition of Aztalan, Robert P. Ferry 108 

The Hidden Story of the Grand Butte des Morts, Geo. Overton__ 111 

Record Suggestions for the Archeologist, Wilton E. Erdman 124 

Archeological Notes 135 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Dr. George Lucius Collie . Frontispiece 

Figure Page 

11. Black-on-white bowl with Mimbres burial 84 

12. Mimbres black-on-white seed bowls containing cremations 86 

13. Mimbres black-on-white olla 87 

14. Native copper bird effigy ornament. State Historical Mu- 

seum 105 

15. Sheet-copper bird effigy, Milwaukee Public Museum 106 




Dr. Georg-e L. Collie. 



®ijf Utarnnain Arrl^fnlagtat 

Published Q,uarterly by the Wisconsin Areheologrical Society 

VOL. 11 MADISON, WIS., APRIL, 1932 No. 3 

'New Series 



A DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF THE WISCON- 
SIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
DR. GEORGE LUCIUS COLLIE 

Geo. A. West 

At a recent meeting of the Wisconsin Archeological Socie- 
ty it was learned, with regret, that Dr. George L. Collie, of 
Beloit, Wisconsin, had retired from the active duties of his 
busy life in order to spend the remainder of his declining 
years in the East. 

In view of the fact that Dr. Collie has been an active 
member of this Society for more than thirty years, and in 
consideration of the distinguished services rendered to it 
by him, he was, at once, made a life member of the Society, 
and the writer was asked to prepare a short summary of the 
Doctor's life for publication in the Wisconsin Archeologist. 

Dr. Collie was born August 11, 1857, at Delavan, Wiscon- 
sin, and wjas the son of Joseph and Ann (Foote) Collie. His 
father was a native of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and his 
mother was bom at Cleveland, Ohio. His father was pastor 
of the Congregational Church, at Delavan, for forty-one 
years (1854-1895). Dr. Collie was married to Katherine E. 
Burrows of Chicago, in 1896. They have two children, Helen 
Tannisse and Kenneth Gordon. The former married R. T. 
Tuttrup of Appleton, Wisconsin, and died April 10, 1931, 
leaving one son. Collie Tuttrup. 

George L. Collie attended the public schools of his native 
town, graduating from Delavan High School in 1875. He 
was a student at Beloit College Academy during 1876-77 and 
entered Beloit College in the fall of 1877, graduating in 
1881. Immediately following his graduation, he managed a 



78 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 



summer resort for four years and worked in a railroad office 
in Chicago for one year, thus acquiring considerable busi- 
ness experience. 

In 1886 he began teaching and served as Principal of the 
Delavan High School until 1890, following which he took 
post-graduate work at Harvard University (1890-93), re- 
ceiving the degrees of M.A. and Ph.D. He became a Pro- 
fessor of Geology at Beloit College in 1893, as well as being 
appointed Curator and Director of the Logan Museum, at 
Beloit, holding the latter position until June 30, 1931. Dr. 
Collie continued as Professor of Geology until 1925, when he 
resigned to become Professor of Anthropology on a founda- 
tion given by Dr. F. G. Logan, of Chicago, and named, 'The 
George L. Collie Foundation". Through the generosity of 
Dr. Logan, the museum became one of the best in the coun- 
try in its exhibits of archeology. Dr. and Mrs. Logan fi- 
nanced several expeditions for research work, under the di- 
rection of Dr. ColHe, resulting in the securing of many valu- 
able collections for the Logan Museum. In 1894 a very suc- 
cessful expedition spent considerable time in Alaska. In 
1902 Dr. Collie conducted another to Germany and Italy 
where much desirable material was secured for the museum. 
In 1910 Dr. Collie headed an expedition around the world, 
for collecting purposes, with marked success, especially in 
East Africa and the South Sea Islands. 

In 1925 Dr. Logan and the Beloit College Board of Trus- 
tees arranged to give to Dr. Collie the sum of $15,000.00 an- 
nually for five years, to carry on investigations in the study 
of the life of palaeolithic man. For five successive years 
these investigations were carried on, chiefly in central 
France, around Les Eyzies, and in Algeria. Several bulle- 
tins have been published based on the work of these years 
and a very large collection brought to the Logan Museum. 

In addition, Dr. Collie has directed considerable archeolog- 
ical research work in our own country, including the Mim- 
bres region of New Mexico, the Mandan country of the Da- 
kotas and Wisconsin. Important collections have been ob- 
tained from each of these areas. 

Dr. Collie has written many articles on geological, geo- 
graphical and archeological subjects, several of which have 
appeared in the Wisconsin Archeologist. One especially in- 



Dr. George Lucius Collie. 79 



teresting bulletin on "Researches in Wood and Portage 
Counties", Wisconsin, based on work undertaken in conjunc- 
tion with Robert Becker, deserves special mention. Dr. Col- 
lie's very interesting monograph on 'The Aurignacians and 
Their Culture", published by the Logan Museum, is most 
instructive and should be in every library. 

Dr. Collie is holder of the Lapham Research Medal, pre- 
sented because of his distinguished accomplishments in the 
archeological field. He is a fellow of the American Associa- 
tion for the Advancement of Science and of the Geological 
Society of America, a member of the American Anthropo- 
logical Association, American Museums Association, Phi 
Beta Kappa, Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, and a Morgan Fellow 
of Harvard University. He is also an honorary member of 
the Beloit Rotary Club and a member of the first Congrega- 
tional Church of Beloit. 

Dr. Collie was Dean of Beloit College from 1900 to 1918, 
inclusive, and became the confidential advisor of thousands 
of students, many of whom have become distinguished. 
Among the latter are Roy Chapman Andrews and Alonzo 
Pond, well-known explorers, Ellsworth Huntington, explor- 
er and geographer, Paul H. Nesbitt, now Curator of the Lo- 
gan Museum, as well as Robert Becker, before mentioned, 
and others. For two and one-half years he was acting Presi- 
dent of Beloit College and carried on the executive as well 
as the administrative work of that institution. In 1893 he 
was appointed by President Eliot a member of a committee 
of ten on the teaching of geography in the schools of the 
United States. As a member of that committee he, with two 
others. Professors Davis and King, prepared the first labor- 
atory directions ever written on the study of geographic and 
topographic maps. 

In 1918 Dr. Collie resigned the Deanship to enter war 
work. He served the Y. M. C. A. as educational secretary for 
the Liverpool district, especially aiding in the debarkation of 
American soldiers. He was then sent to the general army 
headquarters at Chaumont, France, and took charge of a 
large hut at Dulevant, artillery headquarters near Chau- 
mont, and of replacement batteries going to the front, until 
the armistice was arranged. 



80 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 



In 1923 he was again appointed Dean at Beloit College but 
resigned to take charge of the expeditions of the Logan 
Museum/ 

This account does not purport to be a complete life history 
of Dr. Collie, but merely an attempt to outline some of his 
scientific achievements. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 

A Distinguished Son of Wisconsin, Wis. Magazine of 
Hist., Vol. XV, No. 3, pp. 263-281, Mar., 1932. 

Aboriginal Discrimination in the Selection of Materials 
for Tools, Wis. Arch., Quarterly Bull., Vol. VII, No. 3, pp. 
125-131, 1908. 

Comparison Between an Aurignacian and a Magdalenian 
Necklace from the Dordogne District of France, Wis. Arch., 
Vol. V, No. X p. 58, 1928. 

Early Man, Rotarian, about 1927. 
Five Great Harbors of the World. 

Hamburg Harbor, Jour, of Geog., Vol. 11, pp. 76-9, 

1912. 
Harbor of Marceilles, Jour, of Geog., Vol. 11, pp. 151-4, 

1913. 
Port of Calcutta, Jour, of Geog., Vol. 11, pp. 181-3, 

1913. 
Port of Shanghai, Jour, of Geog., Vol. 12, pp. 51-5, 

1913. 
Sydney Harbor, Jour, of Geog., Vol. 11, pp. 216-9, 
1913. Madison, Wis. 
Ordovician Section, Bellefonte, Pa., Bull. Geol. Soc. Am., 
Vol. 14, pp. 407-420, 1903. 

Origin of Conglomerates, (abstract) , American Geologist, 
Vol. 17, p. 126, 1896. 

Physiography of Wisconsin, American Bureau of Geo- 
graphy, Bull., Vol. 2, pp. 270-287, 1901. 



^ The Logan Museum contains one of the finest collections of palaeo- 
lithic and neolithic materials to be found in any museum in the United 
States. 



Dr. George Lucius Collie. 81 

Plateau of British East Africa and its Inhabitants, Ameri- 
can Geographical Society, Bull., Vol. 44, pp. 321-334, New 
York, May, 1912. 

Report on Government Maps for Schools, Davis, King and 
Collie, New York, 1894. 

Researches in Wood and Portage Counties (Wisconsin), 
Wis. Arch., Vol. 11, No. 2, 1912. Written in collaboration 
with R. H. Becker. 

The Aurignacian Man, Vol. I, Logan Museum, 1928. 

The Field of the Small Museum, Wis. Arch., Vol. VIII, No. 
3, pp. 93-6, 1909. 

The Fossil Fields of Wyoming, Reports by Members of 
the Union Pacific Expedition, (Dr. Collie was one of them) 
1909. 

The Geology of Conanicut Island, R. I., Wisconsin Acade- 
my of Sciences, Trans., Vol. 10, pp. 199-230, 1894-95. 

The Relationship of Wisconsin Institutions of Higher 
Education to Archaeology, Wis. Arch., Vol. VI, No. 1, p. 6, 
1906. 

Wis. Shore of Lake Superior, Bull., Geological Society of 
America, Vol. 12, pp. 197-216, 1901. 

Wisconsin Supplement to Frye's Geog., Ginn & Co., New 
York, 1895. 



82 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

BLACK-ON-WHITE POTTERY FROM THE 
MIMBRES VALLEY, NEW MEXICO 

Paul H. Nesbitt 

As the ceramic to be discussed below comes from a highly 
specialized and localized area familiar only to those few who 
are engaged in archaeological research in the Southwest, a 
few introductory remarks are necessary. 

Archaeologically the Southwest includes the states of New 
Mexico and Arizona, with portions of Colorado, Utah, Texas 
and Nevada. It disregards the international boundary, dip- 
ping southward into Mexico to an unknown distance below 
the town of Casa Grande in the northern state of Chihua- 
hua. Confined within the limits of this area are groups of 
native Americans popularly known as Pueblo Indians, so 
named by early Spanish explorers and priests. When the 
Spanish conquistadores entered the Southwest by the door- 
way of Mexico in 1539 they found these pueblo folk in a 
restricted locality much as they are today, being centered 
in the central parts of New Mexico and Arizona. Consider- 
ing the desolateness of the area the Spaniards marveled at 
the degree of accomplishments attained. Here in these vast 
stretches of sand with little or no water were sedentary 
groups practicing agriculture, making pottery and living in 
large communal houses of a hundred or more rooms often 
connected or arranged in the modern apartment house style. 
But this high culture had undergone a long period of devel- 
opment from an early non-pottery making and non-agricul- 
tural age. 

In recent years the magic spade of the archaeologist has 
been busy and productive enough to trace out this develop- 
ment. Although recent finds made near Folsom, New Mexi- 
co and at Gypsum Cave in Nevada may push the occupancy 
of man in this region back to the late phases of the ice age, 
the earliest established culture in the Southwest is that 
termed Basketmaker. This was followed by the incoming 
pueblo peoples and their development is traced through five 
phases known as Pueblo I-II-III-IV-V.^^ The Spaniards came 



■" For a brief but excellent history of these periods see — Frank H. 
H. Roberts Jr.', Early Pueblo Ruins in the Piedra District Southwest- 
em Colorado, Bur. American Ethnology Bull. 96, 1930, Pp. 1-12. 



Black-on-white Pottery from the Mimbres Valley, New Mexico. 83 

in late Pueblo IV period while Period V represents the mod- 
ern pueblos or villages as Zuni, Hopi, Acoma, etc. During 
those stages preceding the Spanish invasion, pueblo life was 
widely distributed throughout the entire southwest. Al- 
though in generalized features the culture was the same 
everywhere, local specializations and developments did 
spring up. This is not surprising when one considers that 
the rough character of the country and the great distance 
separating rivers brought about temporary, and in some 
cases, almost permanent isolation of groups. The Mimbres 
Valley in the southwestern part of New Mexico represents 
one of nine such areas of specialization. 

During the seasons of 1929, 1930 and 1931, the Logan 
Museum of Beloit College, backed by the generosity and 
keen interest of Dr. and Mrs. Frank G. Logan of Chicago, 
undertook excavations at the Mattocks ruin, a Mimbres 
Valley ruin of approximately 100 rooms. The ruin was en- 
tirely excavated during the past season and a report pub- 
lished on the findings and data obtained during the first two 
periods of work.^^ The findings indicate that the village was 
inhabited during the last part of Pueblo II period and most 
of Pueblo III time, which converted into Christian age 
terms, would read 600 A. D. to 1000 A. D. Although the cul- 
ture encountered differs in many respects from that of other 
southwest areas, the single outstanding specialization is pot- 
tery. Although various wares are present, all of which have 
their distinctive features, only the Mimbres black-on-white 
pottery is here considered. 

The center of distribution of this ware is a broad strip ex- 
tending from the postoffice of Mimbres, New Mexico, to a 
point midway between San Lorenzo and Deming, New Mexi- 
co, some thirty miles to the south. Although this region of- 
fers an abundance of different pottery types it is in this 
section that the Mimbres black-on-white ware is seen in its 
greatest popularity. The ware is relatively abundant at all 
sites that have been thoroughly excavated both in sherd 
form and complete vessels.^^ In some instances as at the 



^^Nesbitt, Paul H. The Ancient Mimbrefios. Logan Museum Bull. 
4, 1931. 

■'* Especially at the following ruins — Galaz, Gonzolez, Cameron 
Creek, Treasure Hill and Nan Ranch. 



84 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 




Black-on-white Pottery from the Mimbres Valley, New Mexico. 85 

Mattocks ruin it has been found in association with intru- 
sive sherds of Chupedero black-on-white, El Paso poly- 
chrome, Three Rivers red-on-terracotta, Gila polychrome 
and Chihuahua wares. 

The black-on-white ware was used for mortuary purposes 
and was not culinary in character (Figure 11) . Furthermore 
two distinctive decorative features, geometric figures and 
naturalistic drawings automatically create a subdivision of 
this ware. Although this subdivision is based at the outset 
on decorative elements there are also notable differences in 
vessel shapes, paste and finish. Some of the defining quali- 
ties of the Mimbres black-on- white ware are as follows: 

« Vessel Shapes 

The standard form is the shallow food bowl ranging 9-11 
inches in diameter and 5 inches in depth. Vessels bearing 
realistic drawings are usually smaller than those geometric- 
ally decorated. Ollas and narrow-mouthed vessels were also 
made, the former being confined to that ware geometrically 
decorated. In ollas the orifice is rarely larger than 4 inches, 
the shoulder diameter 11 inches and the height 11 inches. 
The globular, narrow-mouthed vessels or seed bowls are 
characterized by their broad shoulders and are rarely over 
5 inches in height (Figure 12). Most of the vessels have a 
rounded bottom but forms with a flat or concave bottom are 
not uncommon. 

Rims 

Some rims are flat while others show rounding on both in- 
terior and exterior surfaces. The rim top is usually irregu- 
lar and poorly finished and not uniform in thickness around 
the bowl. On some vessels there is a slight swelling on the 
interior about an inch below the rim giving an incurved ap- 
pearance. The rims are invariably painted black. 

Paste, Finish and Firing 

The composition of the paste is fine, sandy and evenly 
tempered with flakes of mica and fine grains of quartz. The 
hardness is variable depending upon the degree of burning 
to which the vessel was subjected. The bowl interiors and 
the olla exteriors have been made smooth by the application 



86 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 3 



I 




% 



3 
O 



Black-on-whlte Pottery from the Mimbres Valley, New Mexico. 



87 




88 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

of a true slip, chalky white to a gray-yellow in color. The 
exteriors of bowls were made smooth by the use of the hand 
or some blunt smoothing implement. Occasionally vessels 
carry a fine wash on the exterior. All vessels are well fired 
and in many cases overfired so that the black pigment turns 
to red in places. 

Decoration 

The decoration is almost exclusively interior although it 
occurs on the exterior in such forms as ollas (Figure 13), 
seed bowls and rare forms having straight sides and a 
slightly concave base. The rims of the bowls are painted 
black and below the rims are series of f ramers, either one or 
two wide lines or a series of fine lines drawn close together. 
Series of framing lines are especially characteristic of those 
vessels decorated with zoomorphic and anthropomorphic 
figures. On vessels bearing geometric designs the decora- 
tion begins at the rim and extends one-third or more of the 
way to the bottom of the bowl. At its termination is a broad 
framer, thus leaving a circular white space (the unpainted 
slip) in the bowl bottom. Decorations which entirely cover 
the bowl are not common. Opposed stepped figures in solid 
black and hatching are the most common decorative ele- 
ments employed. 

Other common motifs are interlocking key figures, inter- 
locking scrolls, zig-zag lines, cross-hatched diamond and 
square figures, checkerboard, and vertical lines. Where both 
surfaces are decorated the interior usually has an all over 
design and the exterior decoration is confined to a single 
unit repeated two or three times. On bowl interiors the de- 
sign is repeated two, three or four times and one aberrant 
vessel is decorated with twelve identical units. The pigment 
varies in color from a dull black to a brownish red depend- 
ing on the degree of firing. 

The most outstanding and specialized feature of the Mim- 
bres pottery is that black-on-white ware which is decorated 
with realistic drawings. For keenness of observation in ob- 
serving animal life and ingenuity in reproducing it by means 
of paint on pottery, the Ancient Mimbrenos were the most 
unique and skilled of all Southwest potters. The precision 
of workmanship is quite as remarkable as the variety in 
design. The realistic figure usually occupies a space in the 



Black-on-white Pottery from the Mimbres Valley, New Mexico. 89 

bottom of the bowl, the space being carefully marked off by 
encircling framing lines at the rim. The naturalistic draw- 
ings range from composite creatures such as a bird and a 
quadruped united, to drawings of birds, insects, fishes, quad- 
rupeds and human life. True narrative scenes are present 
but less common than individual drawings. 

Time Relations 

Difference in house types representing different occupa- 
tions of the Mattocks village constitute the only stratifica- 
tion present. Refuse heaps, so common in other areas of the 
southwest and present at the Cameron Creek ruin near Hur- 
ley, New Mexico (a Mimbres ruin) are absent at this village. 
Black-on-white ware made its appearance in the early pit- 
house stage (Pueblo II) and continued without more than 
slight modification to that time when the village was de- 
serted (Pueblo III). Realistic decorations were more popu- 
lar in the early occupation of the site than in the waning 
stage. 

There are at hand a few data such as intrusive wares and 
cross finds, that give some idea of the relative chronological 
age of the Mimbres black-on-white ware with other South- 
western pottery types. Intrusive wares found in association 
are Chupedero black-on-white, El Paso polychrome. Little 
Colorado polychrome. Chihuahua ware and Three Rivers 
red-on-terracotta. These wares did not appear, however, un- 
ttil the Mimbres black-on-white was on the decline. In the 
early house types at the Mattocks ruin these foreign wares 
are absent whereas there is a preponderance of black-on- 
white. 

According to Kidder,^*^ Chihuahua' polychrome and Gila 
polychrome are approximately contemporaneous and some- 
what later than Mimbres black-on-white. The finding of Gila 
polychrome ware in the late rooms at the Mattocks ruin 
would tend to substantiate this. El Paso polychrome ware 
which also occurs in intrusive form in the late rooms has 
also been found in association in several instances with Rio 
Glande Glaze I.^^ It would seem then that the glazes were 



*" Kidder, A. V., An Introduction of the Study of Southwestern Ar- 
chaeology, New Haven, 1924. 

" Stallings, W. S. Jr., El Paso Polychrome. Technical Series, Bull. 
3, Archaeological Survey. Laboratory of Anthropology, Inc., Santa Fe, 
New Mexico, December, 1931. 



90 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 



just being ushered into the Rio Grande region to the north 
when Mimbres black-on-white was disappearing. A like age 
relation exists with Chupedero black-on-white. 

In conclusion, conditions indicate that Mimbres black-on- 
white ware antedates Glaze I and Chupedero black-on-white 
by a considerable period of time and that the ware reached 
its greatest popularity before the development not only of 
the above wares but also El Paso polychrome, Chihuahua 
polychrome, Three Rivers red-on-terracotta and Little Colo- 
rado polychrome. However, before the final desertion of the 
Mimbres Valley these new wares were gradually replacing 
the Mimbres black-on-white. 



The Indians of Virginia. 91 

THE INDIANS OF VIRGINIA 

Herbert W. Kuhm 

Amid the extensive gum swamps and pine barrens of Vir- 
ginia there existed formerly an Indian culture area of con- 
siderable importance. The culture of the Virginia Algon- 
kians may be distinctly traced to the Gulf or Southeastern 
culture area, for they are less Algonkian in culture than in 
speech. A similar change of culture has been noted in the 
history of the Blackfeet, Cheyenne and Arapaho, whose Al- 
gonkian affinities stand forth only through the link of 
language. 

In respect to material and social life, the Virginia Algon- 
kians were converted by southern influences to such extent 
that, had we no information concerning their language to 
guide us, we would class their culture with the southern 
Gulf area rather than with the Algonkian to the north. 

The Virginia Algonkians were of importance in that they 
were the intermediate tribes who conveyed to the tribes in 
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and even as far as southern New 
England, the extensive ethnic traits of the southern Gulf 
culture. 

Thus the Algonkians of the Middle Atlantic and the south- 
ern New England states got their corn, bean, and tobacco 
culture, and most of the artifacts concerned with domestic 
activity, their splint basketry, woven fiber fabrics, the re- 
markable feather technique, their mat- and bark-covered 
rectangular wigwams, and many other details of economic 
life. 

The old Algonkian nomadic hunting life gave way slow- 
ly to agriculture, to which were added the corn festival, 
fortified stockades, ceramic influences, fish-nets, shell beads, 
the water-drum, the two-stick ballgame, methods of hair- 
dressing, the single-seam one-piece moccasin, shamanistic 
ocieties, mound erection, group burial, and the custom of 
cleaning the bones of the dead for burial. 
^ When the Europeans first reached Virginia, they found 
K many separate tribes of Indians, scattered here and there 
H throughout the wilderness. 

il 



92 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

In 1584, two ships sent from England on a voyage of ex- 
ploration, crossed the Atlantic hy way of the Azores, and 
sailed northward from Florida along the Atlantic seaboard. 
The voyagers were amazed at the beauty of the country. 
When they landed, they were welcomed by the Indians and 
spent the summer and autumn in exploring the adjacent 
country. 

When the ship returned to England at approach of win- 
ter, the commanders gave such glowing accounts of what 
they had seen, that Queen Elizabeth called the country Vir- 
ginia, the Virgin land. 

An important event in the history of the colony at James- 
town was the expedition of Capt. John Smith and a small 
party of men in search of the great "South Sea." They set 
out on Dec. 10, 1607. 

Smith came in contact with the Indians in their native 
woodland haunts. He visited their habitations on the banks 
of the rivers; observed their tribal rites and customs, and 
gathered the details for records which enable us to knov/ 
something of that early Virginia. 

Smith's notes are of interest to students of Indian life. 
The Smith expedition first came into contact with the Pow- 
hatans, who inhabited what is called Tidewater Virginia, 
which extended from Chesapeake Bay to the Piedmont 
Plateau. 

Smith drew for us full-length portraits of the Virginia 
Indians, who lived in wigwams of skins or lodges built of 
trees. They dressed in deerskins, the women wearing man- 
tles of feathers for added warmth and adornment. Both 
sexes wore bead necklaces, and tattooed their bodies with 
puccoon, a derivative of the bloodroot. 

The women were subject in all things to the men. On the 
hunting expeditions, they carried the burdens and built the 
lodges, while the wa'rriors smoked pipes and looked on. 

The forest Indians of Virginia were pre-eminently hunt- 
ers, and deer was their primary game. In favorable regions 
they fished, but only as a supplement to the chase ; attempts 
were made at agriculture, but the hunt was the most im- 
portant task. 

A curious feature of the Virginia Indians was their reli-^, 
gion. Their god was Okee, or The One Above called Kiwassa 



I 



I 



The Indians of Virg-inia. 93 

the Spirit of Evil. They feared and worshipped him as they 
worshipped force in all its manifestations, — fire that burned 
them, water that drowned them, the thunder and the light- 
ning. As to a good god, there was no such being ; if there 
was, it was unnecessary to worship him, for they need not 
take the trouble to conciliate such a deity since from the 
very nature of things he would not harm them anyway. As 
to Okee, the Spirit of Evil, that was different. He had to be 
propitiated, and they made images of him decorated with 
copper, which they set up in their tribal lodges. 

The great tribal lodge was at Uttamussac, on the York 
River. Here, on certain red sandy hills in the woods, were 
three great lodges filled with images of their deities, and the 
corpses of their chiefs, which had been embalmed and 
wrapped in skins. 

Each district of the tribal domain had its own lodge or 
temple. At these tribal shrines, priests kept watch, — hide- 
ous figures with dried snake skins hanging from their heads. 
As they shook rattles to disperse the evil spirits they chant- 
ed hoarsely the greatness of the deity Okee, the One Above 
called Kiwassa. 

Even the bravest of the warriors cowered before the lodge 
of Okee. In going up or down the river by the mystic 
shrines at Uttamussac, they solemnly cast copper orna- 
ments, beads or puccoon into the stream to propitiate their 
deity, and made long strokes of the paddle to get away from 
the vicinity of the Evil One so as not to invite his divine dis- 
pleasure. 

The primitive Indians in the land of Powhatan were with- 
out a written language, but had names for each other, for 
the seasons, for every natural object and for the supernatur- 
al powers which they deified. 

The years were counted by the winters or "cohonks," a 
word conceived from the cry of the wild geese passing 
southward in the annual migration at the coming of winter. 

They reckoned five seasons: the Budding or Blossoming 
was spring ; the Corn-earing time was early summer ; the 
Highest Sun was full summer; the Fall of the Leaf was 
autumn, and winter was Cohonk, or the time of the flight 
of the gees6 and other migratory birds. 



94 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 

The months were counted by moons, and were named aft- 
er their products : as the Moon or month of the Strawberry, 
the Moon of Stags, of Corn, of the FHght of the Geese, of 
Fishing through the Ice, and of the Melting of the Ice. 

One of their tribal customs was the Huskanawug, when 
the young men were taken into the deep woods, intoxicated 
on a decoction of certain roots and initiated as full-fledged 
warriors. 

Louis Hernandez De Biedma, the historian, tells us that 
the inhabitants of Virginia in 1539 were a hardy race, living 
in long houses daubed with clay and very comfortable in the 
winter seasons, but that during the summer months they 
reposed in the open. 

According to De Biedma, they used sharp-edged stones, 
slings, bows, arrows and clubs in war and peace. 

Louis Preston Summers, in his History of ''Southwestern 
Virginia," states that many implements used by the Indians 
and the places of their manipulation, that is, their work- 
shops, were still to be found at the time of his writing, 1903. 

The Indians of Virginia in the sixteenth century lived in 
towns that were generally so built as to combine the require- 
ments of a town and a fortification. These forts were circu- 
lar and varied in size from 300 to 1,000 feet in diameter. 
They were sometimes built of stones, and in other instances 
of earth. The embankments were from 6 to 10 feet high, 
and in many cases were surrounded by a ditch or moat. 
Many stone implements and potsherds are to be found near 
the sites of these forts, according to Summers. 

These forts are not the product of the Cherokee Indians, 
since they were not built after the Cherokee manner. So the 
inference is that the Indians who built the fortified towns 
were at one time vanquished and either exterminated or as- 
similated by the Cherokee, or driven out by them. The Cher- 
okee are reputed to have been a very warlike people; they 
were arrogant warriors, and never so happy as when en- 
gaged in warfare. 

The Cherokee, however, were not permitted long to enjoy 
the fruits of their conquest, for they in turn were driven 
out by the invasions of the Confederacy of the Six Nations, 
and in 1672 withdrew south of the Tennessee River. 



3^^H 



I 



The Indians of Virginia. 95 

In that way Virginia came to be occupied by three groups 
of Indians : the Monaca confederation in the west, the Mana- 
hoac confederation in the north, and the Cherokee in the 
south. The first two were Siouan tribes. 

Before the advent of the whitemen, the Indians native to 
Virginia had no outside sources from which to draw their 
food, shelter, clothing, utensils or weapons, but were thrown 
entirely on their own resources in their struggle for exist- 
ence. 

They learned to clothe themselves in the tanned skins of 
animals, and shelter themselves in caves and beneath lodges 
made of skins or trees; to bend to their use as tools or 
weapons the natural and organic substances found all about 
them. The wood of the forest furnished clubs, bows, arrow 
and spear shafts. The stones at their feet were worked into 
points for knives, spears and arrows. Stones were also used 
to grind their corn, hoe their fields, sink their nets and adorn 
their bodies. Clay was moulded to fill their needs as kettles 
for cooking. 

Thus did the prehistoric people of Virginia advance in 
learning, and progress toward a rude civilization, eventually 
coming to possess a fair development of agriculture, and an 
unwritten literature of folklore, mythology and ritual. To 
what height they might have attained must ever be a mat- 
ter of speculation, since the entire trend of their life was dis- 
turbed, thwarted and finally destroyed by contact with what 
the white man, in his superb conceit, prefers to call his own 
vastly superior civilization. 

Culturally, the forest Indians of Virginia lived in a stone 
age. In absence of any knowledge of skill in providing them- 
selves with tools of metal, they, were obliged to improvise 
useful implements and artifacts for utility, ornament, reli- 
gious ceremony and money from stone. Hence stone axes, 
stone celts, chisels and hammers to break up wood for fuel, 
bark trees, hollow out logs for canoes, skin deer, break 
ground and the like, resulted. Of course, bone and shell were 
also used, but stone, being the most imperishable of these 
materials, now receives undue importance in our eyes, since , 
most of the Indian artifacts which have survived the decay 
of centuries, are of this material. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 3 



The Virginia Indians found flint most useful, and boulders 
of this material were sought for in the bluffs of rivers, and 
highly prized. Fortunate, indeed, was the tribe that con- 
trolled a supply ; not only was its source of weapons assured, 
but it had a commodity of great value to trade. Chunks 
were fractured from the native rock to be chipped later into 
knives, scrapers, spear and arrow points. The work of shap- 
ing the stone tools and weapons fell appropriately to the 
men. Quartzite was also used in the manufacture of arti- 
facts. 

All of the Virginia tribes made pottery. The raw clay was 
pounded and kneaded to an even consistency and then mixed 
with tempering materials such as pebbles, pulverized shells, 
burnt and powdered stones, sand, and crushed potsherds. 
Long rolls of moistened clay were built up into the shape 
desired by the process of coiling. Once shaped, the coils were 
blended by kneading. The surface of the vessel was 
smoothed by scraping with an edged implement of shell, 
wood or bone. Two kinds of Virginia pottery are found, — 
coarse and smooth. The coarse earthenware is a heavy, 
pebbly variety, reddish in color, and showing incised net- 
marks, while the smooth ware is a thinner, light-drab or 
gray ware, very smooth both inside and out, and otherwise 
characterized by an absence of incisions or markings of any 
kind on the body. This latter ware contains no pebbles or 
grit, but was tempered with powdered mussel-shells. It was 
polished by means of rubbing-stones. The jars were kept in 
a shady place until the clay had hardened, after which they 
were covered with corn-stalks or dry pine-bark and fired. 

We now come to what is perhaps the most interesting 
topic in the material life of the Virginia tribes, — the woven- 
feather technique. It is surprising that an art so ancient 
and so elaborate has persisted in the face of all the decultur- 
ation that has gone on since colonial times. But surprising 
as it is, the Virginia Indians have not lost the art of weav- 
ing feathers into the foundation of textile fabrics. The 
beauty and high esthetic quality of woven-feather work 
have made it the supreme textile achievement in a number 
of ethnic centers on the Pacific coast, in California, Mexico, 
and Ecuador, as well as in Polynesia. In Virginia and the 
southeastern Gulf area, the feather technique was widely 
distributed. 



The Indians of Virgrinia. 97 

The feathers used were primarily those of the wild tur- 
key, shelldrake, Guinea fowl, Virginia cardinal, ducks, and 
flickers. 

Four needles, made of the long legbones of the great blue 
heron were used, and a simple knitting stitch employed. As 
the knitting proceded, each single feather was worked into 
the fabric, being caught fast in several stitches by its base 
and sometimess by the shank of the plume. The feathers 
were so firmly attached that a whole cape of wild-turkey 
feathers could be suspended by almost any one of its feath- 
ers without danger of its shaking loose. These capes were 
of a beautiful iridescent black or bronze color, and were 
tied about the neck with bands of finely woven duck-down. 
They were further ornamented with cardinal or flicker 
feathers. Large blankets were made with this technique, 
and even moccasin tops were decorated with feather adorn- 
ment. 

The marsh and swamp area of Tidewater Virginia is very 
extensive. Some of the lowlands are marshy flats covered 
with rushes and cattails, others are overgrown with virgin 
forests of cypress, swamp oak, swamp gum, maple, and red 
birch. 

The swamps provided cover for considerable game, and it 
was in these fastnesses that the Indians of old gained a live- 
lihood. The Virginia deer have survived to some extent, and 
some ancient deer-hunting methods are still practiced. The 
bear lingers on with surprising persistence in the Great Dis- 
mal Swamp. In the fall and early winter, the present-day In- 
dians of Virginia seek and kill bear, because they are then 
the fattest. The bears are found in the gum groves of the 
swamps where they have gone to fatten on gum berries. 
Wolves are trapped by means of a pit. Beavers, muskrats, 
raccoons, opossums and ducks are still sought after. 

The Indians from necessity learned how to manage them- 
selves when obliged to proceed over the areas of mud, which 
naturally abound in this region. An inexperienced white 
man hunting here without knowing the supporting quality 
of mud and how to wade or crawl in it, would be lost. When 
hunting, the Indians sometimes became stranded on a 
marshy island separated from the shore by mud-bars; or, 
to secure game that had been brought down, it may have 



98 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

been necessary to wade a hundred feet through mire of un- 
known depth. The art of self-navigation in mud thus be- 
came essential to these people. 

They came to recognize two kinds of mud — the moderately 
firm, and the treacherous "floating" mud. The former could 
be traversed by an experienced Indian if care was taken not 
to allow the weight of the body to remain more than an in- 
stant upon each leg, and not to put the foot straight down- 
ward in the mud, but to proceed on flexed lower limbs, the 
weight carried on the shins. If the mud was of the softer, 
floating variety, it was necessary to advance prone on the 
abdomen in "turtle fashion." Movement had to be continu- 
ous lest the body settle too deep to be worked loose. Chil- 
dren at an early age were taught this art, and helped their 
parents retrieve ducks which had been shot out on the mud- 
flats. Capt. John Smith in his day observed and noted the 
expertness of the Virginia Indians in traversing the mire. 

The means provided by the Virginia tribes for transport- 
ing themselves about in the marshy wastes, except where 
the mud prevented, was the dugout canoe. No other type of 
canoe can be ascribed to the southern Virginia culture area, 
even though a few bark canoes strayed by trade into the 
tidewater area. Canoe birch does not range on the coast 
much below New England. 

Where cypress abounded, the dug-out canoes were usually 
made of that tree, although yellow pine was also favored. 
Capt. John Smith gives the following account of canoe- 
making: "They make a fishing boat of one tree by burning 
and scratching away the coals with the stone and shells till 
they have made it in form of a trough. Some of them are 
forty or fifty feet long and will bear forty men, but the most 
ordinary are smaller and will bear ten or twenty. Instead 
of oars they use paddles and sticks, with which they row 
faster than our barges." 

Harriott, an early Virginia chronicler, also writes interest- 
ingly of the manner by which the primitive Indians made 
boats in Virginia. He says: 

"For whereas they lack instruments of iron like unto ours, 
yet they know how to make them (boats) and to sail them 
where they list in their rivers. First they chose some long 
and thick tree, according to the bigness of the boat which 



The Indians of Virg-inia. 99 

they would form, and make a fire on the ground about the 
root thereof, kindhng the same Httle by httle with dry moss 
and chips of wood so that the flame should not mount up 
on high and burn too much of the length of the tree. 

''When it is almost burnt through, and ready to fall, they 
suffer the tree to fall of its own accord. Then burning the 
top and boughs of the tree, they raise it upon poles laid 
crosswise upon forked posts, at such a height as they may 
conveniently work upon it. Then they take off the bark 
with shells. On the upper side they make a fire according 
to the length of the body of the tree, fanning it at both ends. 
That which they think is sufficiently burnt, they quench and 
scrape away with shells, and making a new fire they burn 
it again, and so they continue sometimes burning and some- 
times scraping, until the boat has sufficient hollowness. 
Thus God endoweth this savage people with sufficient reason 
to make things necessary to serve their needs." 

The fishing practices of the Virginia Indians are worth 
brief mention. Fish fences were used, these hedges being 
built across streams to the low-water height so that the fish 
could pass over their tops at high tide. Then, as the water 
receded on the ebb flow, they would be barred from return- 
ing by the brush hedges, and the Indians would shoot the 
impounded fish with arrows or spear them with fish spears. 
The sturgeon were hooked with jig-hooks. 

In some parts of Virginia, the aborigines were cave dwell- 
ers, and even to this day the caves are sources of much in- 
teresting and enlightening material for the archeologist. He 
finds therein the remains of their hearthfires, cooking uten- 
sils, weapons, and even themselves. The air being drier, re- 
mains are better preserved in Virginia than in our own 
state. 

Although the larger were used for habitation, smaller 
caves located in advantageous places were used as lookouts 
for sentinels and scouts, and as stations for food and am- 
munition for warring parties. 

In conclusion, one fact is to be remembered in connection 
with the Virginia Indians : upon their will and temperament 
three centuries ago rested the success or failure of the 
struggling and feeble colonies from whom evolved the Amer- 
ica of today. 



100 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

EXPLORATIONS IN WESTERN GREEN 
LAKE COUNTY 

Geo. L. Pasco 

A cartip site on the property of Mr. Walter Walker, near 
Kingston, Green Lake County, was first investigated in 
June, 1931. Excavations were started in the potato patch 
and a series of refuse pits located here yielded quantities of 
ash and many good-sized potsherds, not a few of which were 
rim pieces. Some of these rims are decorated while many 
others, comprising the greater share of those found, are en- 
tirely smooth. Many are marked only on the lip, generally 
after the manner of the crimped border of a pie. A few lips 
were notched as from the imprint of sticks or reeds. Of sev- 
enty specimens of pottery rims taken from refuse pits on 
the Walker farm during the summer, fourteen have lip 
decorations, of which eleven are of the pie-crimping type. 
Only five of the seventy show decoration on the outer rim 
below the lip. This proportion of decorated pieces character- 
izes the pottery fragments found throughout this district, 
which represent the shell-tempered ware of the Grand River 
Culture. Potsherds other than shell-tempered are very rare. 

About thirty rods east of the refuse pits mentioned above, 
a series of deeper pits were found which produced consider- 
able pottery, apparently belonging to the same culture. 
These pits contained quantities of refuse, with which were 
included implements of stone, bone and copper. These arti- 
facts occurred so frequently that one labored in constant 
hope and expectancy, oblivious of the intense heat of the 
summer sun, and after appraising the materials found, one 
could not feel other than well paid for the labor. 

Two of the rim sherds had loop handles adjoining the 
rims, and one sherd was perforated near the lip as though to 
accomodate some fastening to serve as a handle. The sur- 
face decorations on some sherds display an effort at creat- 
ing true designs. Of three pieces before me as I write, one 
is covered with deep incisions which leave the impression 
that a good portion of the vessel was so covered. One has 
straight lines, parallel and placed at equal distances, exe- 



i 



Explorations in Western Green Lake County. 101 

cuted with a smoothness showing considerable skill, and ap- 
pearing to have covered practically the entire vessel. The 
third sherd is decorated with a design of more complexity, 
consisting of three inverted V-shaped figures, somewhat 
spread out at the base, one fitting into the other. The pat- 
tern lies immediately above the bulge of the pot and encir- 
cles the vessel. Crossing the apex of each of these sets of 
inverted V-shapes is a horizontal line from which vertical 
lines extend down the sides of the pot to the diverging low- 
er extremities of the V-figures. 

It is much to be regretted that larger potsherds were not 
found, as some of these beautiful patterns may have had in- 
teresting extensions not apparent because of the small size 
of the sherds. 

Another sherd is marked with a sharp-edged implement, 
perhaps of stone or copper, and is apparently the result of 
an effort to render the job easier. The design is like two. 
duplicated W-shapes extending parallel, one above the other. 

A remarkable fact regarding these pieces of pottery is 
that no two decorated pieces from the same pot were en- 
countered, and we have often wondered as to the where- 
abouts of the other sherds. As a matter of fact, of the sev- 
eral hundred potsherds taken from pits at this site, many of 
them good-sized, I have never seen two from the same pot. 
Many look as though they would fit together, but there is 
always some little difference. One theory, advanced by a 
friend with considerable experience in these matters, is that 
the broken pots lay around until the fragments were broken 
into pieces too small to be of any use to the Indians, when 
the refuse about the camp was raked or swept into refuse 
pits, prepared for that purpose; in such a case, each pit 
would contain a sadly mixed assortment of scattered frag- 
ments of pots. Personally, I have always thought of these 
pits as remaining open to receive refuse until they were 
filled. The reason that we find in them so many fine imple- 
ments of bone and copper may be that these pits were in 
use at a period when the white trader was beginning to sup- 
ply implements of iron, whereat those of copper and bone 
were discarded, so finding their way to the village dump 
heap and refuse pits. 



102 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

While digging in August of the same year, some of the 
excavating party came upon five burials situated in a run- 
way for draining water from nearby fields. This drainage 
gully extended down to the banks of the Grand River. There 
was nothing to indicate that there might be burials at the 
spot. The first skeletons encountered were not preserved for 
study, since it was the purpose of the diggers to search for 
artifacts. 

Burial No. 5 was peculiar in that it had evidently been 
dumped into the burial pit as hastily as possible; bundled 
up and crammed into position without ceremony. The skull 
was extremely thick, which made it possible for me to save 
all of it. I also succeeded in saving the brain case in Burial 
No. 4. This skull was extremely thin, in contrast to that of 
Burial No. 5. 

I came upon Burial No. 6 while carefully digging in a 
refuse pit. I first encountered the top of the skull and con- 
tinued work until the entire skeleton was uncovered. I then 
took photographs and measurements. The skull, which I 
preserved, was in excellent condition, with good teeth and 
without a single broken part or fracture. The burial was of 
the extended type and the bones were well preserved, as in- 
dicated by the fact that the elements of the hands and feet 
were in excellent condition. The bones were not preserved 
due to an accident. The skeleton was directed northeast and 
southwest and was eighteen inches below the surface. 

Burial No. 7 was in extended position, directed north and 
south. The head was not more than eighteen inches from 
burial No. 6. I came upon it while digging with a shovel, 
since it was but slightly below the plough line. In fact, the 
skull had at some time been struck by a plough, turned over 
and broken to some extent. My spade scraped the shin bone. 
The skeleton was carefully uncovered and preserved for mu- 
seum study purposes. The state of preservation was excel- 
lent, the finger and toe bones being in perfect condition. 
Many photographs, as well as detailed measurements, were 
taken of the skeleton in situ. Three copper beads were 
found at the neck. 

Several weeks later, while digging near the sites of buri- 
als Nos. 6 and 7, I came upon a human leg bone, and later 
the other leg, thus much to my surprise establishing the 



Explorations in Western Green Lake County. 103 

presence of another burial, No. 8. This was carefully uncov- 
ered and prepared for removal to a museum. The bones of 
the feet were missing", a fact for which I am unable to ac- 
count. However, the bones of the hands were in excellent 
condition and were treated with ambroid and so removed 
intact as found. The skeleton was disposed flat on the back 
with arms extended at the sides, hands flat. The legs were 
drawn up slightly, but not so far as to be characteristic of a 
flexed burial. The knees were directed to the right with one 
leg bone resting on the right hand, which was somewhat 
crushed from the contact. The bones at the knees were un- 
usually large and at first encounter gave rise to some specu- 
lation regarding departed cows. The skull rested on one 
side. Associated with the bones were several potsherds and 
a small celt. 

A number of interesting artifacts were taken from refuse 
pits into the midst of which these burial pits seem to have 
been intruded. After the' interments, ashes and other refuse 
continued to be dumped over the burials, a fact which may 
account for the excellent preservation of the bones. 

The burials were all found in an area thirty feet square, 
and Burial No. 8 was in such a position in relation to No. 6 
and No. 7 that the three determined a triangle. However, 
there was nothing to indicate that this arrangement was 
other than the result of chance. In fact, the eight burials 
seem each to have been placed at any convenient spot. 

There are at least forty acres in the area of this camp site, 
and we are never surprised to encounter a burial at any place 
within this area, although burials seem to be most frequent- 
ly found near the river. The large size of the site and the 
great abundance of evidence of ancient occupation found 
there indicate that it must have had numerous inhabitants 
some hundreds of years ago. 



104 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

A COPPER BIRD EFFIGY ORNAMENT 

Charles E. Brown 

The sheet copper bird effigy ornament illustrated in figure 
14 was found several years ago by Emil Blodeaii on his 
farm located on a branch of Honey Creek, in the southwest 
quarter of section 7, Honey Creek Township, Sauk County, 
Wisconsin. On the banks of this stream there is an Indian 
village site from the surface of which there were collected 
by the owner in past years a quite large number of flint 
blanks, arrow and spear points of various forms, scrapers, 
perforators and knives, several grooved stone axes, s^one 
celts, a grooved celt and other Indian implements. These re- 
cently came into the possession of the Wisconsin Historical 
Museum at Madison. 

The effigy ornament is cut from a piece of thin sheet cop- 
per. An examination made by an expert of the mining labor- 
atory of the University of Wisconsin, shows the metal to be 
native copper rather than European trade kettle metal. The 
surface of the metal is quite flat and smooth except in the 
several places on the head and wings of the effigy (shown in 
the plate) where small excrescences have been bent or beat- 
en down and a seam near the edge of the left wing similarly 
treated. The effigy shows marks of rough usage, the head, 
body, wings and tail all exhibiting plain indications of hav- 
ing been bent. A thin light green patina covers the greater 
part of the surface of the metal. 

The length of the effigy, which is plainly intended to rep- 
resent a bird, is 5 15/16 inches. The width at its shoulders 
is 1% inches. The head has a slight notch at its top. A 
small oval perforation was probably intended to permit its 
suspension by means of a cord. The edges of the head are 
notched, probably to represent a crest. Four notches appear 
on one of the shoulders and five on the other. The curved 
wings have been broken off, one at a distance of 214 inches 
from the shoulder and the other at a distance of 2% inches. 
It is very probable that each wing was once at least an inch 
longer and terminated in a sharp or rounded point. The tail, 
of nearly uniform width for a distance of V/2 inches below 



A Copper Bird Effigy Ornament. 



105 




Fig-. 14. Native copper bird effigy ornament, State 
Historical Museum. Courtesy, State Historical Mu- 
seum. 



106 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 3 




Fig-. 15. Sheet-copper bird effigy, Milwaukee Public 
Museum. Courtesy Milwaukee Public Museum. 



A Copper Bird Effigy Ornament. 107 

its union with the body, is there constricted and widens 
gradually toward its end. The rounded end of the tail is or- 
namented with a central small incision with four notches on 
either side. The weight of this bird efRgy ornament is 2 
ounces. 

So far as known but one other native copper sheet-metal 
pendant of bird form has been collected in Wisconsin. This 
specimen (2197), resembhng the other in a general way but 
of slightly smaller size, is in the collections of the Milwau- 
kee Public Museum. It was collected by the once well known 
Wisconsin archeologist, the late Frederick S. Perkins of Bur- 
lington. It was found by William Haskin, in 1850, on his 
farm at Osceola, Fond du Lac County (See figure 15). A 
distance of about 87 miles separates the two localities where 
these interesting sheet-metal bird effigy ornaments were 
found. 



108 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

PRESENT CONDITION OF AZTALAN 

Robert P. Ferry 

On the United States Military Road to Prairie Du Chien, 
Aztalan was one of the most important stations for the over- 
land stage. 

Eighty years ago when the stage pulled up at one of the 
public houses of Aztalan, the boys of the neighborhood 
would have solicited the passengers to go on a trip around 
the famous earthworks for the moderate price of a shilling 
with a liberal sample of relics thrown in — axheads, arrow- 
heads and pottery fragments. The path led over the long 
row of large mounds on the crest of the high ground, above 
the river around the enclosure — a good twenty-five minutes 
walk. There one obtained a view of Aztalan, the site which 
conjured visions of the mystic might of an ancient civiliza- 
tion, past and gone. 

The mounds stood out in high relief and the wall, with 
its bastions every sixty-five feet was in places as much as 
four feet high at the time when one of Milwaukee's well 
known inhabitants, Mr. C. B. Whitnall, walked out there to 
view of the wonders. 

As we approach the corners today we cross the river not 
by a ford but over a substantial bridge. As we view the 
burned grocery site on one corner, the burned creamery to 
the north and the three or four rickety little houses, it is 
difficult to believe that such a site could ever have been sug- 
gested as a location for the State Capitol of Wisconsin, or 
that the two small ruins north of the road could have been 
taverns at one of the most important stopping places on 
Wisconsin's main east and west highway. There is no inn 
and no dinner, but the walk is there if you are not afraid of 
some barbed wire fences and plowed fields. 

The string of mounds at the crest of the rise from the 
road south to beyond the crumbling church have disap- 
peared to all but the most discerning eye. To the west of the 
Milford road the mound groups which once stood out in bold 
relief are to be seen solely by those who know. Only in the 
small grassed parks of the Archeological Society less than a 



Present Condition of Aztalan. 109 

— • • ■ 

dozen veteran survivors of the ruthless hand of ignorance 
stand out in approximately the same bold relief of a century 
ago. 

The course of the walled enclosure, the pyramid mounds 
and other features are difficult of discernment to the casual 
visitor, being not so unlike the, numerous undulations of 
the cultivated fields. 

But if you will stop you may see more than all the visitors 
of past generations put together. 

The hand of science came too late to gather what might 
have been a most remarkable collection of artifacts but the 
revealing work of the Milwaukee Public Museum expedition 
under Dr. Barrett has dispelled forever the vaporings of Az- 
tec imaginations and the Archeological Society has made 
available to the public, as many of you know, a small ex- 
hibit of accurate information upon the site. 

The small shelter and the glass-topped table which were 
erected a few years ago still stand in excellent condition and 
the boulder with the brass plate by the roadside calls the at- 
tention of the passerby to the fact that he may linger here 
with interest. 

Under the glass top he may see a dozen photographs of 
the excavations by the Public Museum with explanatory 
notes, an account of the location, an account of stockaded 
Indian enclosures in the United States, for which we are 
indebted to Miss Louise P. Kellogg of the Wisconsin Histori- 
cal Society, and a print of the entire earthworks kindly fur- 
nished by the Milwaukee Public Museum. The diagram is 
set according to the points of the compass with the location 
of the table marked upon it so that by sighting over the map 
the details of the earthworks may be identified. 

The community takes great pride in its fame and the ex- 
hibit is well treated except that about once a year we have 
to renew the glass and replace watersoaked exhibits. 

If someone should devise a more indestructible form of 
exhibit your committee on Aztalan would be very grateful. 

Interested friends have planted a number of trees, some 
of which will doubtless survive. 

Numerous visitors stop there, many of whom, in the ab- 
sence of a suitable register, leave record of their call 
scratched in the paint of the metal cover of the table. 



110 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

: a 

The boulder on which the metal plate is affixed was hauled 
out of local pride by a neighbor from a mile down the road. 
The committee had an idea about the setting of that boulder 
and employed the best local talent to do the work ; as the 
setting of the boulder neared completion the community, in 
its supervision of community affairs, discovered there were 
different ideas about setting boulders. The oldest and best 
talent of the village assembled at the small enclosure and in 
solemn conference set aside the conclusions of the commit- 
tee, and with solemn and solicitous care erected the boulder 
upon its smallest dimension. Therefore, should you, like the 
committee, have misgivings on this point know then that by 
decision of the Conclave of the Ancient Community of Azta- 
lan, both you and the committee are wrong. 

For those of you who are uninformed, it is a pleasant trip, 
and a pleasant place to picnic. 

The Crawfish River, which flows in front of the earth- 
works, was a great highway of Indian travel; numerous 
mound, village and camp sites line its course. 

The Indian campsites of Lake Koshkonong, the intaglio 
below Fort Atkinson, the earthworks on and below Nigger 
Hill above Fort Atkinson, the mounds in the woods opposite 
Aztalan, the Aztalan site itself, the Indian fish dam above 
Milford, the signal mound on Milford Hill, the mounds and 
campsites of Indian Garden above Hubbleton, all lend inter- 
est to a canoe or auto trip for the adventurously inclined. 



The Hidden Story of the Grand Butte des Morts. Ill 

THE HIDDEN STORY OF THE GRAND 
BUTTE DES MORTS 

Geo. Overton 

No society or association has any excuse whatsoever for 
its existence unless every member contributes in some mea- 
sure to fulfill the purpose for which that society or associa- 
tion was organized. 

I am very glad to make my small contribution and add to 
the extensive and growing store of archeological knowledge 
that has been gathered by those faithful workers of the past 
and to which our efficient and enthusiastic experts of today 
are adding the wonderful results of their researches. 

My studies have been confined to a very limited geograph- 
ical area, first by necessity and later by choice. I was raised 
in the midst of what was once a very large center of abor- 
iginal population, the Lake Region of Winnebago County. I 
have come back to live on this farm which was the location 
of the first permanent French trading post in this county. 
This adds an historical interest to our archeological field. 

For more than fifty years I have been poking around 
where the Indian lived of old. His handiwork was every- 
where. Arrowheads we understood, but what of the hun- 
dreds of other fragments of flint and stone. Many pieces 
had been carefully made but they were not arrowheads. 
Why spend a lot of time making something that would not 
shoot ? Old timers familiar with more recent Indian customs 
named skinning stones, scrapers, meal grinders and ham- 
merstones in addition to the weapons and ornaments we had 
found and classified. 

We know not, by name, what people occupied this locality 
five hundred years ago. To attempt to reconstruct the home 
life of any tribe from remains found in a certain locality 
and to assign that culture definitely to any one people would 
be an unpardonable blunder. The people who were here of 
old were never permanently located for more than a few 
years at the most. They were constantly shifting, driving 
or being driven, but all left something here and there which 
tells of their journey. 



112 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 6 

By means of relics from we know not how many tribes or 
nations or thru what period of time, my task is to picture 
the manner, in general, in which these people met the great 
struggle for existence. Where I lack definite material of the 
past I shall go to primary sources for comparisons. Mr. L. 
B. Perlier, whose life overlapped mine twenty-nine years, 
came to reside in Winnebago County in 1830. My mother 
and grandfather lived at Keshena Falls eighty years ago. 
The descriptions of the manners, customs and crafts given 
me by these people has created in my mind a concept of the 
Indian wholly at variance with the glamour of the story- 
book savage. 

The Indian is usually pictured as a fellow in feather bon- 
net with painted face sitting dozing on the sunny side of the 
wigwam, smoking a long pipe and meditating on his past 
glorious evil deeds or planning future transgressions while 
the squaw did all of the work. He is given as a treacherous 
touchy person very much inclined toward lifting his neigh- 
bor's scalp and later dangling it at his belt while he dances 
about a fire, flourishing his tomahawk, to the music of tom- 
toms and weird chanting. 

A study of most collections and many museums will show 
only weapons, pipes and ornaments which further clinches a 
wrong impression. 

In the struggle for existence of any people three funda- 
mental problems must be met and solved if they are to sur- 
vive ; food, clothing and shelter. 

I. FOOD. 

A. Meat. 

1. Animals. We are apt to imagine the Indian living ex- 
clusively on roasted venison. In a country abounding in 
game of all kinds the meat question is easily disposed of if 
one is in possession of fairly efficient weapons. Everything 
was meat in a pinch from the lordly elk to the humble but 
tasty muskrat. An exclusive protein diet is not sufficient to 
support life, especially growing life, for an extended period. 
The Indian had a craving for fats. Deer fat is not readily 
assimilated as its melting point is higher than the tempera- 
ture of the human body. All bones found on village sites and 
in refuse pits have been cracked for the oily marrow. Por- 



The Hidden Story of the Grand Butte des Morts. 113 

cupines, skunks and raccoons suffered greatly from later 
Indians on account of their layers of fat ; hence we may rea- 
sonably assume that this liking for them was handed down. 

2. Shell fish. Numerous heaps of clam shells may still be 
seen on the banks of some of our lakes and rivers. I have 
noted several that were at least twenty feet in diameter and 
fully two feet thick. Some of these heaps must be very old 
as the shells are very brittle and chalky, especially near the 
bottom of the heap. One heap on the south bank of Overton 
creek has completely disintegrated into marl. Clam shells 
are scattered all over every campsite that is anywhere near 
the river. Old fire holes often yield many shells. Were these 
refuse pits or the remains of an interrupted clam-bake? 

The beds from which these clams were obtained lie gen- 
erally in water twelve to fifteen feet or more deep. Clams are 
better in cool weather than in the hot months. By what 
means did these people get such great quantities of clams 
from deep water at seasons of the year when diving would 
be a chilly proposition ? We have in our locality no material 
evidence that will clear this question. 

3. Fish. We have found the scales and bones of practical- 
ly every species of fish known to abound in our waters, from 
the lowly sheepshead to the mighty sturgeon. From the 
quantity of remains found on all campsites near water fish 
must have constituted a very large part of the diet at cer- 
tain seasons of the year. 

4. Waterfowl. Waterfowl of all kinds have always been 
very plentiful on our marshes and ricebeds. Would any In- 
dian pass up a nest of duck or mudhen eggs? 

5. Turtles. Bones of turtles are often found among camp- 
site debris. In 1931 we found a pile of at least half a bushel 
of turtle bones in a sandblow at Stanley's Landing where a 
refuse pit had been uncovered by the wind. In addition to 
the turtles themselves, the Indians ate every turtle egg they 
could find. 

B. Agriculture. 

1. General. We have ample evidence of a very extensive 
agriculture in garden beds and cornhills. Each family ap- 
peared to have its own little plot of ground. Another would 
be near it but with rows running in a different direction. 



114 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 3 



The increase in the size or requirements of a family can be 
seen in the shorter rows filling in the angles between the or- 
iginal gardens. 

The corn hills are not so numerous as garden beds but this 
may be due to their being confused with other hillocks. The 
hills at Plummers Point are about six feet apart. This might 
indicate they were used for some vine crop. Some tribe ^^, 
might have planted their crops in rows while some other ^|l 
tribe at some other time used the hill system. Who knows? 

Among and surrounding the gardens are numerous cache 
pits where the surplus crop was evidently stored. 

For me to enumerate the crops raised by these people 
would be mere conjecture or at most a list of the things 
raised by later Indians which might be modified by their 
commercial intercourse or by white influence. 

2. Wild rice. Wild rice was very abundant and all early 
explorers mention it as used for food. Early maps show 
Lake Butte Des Morts as largely covered with rice. Lake 
Winneconne was a small pond in the middle of a rice bed. 
Poygan was practically one solid rice bed as were most of 
the bays of Lake Winnebago and the margins of all slow- 
moving streams. Pits are found on ancient village sites 
that are similar to those used by present day Indians for 
threshing wild rice. 

3. Bulbs and roots. Many bulbs and roots were made to 
provide their quota of food. So-called "rat potatoes" were 
especially rich in starch. 

4. Sugar. Maple sugar was long known by the Indians. 
It must have been some task to boil it down before the in- 
troduction of the iron kettle. 

5. Fruits. Strawberries, gooseberries, raspberries, elder- 
berries, June-berries, blueberries, blackberries, wild cher- 
ries, cranberries, wild apples and plums grew native to this 
region. Many of the firmer kinds of these fruits were dried 
by later Indians. 

6. Nuts. Butternuts, hickorynuts and hazelnuts were the 
principal nut crops of this locality. One large grove of black 
walnut trees in the west central part of the county was the 
only instance of this species growing native. 

From the foregoing list it is seen that there was a very 
large variety of foodstuffs for the most part, of items gen- 



The Hidden Story of the Grand Butte des Morts. 115 

erally abundant. Except for the grains as corn and rice, the 
greater quantity was seasonal food. Meats, fish and fruits 
could be preserved by drying and smoking. Granted these 
people had a way of preserving and did preserve food for 
future use, we have no evidence they possessed storage fa- 
cilities that would keep it till time of need. The cache at its. 
best must have resulted in considerable loss from moulds in 
wet seasons and from the ravages of insects and animals. 

I do not wish to leave the impression that in this land of 
plenty there was always an abundance of food. In all time 
and in all countries there have been fat years and lean years. 
Within the past decade there have been two years when 
there was practically no wild rice. Such a crop failure in 
time of old would have been disastrous. 

II. CLOTHING. We have ample evidence that they killed 
and utilized all of the larger animals, their flesh for food, 
their bones and antlers for implements and their hides and 
skins for clothing or bedding. 

A. Elk. In a refuse pit in the Zellmer gravel kame we 
found broken elk antlers together with fragments of other 
large bones probably of buffalo or moose. Clarks beach pro- 
duced teeth and parts of antler. Other localities have yield- 
ed similar evidence. A sacred spring on Lake Poygan pro- 
duced so-called daggers and awls made from the front leg 
bone of elk. 

B. Deer. Deer bones and parts of antlers have been found 
on every campsite I have ever visited. Some of the antlers 
have the base still attached to a part of the skull while oth- 
ers have the rounded butt of the antler that has been shed. 

C. Bear. Many bear teeth have been found, some of 
which had been drilled and others notched to be used as or- 
naments or charms. Many bear toe bones have been picked 
up. These have often been confused with human toe bones 
and stories of cannibalism became rife when they were 
found in a refuse pit. 

D. Furs and skins. Beaver were abundant in Winnebago 
County. Their dams are still in evidence today on streams 
flowing thru wood lots and pastures. Many beaver teeth 
have been found. 

We have no evidence that the prehistoric inhabitants of 
this locality wore clothing of vegetable fibers. 



116 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

The patient researches of Messrs. Kannenberg, Dayton, 
Sheldon and others on the Richardson and McCauly proper- 
ties, Lake Drive, Oshkosh, have disclosed remains that in- 
clude practically the entire fauna of central Wisconsin. That 
these creatures had been utilized in some way is indicated 
by the fragmentary condition of their remains or by the ar- 
tifacts that had been fashioned from bones or antlers. The 
lower strata of this site contained, without question, the 
relics of a people who lived in a very remote past. 

III. SHELTER. 

A. Dwellings. Not one scrap of material evidence remains 
in this locality to show what sort of dwelling the Indian had 
before the time of the discovery. Historical mention is made 
of bark and rush wigwams. The early Indian used cattail 
mats woven with a warp of twisted bark for the walls of 
his wigwam. 

The woods Indians usually made a dome-shoped structure 
formed by bending and tying together the tops of pairs of 
saplings struck in the ground opposite each other in a circle. 
A small wigwam had twelve or sixteen such pairs. Where 
these poles crossed each other they were securely tied. Mats 
were tied to this framework to make a very comfortable 
dwelling especially when a small fire was lighted in the cen- 
ter. Light poles were suspended from the framework across 
above the fire for the purpose of drying garments or meat. 

The Menomini sometimes used a long community house in 
summer. In this house each family had its own fire. 

The furniture consisted of bulrush mats and blanket and 
skin bedding which was rolled up and placed at the sides 
during the daytime. 

B. Habitat. We find many large village sites near or on 
the waterways. We have also found a large number of sites 
which, to the white man, are in most unexpected places. 
The shores of every marsh of any considerable size has 
somewhere a well-defined site. What attraction made those 
places desirable when even the usual spring of water is re- 
mote or often entirely lacking is beyond a white man's un- 
derstanding. When a large site was located with a wide 
marsh between it and a river or lake and we wonder why it 
was so located, might it not be better to first answer the 
question, "Which is the older, the marsh or the village site?" 



The Hidden Story of the Grand Butte des Morts. 117 

IV. CRAFTS AND ARTS. 

A. Woodworking. We do know that Indians used wooden 
implements which required skill to fabricate. Why not other 
utensils? We accept without question bows, arrows and 
spears. 

1. Canoes. Their principal villages were near waterways. 
Earliest visitors found them in possession of good canoes 
and skilled in their use. The dugout canoe was made of pine. 
Pine of the very best quality grew on the banks of the Wolf 
River. The birch bark canoe was in more general use as it 
could be constructed more cheaply than the dugout, but it 
required constant attention to keep it shipshape. 

2. Weapons: bows and arrows, spears and warclubs. 

3. Handles for axes, mauls, picks, hoes, adzes, knives and 
scrapers. 

4. Paddles, papoose boards and canoe strips. 

5. Pipe stems and flutes. 

6. Drums of all styles. 

7. Snow shoe frames and lacrosse sticks. 

8. Mortars and pestles. 

9. Birch and other bark baskets and containers. 

10. Methods of woodworking. Felling trees by fire, mak- 
ing cavities by charring and gouging, and shaping by char- 
ring and scraping have long been popularly supposed to have 
been the common method of fabricating wooden articles. 
While there may be some basis in fact for the above theory, 
I believe most of the work was done with a good sharp stone 
axe, adze or scraper. Nearly every piece of flint from nearby 
villages shows in some manner the work of human hands. 
Practically every piece of flint or other hard stone that 
broke off with a sharp edge shows marks of usage. We find 
highly specialized specimens of knives, scrapers and drills, 
but ranging along between these type forms are hundreds of 
others. Any sharp-edged stone was a knife if the Indian 
needed a knife. It became a scraper if he was in need of 
such a tool. I believe a flint hoe was an adze, a hoe or a 
weapon as occasion demanded. A piece of flint securely fas- 
tened to a handle becomes a very efficient tool. 

a. Riving and splitting. Indians did manage to split out 
long thin strips for their canoe ribs and gunwales, paddles, 
cradle boards, snowshoe frames and many other things. I 



118 . WISCONSIN AUCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

have not found stones that show signs of ever having been 
used as a wedge, neither have I seen any copper imple- 
ment that had the battered appearance of a wedge. 

The spUnts for baskets were prepared by pounding an ash 
log with a maul till the growth rings separated from each 
other. They were then peeled off and trimmed to the right 
width. 

b. Bending. Ribs for canoes, papoose cradles, bows for 
snowshoes, toboggans, basket handles, and lacrosse sticks 
were made of bent wood. Somewhere the Indian learned to 
bend wood by softening the grain, making his bend, and 
then drying to shape. 

c. Drilling. First explorers found pipes of drilled stone; 
we have a right to suppose they drilled wood. 

B. Drills. These beautiful, long, slender flint drills mus 
have been made to use on wood. The points do not show 
they were ever used on stone. They are nearly always brok- 
en when found. Drilling a deep hole with a fragile drill, even 
a steel drill, requires great care to prevent snapping the tool. 
The ends of the thwarts of canoes, papoose cradles and many 
other articles had holes thru them where they were fastened 
together by cords or thongs. 

C. Glueing. Pipestems and flutes were made by splitting 
a stick, gouging a hollow down thru the center of each por 
tion and then glueing the pieces together. Feathers were 
fastened to arrow shafts with glue. Our river Indians pre-- 
pared their glue from the air bladder of sturgeon. 

D. Pitch and gums. The Indians early learned to put 
grease in pitch to keep it from cracking. They used it on the 
joints of canoes, bark mococks and buckets. 

All Indians had a wonderful knowledge of the adaptability 
of the different kinds of woods for the use intended. 

E. Stone working. 

There is a side to this problem that is seldom considered. 
Thanks to former relic hunters who saw only the spectacu- 
lar and left all the rest, we are able to find a great deal of 
material that helps us in our study of the human side of 
these people. From the number of hammer stones and the 
battered appearance of many we may judge they were handy 
tools. If we take a stone and use it for pecking or crumbling 



I 



The Hidden Story of the Grand Butte des Morts. 119 

on a flat surface, such as the blade of a stone axe, it takes on 
a certain appearance. An Indian hammer stone having a 
similar appearance was without question used for a like pur- 
pose. In the same way we can pick out such as were used 
for making arrow points, or other reworked flint artifacts, 
and to a less certain degree other processes. Lap stones very 
much indented and battered show that the Indian used an 
anvil. 

Pieces of sandstone show on a side or edge or both that 
they have been ground smooth. Use any piece of sandstone 
for grinding on a harder stone and soon you will have a sur- 
face that resembles the Indians' abrading stone. The sur- 
face must be kept wet or the abrading stone will *'clog up." 
This is also true in drilling in stone with a stone drill. 

Chert pecking stones are quite rare. Why this should be 
so when they do the work about twice as fast as other stone 
I cannot explain. 

A quite rare type of artifact is made in the shape of a 
barbed arrow but having one side perfectly flat. We call 
them turtle backs. Another tool is spud-like but has a dis- 
tinct upward turn on the round cutting edge. There are 
dozens of other modifications of the scraping or cutting tool 
which do not fit any classification but which did the work 
for those housekeepers or artizans of old. 

F. Copper. Prehistoric implements of copper are so fa- 
miliar that it would be a mere waste of time to cover that 
ground. 

G. Bone, antler and shell : ( 1 ) awls and so-called daggers ; 
(2) flakers, chippers and pottery decorators; (3) barbed 
spears; (4) teeth for flakers and ornaments; (5) game 
counters and ornaments; (6) spoons. 

H. Weaving and plaiting. 
&r 1. Cattail mats for wigwams. These mats were not woven 
^K on a loom but the warp was inserted thru the weft elements 
^»vith a long needle or bone. 

^B 2. Floor mats of bulrush were woven in a similar manner 
^■except that the thumb was used to part the rushes for the 
^Pwarp. Both cattails and bulrushes were boiled till all the 
sap was removed and the fibers toughened. 
3. Baskets of wood splints, grass and twigs. 



120 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 



4. Snow shoes; woven with a single thong passed from 
one side to the other. 

5. Squaw bags were woven from bark, roots and other 
fibers. 

I. Sewing. 

1. Thread, twine and cordage. 

a. Inner bark of willow, basswood and slippery elm. 

b. Fibrous roots and moosewood. 

c. Thongs cut from tanned hides and from rawhide. 

d. Sinew from a deer's back. 

2. Awls, of copper, bone and antler, flint or thorns. 

3. Needles. Small needles were unknown before, the ad- 
vent of the white man. The few crude-eyed copper needles 
now in museum cases are insufficient proof of the general 
use of this type of artifact. Curved needles with a round 
hole drilled near the middle were made from a split rib and 
used to make mats. 

Porcupine quills were said to have been used in a man- 
ner similar to that of a shoemaker attaching a bristle to his 
waxend. 

Sinew must be moistened before use. The most conveni-^ 
ent means of keeping the thread moist was to hold it in theU| 
mouth with the unmoistened end sticking out. This hard 
end could be very readily poked thru an awl hole and the_^ 
stitches made with considerable speed. ^B 

Garments, moccasins, ornaments and decorations, birch 
bark utensils, canoes and a host of other things were sewed 
together. , 

J. Pottery. 

With the development of pottery ancient man arose from 
a mere animal existence to a remarkably high standard of 
living. Boiled food, soups and gruels were added to his 
fare. The inhabitants of this locality appear to have been 
plentifully supplied with serviceable vessels. Many of the^ 
pieces were of pleasing design and were often artistically^| 
decorated. They had small cups and bowls and other vessels 
of varying sizes up to great pots that would hold several^ 
gallons. 

The cooking pots had a rounded or a somewhat pointed' 
bottom. We find holes that have layers of ash and charcoal] 



I 



The Hidden Story of the Grand Butte des Morts. 121 

in the bottom. It is generally conceded that cooking was 
done by placing the pot in a firehole over a bed of coals. 
I have often wondered what they used for a pot cover. I 
think we have abundant proof that the old Yankee bean hole 
was an adoption and not an invention. I wonder if the New 
England clambake was not also borrowed from the abori- 
gines. Hominy, samp and hulled corn are other examples of 
Indian cookery that cannot be improved upon. 

Pottery, pipes, beads and ornaments are found. There are 
no duplicates in design or decoration. 

The squaw of old must have experienced a heap of satis- 
faction from her dishes that is not shared by the housewife 
of today. If she were showing off her pottery to the other 
members of the sewing circle, she could be certain no other 
old squaw would bob up and say "Why! I had one just like 
that, but I gave it to the washwoman." 

K. Tanning. Hides and skins do not keep over summer on 
account of "grease burn". Bugs and insects take their toll of 
furs and robes unless prepared by tanning. Indians were 
very skillful tanners. A part of their process required the 
use of scrapers. A very large number of flint scrapers of dif- 
ferent sizes were used, but all had one end rounded off from 
a flat side making a cutting edge. I have been told that some 
of our most skillful tanners of today use an exactly similar 
tool, and Dr. M. R. Gilmore is quoted*^ as having seen this 
type of implement so used by the Sioux. 

V. COMMERCE. 

Evidence of commercial intercourse is seen in the numer- 
ous artifacts of kinds of stone not native to this section: 
quartzite, rhyolite, quartz, blue flint, painted flint, flint from 
Flint Ridge, chalcedony, obsidian, hematite, catlinite, slate, 
steatite and greenstone. Copper was obtained from the re- 
gion near Lake Superior ; sea shells from the coast. All this 
implies that something must have been given in trade. What 
did they have that was desirable to exchange? We have 
no right to assume that all this interchange was brought 
about by war or conquest. 

VI. MEDICINE. The researches of Huron Smith and 
many other workers among four different tribes have shown 



McKem, W. C, personal communication. 



122 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 3 



that they not only had a very wide knowledge of the medic- 
inal value of plants and herbs but that this knowledge has 
been handed down from the remote past. The Indian made 
long journeys to collect plants which had some special vir- 
tue as medicine. Medicine Brook, in Marinette County, 
takes its name from the fact that Indians every summer 
made pilgrimages to that locality to "gather medicine". 

VII. DIVISION OF LABOR. In the highly specialized 
and elaborately wrought artifacts and the beautiful decora- 
tions on the pottery the hand of the artist or master crafts- 
man is seen. This points to a division of labor not attain- 
able where the work was merely passed on to the squaws 
and old men. 

VIII. RELIGION. The remains left by prehistoric peo- 
ple easily lead the casual observer to believe them to have 
been idolators. They built effigy mounds. History records 
their belief in the Great Spirit, a supreme being. Their con- 
cept of a future life in another place, The Happy Hunting 
Ground, was to them an absolute certainty. 

The Indian buried his dead in consecrated ground. Grande 
Butte des Morts, Mas-pah-que-te-noh-tah, the big mound, or 
hill, of the dead, has long been revered as sacred ground by 
the Indians. Here the dead were laid to rest. All who died 
away from the home village were brought back and interred 
with fitting ceremony. If circumstances prevented bringing 
the body home the same season the demise occurred, the 
remains were safeguarded till the bones could be returned to 
rest with those of their fathers. This was the bundle burial. 
It is owing to the custom of burying a man's choicest pos- 
sessions with him, for use in his future abode, that we are 
indebted for much of our knowledge of the past. 

The effigy mound is no more an evidence of idolatry than 
is the Masonic Temple, the Elks Club or the Moose Hall. 
The Indian built a mound to represent the animal, bird or 
spirit which possessed some superior quality which he was 
b6und by his sectarian ties to emulate. His fraternal organ- 
ization was a part of his religion. He hit on a scheme that 
the white man has missed; he takes his wife along to lodge 
meeting. There is no later discussion in the wigwam regard- 
ing his whereabouts on the night in question. 



I 



I 



The Hidden Story of the Grand Butte des Morts, 123 

An Indian will not deliberately lie, but he can be mighty 
indefinite. 

We must go back five hundred years in our own civiliza- 
tion when we compare the life story of these people with 
that of the whites. We will find that the great majority of 
white people worked harder and had less variety in their 
fare. Lacking tools that would take off a chip or a shaving, 
the Indian used a scraper and an abrading stone. He ac- 
complished results that were substantial and satisfactory, 
when the time element was not considered. 

In Conclusion: The Indian (1) lived on a balanced ration 
of cooked food ; (2) he was warmly clad in tanned furs and 
skins; (3) he lived in warm dry wigwams; (4) working with 
the crudest tools he was able to accomplish results that were 
substantial and often of real artistic merit; (5) he traded 
with his neighbors ; (6) he was religious ; (7) when the nec- 
essities of life were abundant he had opportunity to culti- 
vate his artistic side and enjoy recreations; (8) above all, 
he was not an object to be pitied. 

These people, who were as yet innocent of the baneful 
effects of the by-products of white man's so-called civiliza- 
tion, met and solved the problems of the great struggle for 
existence in a manner which should give them a place among 
the favored of GOD'S Children. 



124 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 



RECORD SUGGESTIONS FOR THE 
ARCHAEOLOGIST 

Wilton E. Erdman 

Business accounting has been scientifically and success- 
fully applied to most commercial enterprises. Few people, 
however, have put much thought to devising means for less- 
ening the labors involved in recording other human endeav- 
ors and activities. In commerce, accounting is the analysis 
and interpretation of commercial records and the creation 
of systems, as well as the insistence of mathematical exact- 
ness in bookkeeping procedure. A business man should 
know how his establishment is progressing from month to 
month to prevent mistakes and loss of time, money, materi- 
al, and labor due to changes in economic conditions and mis- 
management. To bring about efficiency in merchandising, 
production, management, and finance policies, records have 
been well standardized for the bookkeeper relative to me- 
chanical details. Generally, the desire to acquire knowledge 
means the necessity of records; the introduction of records 
brings routine; and routine means irksome labor, unless re- 
sults can be obtained through the minimum of effort. Why 
cannot some of the principles and practices of business ac- 
counting, therefore, be transferred to the field of archaeolo- 
gy ? Naturally, the mathematical element would be missing, 
but the columnar form of most journals — books of original 
entry — can be used to advantage. 

As an amateur in accounting, as well as in archaeology, 
the forms presented are humbly submitted for the approval 
of my colleagues. Once a thought is conceived, it can be rec- 
tified, improved, or enlarged upon by the conditions, by ex- 
perience, or by the specific tastes of each individual. In the 
forms shown, a collector is undoubtedly confronted at all 
times with the fundamental information that will make his 
finds of value and interesting. Additional columns with oth- 
er headings or changes can be made to suit the inclinations 
of the student. 

In devising any form, the two following points are prob- 
ably of paramount importance: 



Record Suggestions for the Archaeologist. 125 

1. What facts are wanted or what information is desired? 

2. How shall those facts be named and grouped to make 
the best possible headings and arrangement for entry pur- 
poses ? 

COLUMNAR FORM FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL 
RECORD BOOK 

Relative to the facts for an Archaeological Record Book, 
the following six major questions can be asked: 

1. What was found? (Item) 

2. When was it found? (Date) 

3. Where was it found? (Location) 

4. Who found it? (Finder) 

5. Who has it? (Owner) 

6. What are the present conditions surrounding the find 
and what were the prehistoric circumstances, if possible? 

The meaning of each columnar-heading selected for the 
form, using the questions as a basis, is quite obvious. No. 
stands for the numerical order of the entries and the speci- 
mens are numbered with India ink when listed in the record. 
Date means the calendar time that the artifact was found. 
Item means the type of artifact found i. e., drill, ax, knife, 
and so forth. Material refers to the composition of the find, 
for example, quartz, chalcedony, jasper, chert, deer horn, 
copper, etc.; here, we sometimes require the assistance of 
the petrologist, chemist, mineralogist, anthropologist, zo- 
ologist, geologist, and other specialists to help us determine 
the definite nature of the evidence. 

For the general heading of Location, the geographical 
designations of Township, County, and State places the site 
roughly in mind. The Surveyor's Key provides horizontal 
and vertical comparisons through the numbering of town- 
ship and range lines, as well as denoting location. The Sec- 
tion No. column, however, numbering 1 to 36 and only one 
square mile in area, places the site definitely in mind be- 
cause of the small territory covered. To m.ake the position of 
the sites even more lucid, sections should be subdivided and 
listed as N. E. 14, N. W. 14, S. E. %, or S. W. 14, whenever 
possible, for a spot on 160 acres is more easy to locate than 
a site on 640 acres, — the area of a section. 



126 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 3 

















a 








1 








■ ^ 














1 


CO 












Is 








0) 


^ 






o 




1 










rt 






»:H 




JB 


















o 




"s-i 


















s 




o 


















w«J 










ttI 




> 




















^ 




u 
























3 


1^ 










1. 

O 




- 


















"5 








g 




iS 










l«^ 








t^ . 


^ 


i5 










^ 








^ 


O 


w 


















s 


H 




















jq 






















/^ 


< 






















o 


s 














M 








fc. 


>. 






















■+J 




































§6 












6 








0) 




S^ 


























^ 




_ 










1 
















PLI 




03 










ft 








T^ 




O rt 










to 








p: 




tQ 










C 








03 




X 










o 








r^ 














H 








V> 






1 














r^ 


















1 




50 




>> 






















u 








£ 




^ 












^ 












g.^^ 

g°^ 










__ 












O 










3 












H 


j . 






V 














I 


























i 












na a> 




























C«M-M 
































1 








W ^ 






• 




s 
















1 




0) 


, 


' 












1 




■*j 
















1 










5^ 
o 




1 " 






1 






















o 














1 ■ 




1 








Cq 








h 


1 
1 


Q 








8 




I'S 






1 


o 








o^ 


Jz; 








C;^ 










{^ 










c^ 


5 







Record Suggestions for the Archaeologist. ' 127 

Listing the Owner of Site under a separate column prob- 
ably proves more advantageous to the present than it does 
to the future. Due to the frequent changes in propAetor- 
ship, the significance of having the owner's name on the 
record is lost. One hundred years from now, people will not 
know who owned ''such and such" a piece of land — although 
laborious research delving into records might supply the in- 
formation. 

Listing nicknames of sites under Name of Site frequently 
gives an immediate understanding as to exact location. This 
proves particularly useful if a stranger wants to view a site ; 
if he asks a local resident about "Quick's Point", the resi- 
dent can generally inform him where it is. Besides, nick- 
names seem to linger over some localities for centuries, pass- 
ing by word of mouth from generation to generation. Such 
perpetuation gives them a decided value. 

The heading Kind of Site means the probable use to which 
the site was put, such as, campsite, workshop site, village 
site, battlefield, cemetery, mound, hunting site, refuse pit, 
etc. The bits of evidence picked up on the field will provide 
means for making deductions. Potsherds usually indicate a 
campsite while an abundance of stone chips and flakes in- 
variably indicates a workshop site. In determining the kind 
of site, the natural surroundings must be taken into consid- 
eration ; for example, artifacts found near a spring may in- 
dicate a hunting site. Sometimes, it is difficult to put a site 
completely into one category because evidence inclines one 
to believe that it may have served several purposes. If that 
^ is the case, all probable purposes should be listed. 

Special physical features and formations should be listed 
under the heading Topography. Rivers, lakes, moraines, 
J slopes, kettles, gravel pits, marshes, springs, ravines, out- 
! wash plains, etc., are well to have in mind when deciding 
r sites and marking locations. In providing the necessities of 
, life — food, clothing and shelter — for himself, family, ana 
■ tribe, the Indian had to select profitable locations. Hills on 
. leeward side of some lake or stream proved good camping 
i e^'ounds by giving shelter. Lakes with abundant fish, for- 
ests inhabited with edible animals, and fertile spots for agri- 
- culture were all considered by the Indian because they pro- 
vided food. Springs furnished the best drinking water. 



128 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

Woods furnished clothing as well as food because the furs 
and skins of animals living there could be utilized for gar- 
ments^ Rivers and lakes also provided transportation for 
canoes made from the bark or wood of trees. The topo- 
graphy and vegetation of the land, therefore, had much to 
do in determining the use of a certain space. 

As the United States Geological Survey has not completely 
mapped all the townships in Wisconsin, the student is often 
handicapped in recording his sites. The topography shown 
by the contour lines is a distinct advantage to the research 
worker because he can at once mark his spots. The ability 
of county officials to supply adequate information depends 
entirely upon the amount of surveying done by that partic- 
ular county. In most cases, the material available from 
them is meagre, and the student must rely upon his own 
skill in producing a presentable map. 

Historical data of the site enlarges the powers of one's 
mind to picture the activities that once took place on the 
area being covered. The last tribe inhabiting the region 
under observation or the sequence of tribal control, where 
ascertainable, together with the artifacts found, might 
prove a great deal in establishing cultures. Concentration 
to definite areas is desirable in archaeological research ; yet, 
where one's studies are varied and scattered, historical data 
is necessary to prevent confusion. 

Map No. refers to the number of the map on which the 
site pertaining to the item found is marked. If a separate 
division for maps in the rear of the loose-leaf record is cre- 
ated, they will be easily accessible for reference, compari- 
son, and additions. 

Site No. is the specific number of the field on which im- 
plements were found. As new sites are found, they should 
be given numbers and marked on the map covering that 
region. 

By Whom Found establishes the identity of the finder. 
This is important if it is necessary to verify or additional 
information is wanted. Many times the one who finds the 
artifact is not the one who has possession of it. 

By Whom Owned establishes the identity of the owner. 
Purchases, gifts, or personal finds, moreover, are easily re- 



Record Sugg-estions for the Archaeologist. 129 

corded and their disposal at any time by a sale can also be 
shown with a notation. 

Remarks can show all miscellaneous information that 
might be considered important relative to the find. 

Another thing to remember is that there should be tem- 
porary tabulations in the field as the specimens are found. 
Envelopes, bags, and boxes will serve the purpose of collect- 
ing mediums and upon these can be written the noteworthy 
points or salient features to be later on duly recorded in the 
entry book. The ideal method is to have the sites listed for 
reference and make entries in the record from the field notes 
at the end of the day. One's memory should not be depended 
upon because it is too easy to forget. Once a record has been 
devised and the specimens have been marked numerically 
with India ink, the data means something to the profession- 
al investigator and research worker. 

The resourceful detective to-day collects all the clues upon 
the scene of any crime or mystery. With these bits of evi- 
dence, he builds up a chain of testimony to solve his problem. 
Just as the detective operates, so the professional archaeolo- 
gist works in solving prehistoric life. The Indians and ab- 
origines have left many clues scattered over thousands of 
square miles of territory that need to be gathered, recorded, 
analyzed, and interpreted. The amateur can help gather and 
record such clues as come his way and then turn his findings 
over to the specialist to analyze and interpret. In this way, 
a chain of testimony can likewise be constructed to give us 
solutions to our many queries. 

If a standardized form could be adopted by all private col- 
lectors, it would greatly assist museum staffs and societies 
engaged in studying antiquities by segregating material 
and information for them in definite form. Data could be 
more easily compiled and future researches would be prob- 
ably more effective due to the ease of going through many 
records. Without a doubt, much hidden material would al- 
so be brought to light. 

COMPARATIVE COLUMNAR FORM FOR NOTES 
ON INDIAN TRIBES 

In writing down notes from reading and in making com- 
parisons, such a form as listed above might be of value in 
quoting excerpts or registering sources of information. In 



130 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11. No. 3 



o 

I 

o 

o 

i 

O 



be 



0) 



I 
I 

I 
I 

I 









P! 












o 




































CIS 
























73 












Q. 












O 












Ah 






Q 


















W 
























Ph 






0) 






P 






s 






8 


H 


c 
o 






o 


W 


•+3 

c4 








o 


« 
Ph 


> 








(1) 






(4 






fe 






« 






1?^ 






» 












H 












^ 












to 












w 












0) 
























cS 












" 




















03 










C 




















S 












1 














rt ^ 














Ah 




! 












cS 










C 




















bo 






















' 




O 


1 




















£c 
















H 2 








« 






125 














o 
















M 








> 


^ 














Q 


H 


. 






^ 































I 

I 

bo 

a 



bo 
Ph 

I 

2 



CO 

I 

o 

o 
o 



1 ^• 






K g^b 






War 

gnific 
n U. 
Histo 












w 




! 




^ 






c 






0) 






•a 






c 


















> 













o 


1 


c 






o 












*s 


















« 






« 




s 


i 




c 












hi 


j 




O 2 






S 






< 




9) 






bO 






a 






3 






bo 


! 




c 




Ui 


e8 


1 


« 


J 


1 






! 




j 


hJ 




[ 


P 






O 


to 

t: 


1 










V 


















<u 






J3 






M 


1 




bo 








C 
















J3 
















o 
















O 








'2 








X 








ElH 






CO 








o 


1 






w 


s 






« 




1 


W 




1 






1 








< 


, 






« 


c4 






< 








W 


;». 






o 


Pm 







Record Sugg-estions for the Archaeologist. 131 

theory this form may seem of more value than it might be 
in practice. The amount of detail involved for the space al- 
lotted to each heading, moreover, might be too great for a 
thorough use of the columnar form. It is submitted primari- 
ly as a suggestion for the organization of material. The 
author frankly admits the labor and limitations involved in 
filling out such a form accurately and completely. 

In regard to forms, one thing should be kept in mind con- 
cerning the facts that are wanted and the acquisition of 
such facts. It is easier to know what knowledge is wanted 
than to secure that knowledge ; in a like manner, it is easier 
to ask a question than to answer it. Sometimes years, dec- 
ades, and even centuries of labor and thought are required 
to provide what is wanted. The headings in the columnar 
form for tribal comparisons are in reality a tabulation of 
facts that are wanted, and the acquisition of data under 
some of the headings is diflficult in certain cases because 
much work still has to be done in many fields of research. 

Since ignorance means an absence of knowledge and fail- 
ure is the result of ignorance, we are failures in the field of 
archaeology because we are ignorant — unwillingly so — of 
the truth and facts. If we knew precisely how life originat- 
ed, developed, and spread to all corners of the earth and had 
an accurate account of the history of the past, we would not 
ponder as we do on such puzzling pre-historic problems, 
theories, and suppositions. As science, in its progress, un- 
folds the truth and facts of this universe, we shall. become 
more intelligent, sensible, and wise ; yet, some of the riddles 
may never be solved or answered. On the other hand, it is 
possibly better that we do not know all and are at least par- 
tially ignorant because a quest for knowledge adds a spice 
to life. 

Regarding the divisions of the various stocks, tribes, and 
tribal branches, linguists have compiled some interesting 
and convincing material showing the relationship of most 
known groups. Without a doubt, however, certain re-classi- 
fications will occur due to further studies in the science of 
philology amongst the Indians. Tribal history, tradition, 
characteristics, and culture should also be examined as well 
as language for a final determination of ties that link a tribe 
with others. 



132 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 3 



o 

O 

I 

o 
o 

bo 
03 
Ph 

§ 

I 

«+H 
0) 



I 
I 

bo 



1 


"1 












11 


bo 

¥ 

Q 




^ 


o 


J 






w 


1 


^ 






§ 






s 


wl^ 






§6 






i 






L3 








H 






rt 






.2 






1 






1 

1 






6 






1 

5 


-! 






1 













I 

I 

I 

' I 

bo 

PL, 



9^ 

bo 
03 
Plh 
T5 

CO 

I 

o 
o 

CO 

o 



CO 






M 






l4 
















*n 








o 






^ 
























C u 








o c 








is 
















6w ■ 


















oS 










.§ 










C 










<J 








tn 


1 
































3 












4.) 












^ 












h 






o 






o 






5z; 






S 






g 




< 






1 




A 








S 










S 


w 










W 




1 












$§ 

S--3 












PM > 












s 
^ 






C 












o 












•^ 












eJ 












w 












^ 
















o'S 
















«« s 








tiS 








< 






c 








o 








11 
















sg 


1 1 




cS 


1 1 










-OS 








c'C 








3 a> 








II 







Record Suggestions for the^ Archaeologist. 133 

Since the Wisconsin student will probably confine most of 
his efforts to the Winnebago, Menominee, Sioux or Dakota, 
Sac, Fox, Chippewa or Ojibway, Shawnee, Potawatomi — 
forest and prairie (Mascouteris) — ,and possibly some of the 
Iroquois tribes transferred to Wisconsin reservations, the 
columnar form might prove exceptionally advantageous. 
When hundreds of tribes are considered, it is apt to become 
unwieldy in the maze of detail unless a fixed purpose is kept 
in mind. 

ADDITIONAL EXPLANATIONS PERTAINING TO 

COMPARATIVE COLUMNAR FORM FOR NOTES 

ON MOUNDS AND EXCAVATIONS 

The comparative columnar form for notes on mounds and 
excavations might be advantageous in making summaries 
of a site with many mounds or making summaries of , all 
mounds known to exist in a given region. Most of the head- 
ings chosen are self-explanatory. To make myself more 
clear on one or two, I might, however, say the following: 

LocafiotZr-Human-Burial. Mention should be made of: 

A. Compass direction body is buried i. e., is body placed 

in N. to S., E. to W., N. W. to S. E., or N. E. to 
S. W. position? 

B. Horizontal position of body"^^ (Placement of the 

body relative to the shape of the mound) 

1. Shoulder 

2. Near major axis of body 

3. Hip 

4. Point equadistant between shoulder and hip 

5. Heart 

6. Head 

C. Vertical position of body (Depth of interment) 

1. Pit — below mound floor (Oval, round, or recti- 

linear) 

2. Mound floor 

3. Above mound floor 



'^'McKem, W. C, Kletzien & Nitschke Mound Groups, Mil. Publ. 
Mus. Bull. Vol. 3, no. 4, p. 448. 



134 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

Tt/pe-Human-Burial. Are burials: 

1. Flesh 

a. Extended (Side, back, or face down) 

b. Flexed 

c. Sitting (rare) 

d. Standing (rare) 

2. Bundle 

3. Cremated? 

Also, are burials inclusive or intrusive? 

Ceremonial Evidences i. e., existence of altars (earthen or 
stone) or refuse heaps indicating some rites, religious or 
otherwise. 

If any photographs are taken, they can be numbered and 
the number applicable to the burial indicated in the refer- 
ence column. 

CONCLUSION 

Once a form has been decided upon, copies can be made 
with the mimeograph, ditto, or other duplicating machine. 

The author does not claim that any of the forms shown 
are perfect because improvements in terminology and 
groupings can perhaps be made. Such forms as are shown, 
however, are given to Hlustrate the advantages of organized 
reasoning, study, and reference facilities derived from 
columnar groupings. Available facts coming to our atten- 
tion over a long period of years are, thereby, at once access- 
ible and, we have a review or complete picture of previous 
topics covered*. 

Suggestions for improvement and criticism on this phase 
of archaeology are kindly solicited. 



Archeolog'ical Notes. 135 



ARCHEOLOGICAL NOTES 

Meetings 

January 18, 1932. President Charles G. Schoewe presided at this 
meeting. There were forty members and visitors present. 

It was announced that at the Executive Board meeting, held earlier 
in the evening, there had been elected as annual members Arden E. 
Sheldon, Oshkosh, and Burton Kannenburg, Milwaukee. The pro- 
posed preservation of a group of three Indian mounds in the Upper 
Mississippi River region, in Fountain City Bay State Park, was made 
known. These mounds had been mutilated by relic hunters but could 
be restored and should be marked with a tablet. This the State Con- 
servation Commission would be asked to do when this new state park 
area was formally accepted by the State. The first number on the 
program of the evening meeting was an address by Mr. George S. 
Overton of Butte des Morts on the subject of "Reconstructing the 
Prehistoric Life of Winnebago County". Mr. Overton, an archeologi- 
cal investigator with years of experience, had taken up the work of 
completing and continuing the archeological survey of his home 
county begun years ago by the late Hon. Publius V. Lawson of Me- 
nasha, a former leading member of the Wisconsin Archeological So- 
ciety. Mr. Overton told of his own researches in a very interesting 
way and in detail. 

Mr. Robert P. Ferry of Lake Mills spoke on "Aztalan," recounting 
the history of the discovery of this important prehistoric enclosure, 
and told other interesting facts concerning it. Both addresses were 
discussed by various members in attendance at the meeting. Mr. 
Theodore T. Brown of the Neville Public Museum, Green Bay, pre- 
sented an account of some of the results of field work in Brown and 
adjoining counties. 

At the close of the meeting specimens of Indian stone implements 
were exhibited by several of the members present and their interest 
briefly discussed by President Schoewe. 

It was announced that this was the one hundredth anniversary 
year of the Black Hawk War, a sanguinary conflict which began in 
April 1832 between the Sauk Indians under Black Hawk and the 
pioneer settlers of southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. 

February 15, 1932. President Charles G. Schoewe in the chair. 
There were fifty members and visitors in attendance. Secretary 
Brown anounced the election of Paul Boehland, Milwaukee, and Kurt 
M. Bleck, Beaver Dam, as annual members. The President had ap- 
pointed as a nominating committee to nominate officers for the ensu- 
ing year Messrs. Barrett, West and Richter. They would report 
at the March meeting of the Society. Members were requested to pre- 
pare papers to be presented at the Joint Meeting to be held with 
the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters at Milwaukee, 
on April 8 and 9. 

This being the George Washington Bicentennial year, a Washing- 
ton program was presented. The speaker was Rev. James Henry Lee 
of Wauwatosa, who delivered an inspiring address on "George 
Washington". Dr. Herbert W. Kuhm supplemented this address with 
an interesting paper on "The Indians of George Washington's State." 
Both the address and the paper were discussed by some of the mem- 
bers in attendance. 

At the close of the meeting exhibits of Indian implements and other 
specimens were made by C. G. Schoewe, Paul Joers and C. E. Brown. 



136 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

March 21, 1932. The Annual Meeting of The Wisconsin Archeo- 
logical Society was held in the auditorium of the Milwaukee Public 
Museum, President Schoewe presiding. There were three hundred 
members and visitors present. The Secretary announced the election 
of Hugo Haring, Milwaukee, as an annual member, and the death of 
Edward D. Payne, of Springfield, Illinois, a life member. 

As chairman of the nominating committee. Dr. Barrett submitted 
the following report: 

REPORT OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE OF THE 
WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

To the president of the Wisconsin Archeological Society: 

Your committee wishes to report that it has carefully considered 
the matter of nominations for the ensuing year, and that in the 
course of these deliberations there arose a question as to legal com- 
position of the officiary of the Society. Upon referring to the "Arti- 
cles of Incorporation" as published in the Wisconsin Archeologist 
(Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 108-110) and to the Society's "By-laws" (Same 
reference pp. Ill, 112), and to an amendment to the same entitled 
"Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the Wisconsin Ar- 
cheological Society" dated March, 1904, the same being recorded 
in the office of the Recorder of the County of Milwaukee on May 7, 
1904, these records appearing in Vol. T. P. 220, 221, 222, it was as- 
certained that the following procedure is mandatory in accordance 
with the wording of Article Four, which reads as follows: 

"Fourth: The general officers of said corporation shall be a Presi- 
dent, five Vice-Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer, and a Board 
of ten Directors, from among which number of Directors shall be 
elected the foregoing named officers and which Board of Directors 
shall constitute the Executive Board. These officers and directors 
shall be elected by ballot at each regular annual meeting of the So- 
ciety, each of which shall hold his office for one year and until his 
successor be elected and qualified." 

From the foregoing article, which is obviously the legal authority 
under which the election of officers in this society must proceed, it 
appears that we are bound and limited in our action as a committee 
on nominations to propose for election at this time a total of ten in- 
dividuals all told. 

We therefore unanimously nominate the following: 
For President, Mr. W. C. McKern 

First Vice-President, Dr. A. L. Kastner 
Second Vice-President, Mr. W. W. Oilman 
Third Vice-President, Mr. R. J. Kieckheifer 
Fourth Vice-President, Dr. H. W. Kuhm 
Fifth Vice-President, Rev. F. S. Dayton 
Treasurer, Mr. G. M. Thorne 
S^ecretary, Mr. Charles E. Brown 
For Directors : The above named eight persons and also 
Mr. Charles G. Schoewe 
Mr. George A. West. 

Respectfully Submitted 
S. A. Barrett 
Geo. A. West 
E. F. Richter • 
Milwaukee, Wis., 
March 21, 1932. 

Committee on Nominations 
On the motion of Dr. H. W. Kuhm this report was accepted and 
these officers were elected. 



Archeological Notes. 137 

Dr. Barrett introduced the following resolution, prepared by Mr. 
West: 

Milwaukee, Wis., 
March 21, 1932. 

WHEREAS, it is thought desirable that the Wisconsin Archeologi- 
cal Society form and elect an Advisory Council, consisting of twenty 
(20) members, in order that their advice may be available in the ad- 
vancement and broadening of the objects for which it was organized. 

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Wisconsin Ar- 
cheological Society, hereby, establish an Advisory Council, consist- 
ing of twenty. (20) of its members, to be elected at its annual meet- 
ing by and from the members of this Association, — each of such 
members to hold the position for the term of one year or until a suc- 
cessor is elected. 

Any nominating committee, appointed by the President of this So- 
ciety for the purpose of nominating directors and officers, shall at the 
same time suggest nominations for members of the Advisory Council. 

The duties of such Advisory Council shall be to meet with the 
Board of Directors, when convenient, and to consider and advise on 
all questions that may come before such Board. However, members 
of such Advisory Council shall not be entitled to vote on any ques- 
tions under consideration. 

This resolution was adopted on the motion of Dr. Barrett. The 
nominating committee then submitted a supplement to its first report, 
as follows: 

SUPPLEMENT TO THE REPORT OF THE 
NOMINATING COMMITTEE 

To the President of the Wisconsin Archeological Society: 

In the course of its deliberations your Nominating Committee has 
found that in accordance with the legal procedure imposed upon the 
Society by its Articles of Incorporation, we are obliged to reduce the 
officiary of the Society to a total of ten persons, in whom is vested 
the power of governing the destinies of the Society for the year and 
who alone are privileged to vote on questions before the Executive 
Board so constituted. 

As a matter of fact for some years past, through some misunder- 
standing concerning these Articles of Incorporation, a somewhat larg- 
er Board had actually been serving the Society, some for a consider- 
able number of years. Through these years of service and the experi- 
ence thus gained they have been of much benefit to the Society and 
we feel that the Society should continue to profit by their good advice 
and counsel. Further there are many other members of the Society 
whose wise counsel might prove very beneficial to the members of the 
Executive Board in their deliberations. 

As members of this ADVISORY COUNCIL we unanimously nomi- 
nate the following: 

Mr. Joseph Ringeisen, Jr. Mr. E. F. Richter 

Dr. E. J. W. Notz Mr. Geo. S. Overton 

Mr. Huron H. Smith Prof. A. H. Sanford 

Mr. A. P. Kannenberg Rev. Paul B. Jenkins 

Mr. Gustav R. Zilish Dr. Ralph Linton 

Mr. Towne L. Miller Mr. Theodore Brown 

Miss Marie Kohler Dr. S. A. Barrett 

Mrs. A. C. Neville Dr. Orin Thompson 

Mrs. Theodore Koerner Mr. Aden T. Newman 

Mr. Paul Joers Col. Marshall Cousins 

Respectfully submitted. 

Nominating Committee. 



138 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

These nominees were then elected to the Advisory Council. 

Treasurer Thome read his annual report. On the motion of Dr. 
Barrett the President appointed an auditing committee consisting of 
the Messrs. E. R. Richter and T. L. Miller and Mrs. Theodore Koerner 
to audit the Treasurer's accounts. 

Mr. George A. West, the speaker of the evening, delivered an il- 
lustrated lecture on "Historic Places and Beauty Spots" in which he 
described the regions visited by the various Milwaukee Public Museum 
expeditions in the Southwest. It was a most interesting lecture, illus- 
trated with fine colored lantern slides and was greatly appreciated 
by the large audience of members and visitors. 

At the close of the meeting Mr. N. E. Carter, of Elkhorn, exhibited 
to the members an exceptionally fine collection of Wisconsin and 
other Indian pipes, ornaments and ceremonial objects. 

April 8 and 9, 1932. The annual Joint Meeting of the Wisconsin 
Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, The Wisconsin Archeological 
Society and The Midwest Museums Conference was held at the Mil- 
waukee Public Museum. Five sectional meetings of Sections A and B 
were held, two of these convening in the lecture room in the Milwau- 
kee Public Library, and three in the trustees room in the Museum. Mr. 
Alton K. Fisher presided over the morning ssession and Mr. W. C. 
McKern over the afternoon session of Section A in the Library lec- 
ture room on April 8. Mr. Charles E. Brown presided at the Satur- 
day, April 9, forenoon session of Sections A and B in the Museum 
trustees room, the final meeting of the Joint Meeting. Members of the 
Wisconsin Archeological Society who presented papers in the several 
programs were John B. MacHarg, A. K. Fisher, John G. Gregory, 
C. E. Brown, Theodore T. Brown, Dr. Anton Sohrweide, Geo. S. Over- 
ton, Albert M. Fuller, Rachel M. Campbell and Dr. Ira Edwards. 
Rev. 0. W. Smith delivered an illustrated lecture on "High Moun- 
tains" at a general session held in the Museum auditorium on Friday 
afternoon. Many members and their ladies attended the Academy din- 
ner held on the evening of the same day in the Pere Marquette room. 
Hotel Schroeder. After the dinner Prof. Rufus M. Bagg of Lawrence 
College gave an illustrate(^ lecture in the Museum Auditorium on 
"Yesterday and Today", a lecture based on several months of travel 
in South America. About 130 members of the three participating so- 
cieties were registered at the Joint Meeting. 

The Central Section, American Anthropological Association, held 
its annual meeting at Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Thursday and Friday, 
March 17-18, 1932. President Henry Field conducted the morning 
and afternoon sessions which were held in the Natural Science build- 
ing on the University of Michigan campus. Among the seventeen 
papers offered in the program especially appreciated were those of- 
fered by Dr. Gerhardt Von Bonin, Dr. Robert Redfield, Dr. A. R. Rad- 
cliffe-Brown, Dr. Melvin R. Gilmore, Dr. Paul S. Martin and Dr. Wil- 
frid D. Hambly. Dr. Robert R. Lowie gave a lecture on "The Family 
as a Social Unit" in the auditorium. After the dinner on Thursday 
evening, Dr. A. H. Romer of the University of Chicago, gave an il- 
lustrated address on "Fossil Animals in Relation to the Appearance 
of Man in North America." Dr. Milton J. Herskovitz was elected 
president of the section. Mr. George R. Fox was re-elected secretary- 
treasurer. 

Field Work } 

A report has come, in that Messrs. George Pasco and Walter S. 
Dunsmoor, while investigating a site in Green Lake County, have dis- 
covered four pottery vessels. Two of these specimens, illustrating the 
Lake Michigan type of ware, are intact. A Grand River type of ves- 
sel is sufficiently represented by sherds to permit complete restora- 



Archeological Notes. 139 

tion. The fourth specimen consists of about one-half of a good sized 
grit-tempered pot equipped with distantly spaced points about the 
rim, a type that has inaccurately been described as "Iroquois". This 
is one of the greatest pottery finds made in Wisconsin in recent 
years. All associated data were secured and this accession of new 
pottery materials should prove of great value to local students of 
archeology. 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGISTS! What happens to the records 
of your field investigations? Do any other than your closest friends 
ever hear about your discoveries, surveys and other accomplishments? 
If not, perhaps it is because you fail to send in your reports to the 
Archeologist. This publication is your official organ and is the medi- 
um through which your investigations may be made known to other 
interested students in your Society. Remember this when you enter 
the field this summer. Keep adequate notes of your efforts and suc- 
cesses and send them either to Mr. Towne L. Miller, chairman of 
the survey committee, or to Dr. Ira Edwards, editor of the Archeolo- 
gist, Milwaukee Public Museum. Copies should also be sent to Secre- 
tary Charles E. Brown, State Historical Museum, Madison, to be filed 
with the permanent records of the Society. INSIST upon seeing full 
announcement of your activities in the Archeologist. 

Recent Deaths 

Mrs. Babina M. Dengel, a life member of the Wisconsin Archeo- 
logical Society, died on Saturday, April 9, at her home at Madison. 
She was eighty-eight years old at the time of her death. Her girl- 
hood home was in Switzerland. She had been a member of the So- 
ciety for the past twenty years. She possessed a collection of Indian 
implements some of the pieces of which were collected from a home- 
stead formerly owned by her on the shore of Lake Mendota at 
Madison. 

Personals 

Dr. Anton T, Sohrweide, after a brief vacation spent at his home 
at Watertown, Wisconsin, has returned to his medical duties at the 
C & Hospital at Clifton Forge, Virginia. In Virginia Dr. Sohrweide 
has been engaged in locating some local Indian sites. 

At the Joint Meeting recently held at Milwaukee Miss Rachel Mary 
Campbell of that city gave a talk on "Wisconsin Historical Biogra- 
phies." Miss Campbell has been for a year or more engaged in the 
preparation of a series of biographies of noted men and women of 
this state. Each completed biography is accompanied by a large-size 
photograph of its subject, and is filed in the archives of the Wis- 
consin Historical Society. In connection with her talk biographies of 
Dr. Increase A. Lapham, Dr. Stephen M. Babcock, Dr. Louise P. 
Kellogg, Dr. G. W. Henika, George A. West and others were exhibted 
in two wall cases at the entrance of the Milwaukee Museum. These 
attracted great attention. 

At the above mentioned meeting, Alton K. Fisher of the Milwaukee 
Museum was elected president of the Midwest Museums Conference, 
succeeding in this office Director Nile C. Behncke of the Oshkosh 
Public Museum, Gilbert 0. Raasch of Madison succeeded Mrs. May L. 
Bauchle, Beloit, as secretary. In the near future it is hoped that the 
above organization may be combined with the Michigan-Indiana-Ohio 
Museums Association in a strong Middle West museums association. 

A recent visitor in Wisconsin was Mr. Harold 9. Barton, director 
of the widely known Chamberlain Memorial Museum at Three Oaks, 
Michigan. Mr. Barton is a University of Wisconsin alumnus. He suc- 
ceeded Mr. George R. Fox as director of the museum and its outdoor 



140 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

parks, the Warren Dunes, Warren Forest and Warren Beach, on his 
retirement a year ago. Mr. Fox is the director of a large boy's camp 
at Manitou Island, Lake Huron^ 

In a paper on Wisconsin hobbyists, read at the Joint Meeting, Miss 
Lorraine C. Brown estimated the number of persons in the state 
more or less actively engaged in the collection of Indian implements 
at about five thousand. In their number these are exceeded only by 
the collectors of postage stamps whose number is eight thousand. 

In locating and mapping Indian camp and village sites in Sauk 
County for the state records of the Wisconsin Archeological Society, 
Mr. Milton F. Hulburt of Reedsburg is doing a very careful and 
painstaking piece of work. His work well supplements that of locat- 
ing and surveying the groups of Indian mounds, performed some 
years ago by the Messrs. Dr. Arlow B. Stout and Harry E. Cole. 

Miscellaneous 

Do you always agree with everything you read in this publication? 
If not, why not state your opinions on the matter and send them in to 
the Archeologist to be published in a new ''Correspondence" column, 
which the editors, expect to inaugurate in the next issue ? Archeolo- 
gy, like any other science, can not exist as a vital, growing field of 
activity without constructive criticism and controversy. What are 
your archeological convictions? Have you any? Then let us hear 
from you. 

The editors. 

ATTENTION! Members of the newly appointed Advisory Council. 
You can only function as council members by attending the regular 
meetings of the board of Directors. There you have a voice on all 
matters considered, and the best interests of the Society depend up- 
on your exercising your advisory privileges to the fullest extent. 
The weight of an opinion shared by a majority of the Council and 
expressed at the board meetings can not fail to influence the vote of 
the directors and, through them, the policies of the Society. The offi- 
cers and directors need your advice and support. You will greatly 
benefit the Society and aid in upholding its best interests by your 
active presence. 

W. C. McKern, President. 

Publications 

The January-July issue of the Green Bay Historical Bulletin is 
devoted to a paper on *The Arndt Stout Roof-Tree", being a well- 
written account of the life of Judge John Penn Arndt who came to 
Wisconsin Territory in 1824 from Mackinac Island with his family. 
The Bulletin is published by the Brown County Historical Society. 
Mr. Theodore T. Brown, director of the Neville Public Museum, 
Green Bay, is its editor, succeeding the late Miss Deborah B. Martin 
in this office. 

The 1930 Year Book of the Milwaukee Public Museum contains 
profusely illustrated articles on: excavating Hopewell mounds in 
Wisconsin; the Mesa Verde National Park; the Lost City of Nevada; 
Gypsum Cave, Nevada; Salt Lake City; the Hoover Dam site; Yose- 
mite Valley and the high Sierras; Pyramid Lake in Nevada; Florida; 
Hawaii; Wisconsin Indian place names; the study of physical man in 
Wisconsin; Aztalan pottery; Chinese lacquer; Winnebago dog myths. 
$2.25. 

The results of an expedition of archeological research conducted 
by S. A. Barrett affd Alanson Skinner in 1919-21, are set forth in the 
Milwaukee Public Museum bulletin: Certain Mounds and Village 
Sites of Shawano and Oconto Counties, Wisconsin, Vol. 10, No. 5, 
1932. $1.50. 






Archeologrical Notes 141 

Mr. Geo. A. West is the author of a recent bulletin of the Milwau- 
kee Public Museum: Exceptional Prehistoric Copper Implements, de- 
scribing newly reported artifacts of unusual interest, and including a 
discussion of the erosion of prehistoric copper implements. Vol. 10, 
No. 4, 1932. $.50. 

The Denver Art Museum, Department of Indian Art, Frederic H. 
Douglas, curator, has printed three additional Indian leaflets bearing 
the titles "The Sioux or Dakota Nation", "The Grass House of the 
Wichita and Caddo", and "Indian Sand Painting (Tribes, Technic and 
Uses)". These leaflets are greatly valued by many students of Indian 
history and anthropology. 

The January 1932 issue of The Ohio Archaeological and Historical 
Quarterly, published at Columbus, contains a paper by Guy-Harold 
Smith on "Washington's Camp Sites on the Ohio River." This pre- 
sents an account of "Washington's journey into the interior of North 
America in 1770 in the interest of Virginia soldiers who fought in 
the Indian wars and had been promised western lands as a reward 
for their services. In the same issue, C. B. Galbreath contributes an 
article on "George Washington's Interest in the Ohio Country". 

The Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology, 
Harvard University, has published a monograph, "The Evolution of 
the Human Pelvis in Relation to the Mechanics of the Erect Posture", 
by Edward Reynolds. It is illustrated with plates and figures. 

The College Art Association, New York, has issued a catalogue of 
the Exposition of Indian Tribal Arts, which was installed until re- 
cently at the Huntington Free Library in that city. In it are listed 
over 600 specimens of the costumes, ornaments, fabrics, basketry and 
pottery of many Indian tribes. 

Mankind, the official journal of the Anthropological Society of New 
South Wales, issue of December, 1931, printed at Sydney, contains 
the proceedings of the society for the months of July to October, 
and some interesting papers and articles on a rock shelter at Lake 
Burrill, a Fijian Yaqona ceremony, an aboriginal midden at Quibray 
bay, charms and amulets, the Muckera stone, and the extinct Tas- 
manians. 

A well-illustrated, detailed description of the basketry craft of In- 
dians on the Klamath and Trinity rivers of northern California is the 
subject of a publication by Lila M. O'Neale: Yurok-Karok Basket 
Weavers, Univ. of Calif. Publ. in Amer. Archaeol. and Ethnol., Vol. 
32, No. 1, 1932. Univ. of Cal. Press, Berkeley, California. $4.50. 

The Southeastern Yavapai, by E. W. Gifford, gives a complete 
sketch of the fundamental customs of a tribe of central Arizona In- 
dians. Univ. of Calif. Publ. in Amer. Archaeol. and Ethnol., Vol. 29, 
No. 3, 1932. Univ. of Calif. Press, Berkeley, California, $1.00. 

The Northfork Mono, also by Mr. Gifford and published in the 
same series. Vol. 31, No. 2, 1932, describes the folkways of a tribe 
of Indians inhabiting the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada moun- 
tains in northern California. Univ. of Calif. Press, Berkeley, Califor- 
nia. $1.25. 

Primitive concepts of disease, by Forest E. Clements, published in 
the same series as the two preceeding papers, Vol. 32, No. 2, 1932, 
includes a general discussion of such concepts of cause for sickness 
as sorcery, taboo, disease-object intrusion, spirit intrusion and soul 
loss, and their occurrence and culture significance throughout the 
world. Univ. of Calif. Press, Berkeley, California. $.75. 

A thorough review of culture problems centering about the Pat- 
win Indians of north central California is given in: The Patwin and 
their Neighbors, by A. L. Kroeber, Univ. of Calif. Publ. in Amer. 
Archaeol. and Ethnol., Vol. 29, No. 4, 1932. Univ. of Calif. Press, 
Berkeley, California. $1.60. 



142 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 3 

In the same series as the preceeding papers^ VoL 33, No. 1, 1932, 
is: The Western Kuksu Cult, by E. M. Loeb, a description and techni- 
cal discussion of a form of religious cult and ceremony shared by 
many Indian tribes over a large area centering in the Sacramento 
Valley of California. Univ. of Calif. Press, Berkeley, California. 
$1.50. 

The American Anthropologist for April-June, 1932 (Address Dr. 
Robert H. Lowie, National Research Council, 2101 Constitution Ave., 
Washington, D. C), contains the following articles: Kinship Terms 
and Cross-cousin Marriage of the Montagnais-Naskapi and the Cree, 
A. Irving Hallowell; The Science of Culture, George Peter Murdock; 
The Loom and its Prototypes, Charles Amsden; A Uintah Ute Bear 
Dance, Julian H. Steward; Origin and Development of the Burial 
Mound, E. F. Greenman; A General Mexican Inscription Combining 
Mexican and Maya Day Signs, B. L. Whorf; Ancient Wheat and 
Barley from Kish, Mesopotamia, Henry Field; Miscellaneous articles 
by Hortense Powdermaker, Cora A. DuBois, Scudder Mekeel, Francis 
Densmore, Katharine Bartlett and Melvin R. Gilmore. 

The Department of Middle American Research of Tulane Universi- 
ty, New Orleans, has published a pamphlet describing its activities 
and aims. Sections of this publication are devoted to a consideration 
of its library and publications, research work, expeditions and col- 
lections. "Because of its geographical situation, New Orleans is the 
logical base for studying the countries immediately to, the south of 
it." 

The Handbook of Ethnography, by James G. Leyburn, provides 
an alphabetical list of the peoples of the world, together with their 
geographical locations, supplemented by a table of peoples arranged 
under the political divisions of the world. Yale University Press, 
New Haven, Conn. $5.00. 



WwttxiBm 



ITnL 11 M^133a No. 4 

NEW SERIES 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103. 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



The Society is a state department, receiving a part of its support 
from the state. Its funds are under state control. Its work is well 
and widely known. It has received the approval of leading Ameri- 
can archeologists, who agree that it deserves the full support of all 
Wisconsin citizens interested in the state's archeological history. 

The Society's activities comprise the location, recording, investi- 
gating and preservation of "Wisconsin Indian remains, folklore and 
history, all of which are rapidly disappearing and must be recorded 
and saved immediately if ever. 

Through its efforts many fine groups of Indian earthworks and 
other aboriginal monuments and remains have been permanently 
preserved to the public. Most have been marked with descriptive 
metal tablets. Others are being protected. Surveys and explorations 
have been conducted in many sections of the state. 

It is also engaged in encouraging the establishment of public mu- 
seums and collections and in discouraging the manufacture and sale 
of fraudulent antiquities. 

Regular monthly meetings of the Society are held during the 
months September to May, inclusive, in the Trustees Room of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum. Meetings are open to the public. No 
regular meetings are held during the months June to August, in- 
clusive. Special field meetings are occasionally held during the vaca- 
tion months. 

The results of its research and other activities are made known 
through its regular quarterly publication, The Wisconsin Arche- 
ologist. Thirty volumes have appeared. The Society has a large 
membership distributed through every part of the state. 

It is co-operating to the fullest extent with all of the various 
scientific and educational organizations and institutions of Wisconsin. 






NEW SERIES 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103. 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 



iitliuauk^^, UtaronHtn 



Incorporated March 23, 1903, for the purpose of advancing the study 
and preservation of Wisconsin antiquities 



OFFICERS 

PRESIDENT 

W. C. McKern 

VICE-PRESIDENTS 

Dr. A. L. Kastner Dr. H. W. Kuhm 

W. W. Gilman Rev. F. S. Dayton 

R. J. Kieckhefer 

DIRECTORS 

Charles E. Brown Dr. H. W. Kuhm 

Rev. F. S. Dayton W. C. McKern 

W. W. Gilman Charles G. Schoewe 

Dr. A. L. Kastner G. M. Thorne 

R. J. Kieckhefer George A. West 

TREASURER 

G. M. Thorne 
National Bank of Commerce, Milwaukee, Wis. 

SECRETARY 

Charles E. Brown 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wis. 



COMMITTEES 

REGULAR 

STATE SURVEY— T. L. Miller, Walter S. Dunsmoor, G. L. Pasco, 
T. M. N. Lewis, Dr. A. L. Kastner, J. P. Schumacher, Geo. F. 
Overton, M. F. Hulburt, W. M. Maier, O. L. Hollister, Dr. F. G. 
Logan, David A. Blencoe, S. W. Faville, Col. R. S. Owen, Dr. 
Ralph Linton. 

MOUND PRESERVATION— Mrs. E. H. Van Ostrand, Frank Wes- 
ton, Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, Dr. Orrin Thompson, Mrs. F. R. 
Melcher, Col. Howard Greene, Rev. O. W. Smith, J. J. Knudsen, 
H. W. Cornell, Dr. E. G. Bruder, A. H. Griffith. 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS— Milwaukee Public Museum (Dr. S. A. 
Barrett), Wisconsin State Historical Museum (Dr. Joseph Scha- 
fer), Oshkosh Public Museum (Niles J. Behnke), Green Bay 
Public Museum (T. T. Brown), New London Museum (Rev. F. 
S. Dayton), Lawrence College (Prof. J. B. MacHarg), La Crosse 
State Teachers College (Prof. A. H. Sanford), Kohler Museum 
(Miss Marie Kohler), Logan Museum (Paul H. Nesbitt), Minne- 
sota State Historical Museum (Willoughby M. Babcock), St. 
Francis Museum (Rev. A. J. Muench.) 

MEMBERSHIP — Louis Pierron, Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Paul Joers, 
Arthur Gerth, Dr. W. H. Brown, W. F. Yahr, Mrs. Anna F. 
Johnson, K. Freckman, Geo. Wright, Mrs. Hans A. Olson, Carl 
Baur, C. G. Weyl, A. R. Rogers. 

STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL PARKS— Geo. A. West, R. J. Kieckhef- 
er, R. P. Ferry, D. S. Howland, Walter Holstein. 

PUBLICITY— J. G. Gregory, A. 0. Barton, E. R. Mclntyre, R. K. 
Coe. 

SPECIAL 

BIOGRAPHY— H. H. Smith, G. M. Thorne, Milo C. Richter. 

FRAUDULENT ARTIFACTS^oseph Ringeisen, Jr., E. F. Richter, 
Geo. A. West. 

PROGRAM — H. H. Smith, Milo C. Richter, Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., 
Dr. A. L. Kastner, R. J. Kieckhefer, T. L. Miller. 

MARKING MILWAUKEE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES— W. W. Gil- 
man, Dr. Paul B. Jenkins, L. R. Whitney. 

PUBLICATION— Dr. Ira Edwards, Dr. H. W. Kuhm, Alton K. Fisher. 

LAPHAM RESEARCH MEDAI^— Dr. S. A. Barrett, Geo. A. West, 
Charles G. Schoewe, Milo C. Richter, Dr. A. L. Kastner. 



MEMBERSHIP FEES 

Life Members, $25.00 Endowment Members, $500.00 

Sustaining Members, $5.00 Annual Members, $2.00 

Institutional Members, $1.50 Junior Members, $ .50 

All communications in regard to the Wisconsin Archeologrical Society 
should be addressed to Charles E. Brown, Secretary and Curator, Office, 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wisconsin. Contributions to the Wis^ 
consin Archeologist should be addressed to Dr. Ira Edwards, Editor, 
Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or to the Secretary. Dues 
should be sent to G. M. Thorne, Treasurer, National Bank of Com- 
merce, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 



CONTENTS 



Vol. 11, No. 4, New Series 



ARTICLES 

Page 

Sieur Charles de Langlade, Theodore T. Brown 143 

Uses of Wood and Bark Among the Wisconsin Indians, Charles 

G. Schoewe 148 

The Origin and Distribution of Copper Artifacts, Anton Sohr- 

weide, M. D. 153 

What a Season Brings Forth, Geo. Overton 157 

Archeological Finds in the Uintah Basin in Utah, Albert B. 

Reagan 162 

A Visit to the Indian Sugar-bush Ceremonials, J. F. Wojta 172 

Archeological Notes 176 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



Wisconsin Ojibway Indians building birch-bark canoe Frontispiece 




Wisconsin Ojibway Indians building bircli-bark canoe. 
Courtesy, Milwaukee Public Museum. 



©Iff 3itsrnnBtn ArrljfnloQtat 

Published Q,uarterly- by the Wisconsin Archeolosrlcal Society 

VOL. II MADISON, WIS., JULY, 1932 No. 4 

New Series 



k 



SIEUR CHARLES DE LANGLADE 

Theodore T. Brown 



The annals of the French regime in Wisconsin and the 
Northwest bring to us many commanding and heroic per- 
sonaUties, and among these we find Sieur Charles de Lang- 
lade, named ''Bravest of the Brave" by the Indians. To 
Charles de Langlade and his father, Augustin, rightfully 
belongs the title, "Founders of Wisconsin", as they were 
the first permanent white settlers in the area now compris- 
ing our state. They likewise were the first residents at 
LaBaye Verte, now the city of Green Bay, establishing their 
log dwelling place and fur-trading post there on the east 
bank of the Fox River in the year 1745. 

By birth and early training Charles de Langlade was well 
fitted to carry out his distinguished career. His father, 
Sieur Augustin de Langlade, was a member of the French 
nobility, who served for some time in the French marine, 
then emigrated to New France, as all Canada and the im- 
mense Northwest was then called, in the year 1720. He 
immediately engaged in the fur-trade with the Ottawa In- 
dians in the vicinity of Mackinac, and probably had entire 
control of the trade at that point, as it was customary to 
obtain a license from the French government of Canada for 
that purpose. 

While at Mackinac, Augustin de Langlade married the 
sister of the head chief of the Ottawa, known as King Nis- 
sowaquet, or as the French called him. La Fourche, or the 
Fork; and this connection undoubtedly added to his influ- 
ence among that nation. 

Charles de Langlade was the second of five children born 
of this union of French and Indian nobility. His education 



144 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 

was such as could be obtained from the missionaries sta- 
tioned at Mackinac and as received from the teachings of 
his father. 

An incident of his childhood which must have influenced 
his later life occurred while he was but ten years of age. 
The Ottawas at that time, about 1735, were engaged in war 
against an allied tribe friendly to the British. The village 
of this tribe was located on a prairie and protected by such 
defences as Indians were able to make. The Ottawa twice 
attacked this fortified village, and were repulsed each time. 
When urged by the French commandant to make a third 
attempt upon the enemies' stronghold, they declined ; but at 
length King Nissowaquet and his brothers, prompted by 
some superstitious dream, whim or prestige, said they 
would try again provided they could be accompanied by 
their young nephew, Charles de Langlade, and would go on 
no other condition. The Commandant went to Sieur Au- 
gustin de Langlade and made known the requirement of the 
Ottawas. The father then instructed his son that he must 
go with his uncles, at the same time admonishing young 
Charles that he must show no signs of cowardice under any 
circumstances. 

On reaching the enemies' village the Ottawas placed 
Charles de Langlade in the rear, in full view but out of 
danger of the attack, which was soon made; and, after a 
severe assault, the place was taken. The success of the 
attack was attributed by the Indians to the presence of the 
boy, and he was held in veneration by them from then on. 

When Charles de Langlade reached the age of twenty- 
two, his father embarked with him from Mackinac to Green 
Bay, with the purpose of establishing a trading post and 
home among the Fox River Indians. The reception of the 
de Langlades by the redmen was pleasant and friendly, 
especially among the Menomini. However, the band of In- 
dians under Te-pak-e-ne-nee, or the "Night Man", whose ha- 
bitat was in the vicinity of the present city of Marinette, 
decided to come to the de Langlade post and forcibly take 
the trader's goods. 

It is related that Charles de Langlade was alone at the 
trading post at the time of the hostiles' coming, and after 
their leader had made known the purpose of their coming, 



1 



Sieur Charles de Langlade 145 

replied very coolly but pleasantly, ''Well, my friends, if you 
have come here to fight, we can cross to the prairie on the 
other side of the river and have some fun." The warriors 
knew too well his reputation as a soldier even from his 
boyhood, and declined his invitation. Thereafter the de 
Langlades had no further trouble with that band of Me- 
nominis. 

Previous to the out-break of the French and Indian war 
in 1755, Charles de Langlade resided at Green Bay in the 
capacity of Indian agent for the French government, while 
his father carried on in the fur-trade. While Indian agent, 
Charles de Langlade enlarged his influence among the In- 
dians of the Northwest, and together with his father as- 
sumed the leadership of the small group of white settlers 
at La Baye. 

The first service rendered to the French government in 
the French and Indian War by Charles de Langlade was his 
work in raising the Ottawas, Chippewas, Menominis, Win- 
nebagoes, Potawatomis, and Hurons, and repairing with 
them, under his leadership, to the defense of Fort Duquesne 
against the English, and also to carry on the war against 
the frontier settlements and forts of the British Colonies. 

Upon the arrival of Sieur de Langlade at Fort Duquesne 
at the head of his command of Indians, French voyaguers 
and traders, spies were sent out to discover the approach 
of the British under General Braddock. The spies reported 
that Braddock was within a half day's march from the 
Monongahela. Accordingly, a detachment of French troops 
and de Langlade's command were sent out to interrupt the 
British advance by a surprise attack from ambush. This 
strategy was very successful, and especially so because 
Braddock failed to heed the advice of his American asso- 
ciate. Major George Washington, and exposed himself and 
his men to the protected fire of de Langlade's French and 
Indians. The British were defeated and forced to retreat 
with heavy losses, and de Langlade gained his first major 
mihtary success. 

Immediately after Braddock's defeat, Charles de Lang- 
lade carried on for the French in a series of battles, includ- 
ing attacks on British frontier forts, the capture of Fort 
William Henry under Montcalm, the defense of Fort Ti- 



146 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 

conderoga, Crown Point, Fort Niagara, and in the great 
battle before Quebec, on the Plains of Abraham, where his 
commander, Montcalm, was killed. 

Some conception of the bravery of Charles de Langlade 
in battle is given in an account by a contemporary and 
fellow-soldier, De Gere, who relates that he never saw so 
perfectly cool and fearless a man as Charles de Langlade, 
who, at the defense of Fort Ticonderoga, during the height 
of battle, paused amid a hail of lead to calmly reach for 
his pipe and tobacco, strike a light and puffing contentedly, 
continue firing his gun at the advancing British. 

In 1759 Charles de Langlade was married to Charlotte 
Bourassa of Montreal, and brought his bride to his home at 
Green Bay, where he resumed his work as Indian agent and 
leader of the settlement. His valuable service to the French 
crown was rewarded in the year 1760, when on repairing 
to Canada he found a commission of lieutenant in the ar- 
mies of France awaiting him, bearing the signature of 
Louis XV. of France, and dated Feb. 1, 1760. 

This commission, the oldest and one of the most valu- 
able manuscripts relative to the French regime now ex- 
tant, is today in the possession of the Neville Public Mu- 
seum of Green Bay; purchased from the heirs of Judge 
Morgan L. Martin, Miss Sarah Greene Martin and Miss 
Deborah Beaumont Martin. Judge Martin was a distin- 
guished jurist and leader in pioneer Wisconsin and Green 
Bay. 

After the defeat of the French by the British and the 
passing of French dominion in 1760, Charles de Langlade 
was called to Mackinac, with other leaders of French set- 
tlements, to confer with Captain George Etherington, the 
British commandant. As a result of this conference, the 
French leader, De Langlade, was made Indian agent for the 
British at Green Bay, and permitted to retain all his lands 
along the Fox River. 

Upon the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, Charles 
de Langlade was commissioned a captain in the British 
army, and continued his residence at Green Bay. The red 
officer's coat worn by him at that time is now numbered 
among the treasured momentos of the * 'Bravest of the 
Brave" in the possession of the Neville Public Museum. 



1 



Sieur Charles de Langlade 147 

Other valuable relics of the de Langlades' today exhibited 
in the Neville Public Museum include a pearl handled dag- 
ger, bearing the jeweled insignia of the ''Order of the Gar- 
ter", which belonged to Augustin de Langlade; an ivory- 
handled officer's sword carried by Charles de Langlade, 
spectacles, a charcoal foot-warmer and a brass candlestick 
with Bohemian glass pendants which belonged to Madame 
Charles de Langlade, and a crucifix which belonged to 
Charles de Langlade. 

Mr. Sidney-Bedore, noted sculptor and creator of the 
group the ''Spirit of the Northwest" at Green Bay, has 
placed a sketch of Sieur Charles de Langlade in the Neville 
Public Museum de Langlade collection. The sculptor made 
this sketch from a description of the great warrior given 
by his grandson, Augustin Grignon, in which he is pic- 
tured as being of medium height, of powerful physique 
and military appearance. 

Sieur Charles de Langlade was greatly esteemed by his 
contemporaries in Green Bay and Wisconsin — both among 
the Indians and white settlers. His integrity was prover- 
bial, his will determined, and his bravery almost legendary. 
He was a dominant figure in eighteenth century Green Bay 
and Wisconsin. His restraining influence upon the often 
hostile redmen was a great aid to the progress of our set- 
tlement and civilization. 

He died and was buried at Green Bay in the year 1800, 
and his war-like and indomitable spirit is best brought out 
by his dying wish that even though he had participated in 
ninety-nine battles he might engage in one more to make 
his record an even hundred. 

No more picturesque personality than Sieur Charles de 
Langlade is to be found in Wisconsin history. 



148 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 



USES OF WOOD AND BARK AMONG THE 
WISCONSIN INDIANS 

Charles G. Schoewe 

Even in the so-called stone age of the American Indians, 
artifacts other than of stone were used. Wood and bark, 
for instance, were important materials that were put to 
many uses. We have to enter a field of investigation other 
than the archeological in collecting such articles. Due to 
their perishable nature, we find but very few in mound ex- 
cavations, although wooden articles have been found, rare- 
ly, in dry cave researches. These are, of course, so limited 
in number that they supply but meager knowledge for the 
archeological student. About the only method left is that 
of collecting from Indians who have saved specimens hand- 
ed down to them from generation to generation. This type 
of collecting is not an easy task since these people cherish 
such objects and are not disposed to part with them easily. 

The Indian uses of wood and bark may be listed under 
the following heads: 

Containers — bowls, baskets and boxes for feathers. 

Implements — spoons, arrow shafts, possibly spear shafts, 
bows, war clubs, mortars and pestles, hoe handles, axe and 
adze handles and pipe stems. 

Transportation equipment — cradle-boards, snowshoes, 
dugouts, bark canoes (frontispiece) , yokes and pack saddles 
(historic) . 

Equipment for games — lacrosse sticks, game markers and 
snow snakes. 

Ceremonial equipment — images, drums, drum sticks, rat- 
tles, flutes, whistles and mnemonics. 

Shelter equipment — houses (winter and summer) and 
stockades. 

Burial equipment — use of shelters over dead, in or above 
graves, and grave markers. 

This classification is not to be taken as complete, for 
there were, possibly, many other uses for wood or bark, 
but it gives some idea of the uses to which these materials 
were put. 



Uses of Wood and Bark Among the Wisconsin Indians 149 

I have been very fortunate in making quite a large col- 
lection of old wooden articles from the Potawatomi (forest 
division) now located in Forest County, Wisconsin. 

It is not at all an easy matter to persuade the Indians to 
part with their old heirlooms, as one may call them. Money 
will not always buy them, and if this is doubted, one has 
only to try it. In the first place, such articles are seldom 
shown to outsiders and many are kept for religious or cere- 
monial purposes, which makes it doubly difficult to persuade 
the owners to part with them. One important factor in 
collecting from the Indians is an intimate acquaintance with 
them; moreover, one should be kind and sympathetic to- 
wards them and make the usual gifts of food, clothing and 
money; also offerings of tobacco to their dream drum and 
their deities. If you have followed along these lines, you 
may be in position to do some real collecting. 

The fact that some years back I was ceremonially adopt- 
ed into the Potawatomi tribe and given an Indian name 
helped me considerably in my collecting, as this made me 
socially one of them. The name given to me was Spe-mi- 
ka-naw-bat, meaning, sleeper above, a name belonging to 
the Bald Eagle Clan. The name has reference to the eagle's 
habit of always sleeping above, or high up, and never low 
or on the ground. Hence the name, Sleeper Above. 

One of my prized wooden bowls was secured in October, 
1925, from a Forest Potawatomi woman by the name of 
Ka-ga-a-juan who lived at Planets, Forest County, near 
Stone Lake. She informed me that the bowl was made 
some 300 years ago, near where the city of Milwaukee now 
stands, by a woman named Kish-ish-ka. It was in turn 
handed down to a Potawatomi named Wab-a-ka, and then 
to Ka-ga-a-juan, from whom I secured it. The bowl is 
made from the burl of a swamp black ash tree and is per- 
fectly round. It is 13% inches in diameter, 43 inches in 
circumference and 4% inches deep. The markings re- 
semble those of bird's-eye maple. While the bowl is old it 
is in the best state of preservation and still retains that 
velvety, oily feeling. Its good condition is due to the fact 
that it was not used for everyday purposes but only on 
ceremonial occasions. Many weeks or months must have 
elapsed from the time it was nothing more than an ugly 



150 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 

burl to the time it became the beautiful finished product it 
now is, but 300 years ago time meant but little. 

Another extremely interesting bowl, possibly more so 
than the one heretofore described, due to its graceful shape, 
was collected in December, 1931. It is made from the burl 
of a beach wood tree and is egg-shaped. It has a circum- 
ference of 37 inches and is 12 1/2 inches in diameter at its 
widest part and 4 inches deep. In style it resembles more 
a Winnebago type but, having obtained it from the Wewa- 
son family, who are Forest Potawatomi residing near Stone 
Lake, in Forest County, I have no reason to doubt that it 
is a Potawatomi bowl. In color it is one of those pleasingly 
deep, rich shades of brown. The rim has a sort of an offset, 
or flange, which comes to a raised point decorated with four 
notches. It is exceedingly smooth with well-rounded rim 
and also has that peculiar velvety feeling due, I suppose, to 
long usage. 

Another quite rare type is illustrated by an effigy bowl 
resembling the lower jaw of an eagle or hawk, which it rep- 
resents. It is made of curley birch, is very thin and is 3% 
inches long and 2% inches wide at its widest part, termi- 
nating at the other end in a turned up point representing 
the tip of the bill. I obtained this specimen from a Pota- 
watomi Indian by the name of John Manis, living near 
Stone Lake, who informed me that it was used only in cere- 
monies. 

Another unique bowl is oval-shaped and made of hard 
maple. As it is very shallow, it might be termed a saucer 
instead of a bowl. It is Sy^ inches wide at its widest point 
and 4% inches long. The Potawatomi from whom I se- 
cured this specimen informed me that it was used for mix- 
ing medicines. With it came a small wooden spoon incased 
in a buckskin holder. These also came from the large set- 
tlement of Forest Potawatomi in Forest County. 

Of the smaller bowls, one made out of the burl of a cedar 
tree is the most interesting. It is perfectly round, 4 inches 
in diameter, 12 inches in circumference and II/2 inches 
deep. The workmanship is perfect while the color approxi- 
mates a golden brown. It is so smooth and neatly shaped 
that one cannot help admiring it. This I also secured from 
the Potawatomi in Forest County. 



Uses of Wood and Bark Among the Wisconsin Indians 151 

Another bowl, one which must have been highly valued 
by its owner, is made of the knot or burl of the wild cherry. 
Observing it to be cracked the owner thought enough of it 
to mend it by drilling two holes near the rim and drawing 
the crack together with a short wire. In shape it is an 
elongated oval, 19l^ inches in circumference around the 
rim, SVs inches wide at its widest part and 2 14 inches deep. 
A flange or offset encircles the rim. Its base is 31/2 inches 
wide and 414 inches long. From the dimensions of the 
rim as compared to those of its base, one can conceive the 
tapering of its sides. The color is a deep, rich shade of 
reddish brown. The workmanship is excellent and the wood 
worked down to an exceedingly smooth finish. I secured 
this bowl from a Potawatomi by the name of Be-na-shes; 
meaning, little bird. 

Another bowl which I collected from the Potawatomi was 
used in playing a gambling game. It is an unpretentious- 
looking, shallow, oval-shaped bowl made of Cottonwood. 
Three small strips of metal, with two nails in each strip, 
bind a crack which runs more than half way across the 
bowl. Its circumference is 35 inches, the diameter at its 
widest part 11 V2 inches, at its narrowest part 10% inches, 
and its depth 2% inches. 

I have collected ten specimens of old wooden spoons. The 
smallest of these is 4 inches long and the largest, 12 1^ 
inches long. All have handles terminating in a hook. The 
object of this hook is to prevent the spoon from slipping 
into the bowl, hanging by means of the hook from the rim. 
The hooks are carved very much alike, with a little varia- 
tion at their terminating points. The largest spoon, how- 
ever, has an elaborately carved handle above the regular 
hook. 

An interesting and unusual type of spoon which I collect- 
ed from the Potawatomi is one with a very deep bowl, as 
compared to the other spoons which have rather shallow 
bowls. The bowl of this spoon is 1% inches deep while the 
circumference at the rim is 9 inches and the entire length 
of the spoon is 8 inches. It is made of black sugar maple 
and was used for drinking blood at certain ceremonies, or 
so I was told by the Indian from whom I secured it. 



152 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 4 



Some of the spoons were used for ceremonial purposes 
while others were used in every day life. One can still see 
wooden spoons in use among the Potawatomi when visiting 
their sugar bushes during maple sugar time. 

Mr. Huron H. Smith, curator of Botany at the Milwau- 
kee Public Museum, was kind enough to identify the wood 
in every specimen described herein. The different woods 
used in the spoons which I have collected are the following : 
black sugar maple, wild cherry, basswood, swamp green ash 
and black willow. 

Many of the old Indian wooden bowls are so exquisitely 
executed, so rich in color and so gracefully shaped that 
they will not be amiss on the mantel of your fireplace as an 
added decoration to your room. 



The Origin and Distribution of Copper Artifacts 153 



THE ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION OF COPPER 
ARTIFACTS 

Anton Sohrweide, M. D. 

The aboriginal culture in the Mississippi and Great Lakes 
area both in ancient and in modem times is not sharply 
differentiated from that of neighboring areas. It is no ex- 
aggeration to say that it is on a par with that of eastern 
tribes and it is only in certain respects inferior to that of 
the South. As elsewhere in similar periods, fishing, hunt- 
ing, and seed gathering were the vocations of the Algon- 
quian and Souan tribes whose ancestors for undetermined 
time possessed the soil of this rich area of rolling forest- 
covered hills and sparkling wild-rice-bordered lakes and riv- 
ers. Agriculture, if the garden beds of Michigan are re- 
called, was extensively engaged in. Mounds are abundant 
in this area and in Wisconsin are characterized by numerous 
animal forms. 

The culture of this area presents among others a feature 
of exceptional archeological interest in the copper mines of 
Isle Royale in Lake Superior. This island, from whose rug- 
ged shores came most of the copper used in pre-Columbian 
times by tribes throughout the United States, is about 45 
miles long and 9 miles wide and has a total area of 229 
square miles. It is about 8 hours ride by steamer from 
Duluth, Minnesota, but is nearer to Port Arthur, Ontario. 

The North American tribes at first used copper nuggets 
or small metalic masses that had been carried Southward 
by the glacial drift and deposited on the surface through 
its recession. Such nuggets, because of their comparative 
rarity, supplied only a small amount of metal. The knowl- 
edge of the discovery of copper, its general utility, mal- 
leability and inate beauty soon passed beyond its local con- 
fines and disrupted the unbroken reign of stone perhaps 
many decades before the arrival of Europeans. There is no 
doubt that the mines on Isle Royale had been extensively 
used before the coming of the whites. The extensive dig- 
gings and the thousands of boulder hammers, some of which 
are grooved, confirm this belief. 



154 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 

There is no doubt that most of the copper used by the 
North American tribes east of the Mississippi River came 
from the Great Lakes region. Copper is found only in lim- 
ited quantity in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Ari- 
zona, New Mexico, and Nova Scotia; these latter sources 
were not used extensively and it is not certain that the na- 
tives utihzed these sources to any great extent before the 
coming of the Europeans. Copper was much and skilfully 
used in Alaska before the whites came and possibly some 
of the copper employed by the Southern tribes had its 
origin in Cuba or Mexico. There is no question that Cuban 
or Mexican copper, if used at all, was used in limited quan- 
tity, for if it had been commonly brought from these latter 
places this practice would have ultimately resulted in the 
production of artifacts peculiarly exotic in design and meth- 
od of manufacture. 

That even the most intricate repousse' effects found in 
southern burials could have been created in their entirety 
by resident tribes with their own primitive means has been 
demonstrated conclusively by the archeologists Willoughby 
and Cushing in their reproductions of repousse' effects 
using only beach pebbles as tools. Furthermore, analysis of 
metals and absence of European or other exotic objects con- 
firms the belief that the copper work of southern areas is 
American in origin and pre-Columbian in age. 

Among the Indians of the Pacific states little copper was 
used; the Indians of the Northwest, however, were skillful 
artizans obtaining their metal from the valley of the Cop- 
per River. 

In Wisconsin nearness to the ancient diggings of Isle 
Royale accounts for the abundance of artifacts of pre-Co- 
lumbian age found on certain sites. Such native copper ar- 
ticles have been found in particular abundance on sites at 
Two Rivers, Two Creeks, on Black River sites south of She- 
boygan, and on the banks of the Wolf River in Waupaca 
County. **A provisional description of the territory in 
which such artifacts have been found up to the present 
time may be given as extending from about the middle of 
Milwaukee County, northward to Door County, thence west- 
ward to the Wisconsin River or slightly beyond, thence 
southward along this stream to Dane County and eastward 



The Origin and Distribution of Copper Artifacts 155 

to Milwaukee County, the starting point. Embraced within 
this territory are the extensive lake shore sites from which 
thousands of articles have already been recovered, and cer- 
tain well known sites in Green Lake County and adjoining 
counties,*^ the Rush Lake and similarly productive regions." 

A typically Wisconsin problem relative to pre-Columbian 
copper is the use of this metal by the Winnebago prior to 
their contact with white traders. The Winnebago used 
copper implements in abundance yet Paul Radin writes that 
all Indians questioned by him denied that their ancestors 
ever used copper before their contact with the whites 
(about 1632). This is a mooted question. It is generally 
supposed, although there is no conclusive evidence for it, 
that the Winnebago obtained their artifacts through inter- 
mediaries, probably the Menominnee and Potawatomee. 

There is every reason to believe that copper, if it was 
used at all by the Winnebago before the advent of white 
traders, was limited in use for it is never mentioned in 
Winnebago mythology. While it is true that mention is 
made of copper in the myth of The Twins, sections of this 
myth show marked European influence and can hardly be 
accepted as representative of the Winnebago culture. Again, 
copper is found not infrequently in burial mounds, but there 
is no way to determine whether these structures are post- 
Columbian or whether the burial occurred years after the 
erection of the mound. 

With the coming of French and English traders into the 
Great Lakes region the influence of a superior culture made 
itself felt and foreign copper superseded the aboriginal; it 
is, of course difficult to draw very definite lines between na- 
tive and exotic phases but there is no question about copper 
on aboriginal sites being aboriginal (native) metal. 

The sheet copper of European origin differs from that 
of prehistoric copper in that it is of uniform thinness, is not 
pecked and on analysis has been found to contain sulphur, a 
peculiarity found only in European trade copper. 

Within historic time the mining of native copper lessened 
and its manufacture into artifacts was modified by Euro- 
pean influence. Soon it was given up in favor of the now 



Brown, C. E., Wis. Archeol., v. 3, no. 2, p. 58. 



156 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 11, No. 4 



easily obtainable and highly prized trade sheet copper called 
''contact material" by collectors. 

The early traders carried on a lucrative traffic in this 
sheet copper, the origin of which is a matter of conjecture. 
Certain it is that colonial pots and kettles of copper fur- 
nished most of the pieces of sheet copper found on many 
village sites. Neil M. Judd, in a personal communication 
with the writer, states: "Prior to the advent of the Euro- 
peans, our American Indians hammered out of copper ore 
all their copper artifacts, however thin. Sheet copper was 
unknown to them before the whites came; then pots and 
kettles furnished the principal source. We do not know the 
origin of these colonial utensils." 



What a Season Brings Forth 157 

WHAT A SEASON BRINGS FORTH 
Geo. Overton 

In early spring, when patches of snow cover the fields 
and the ice still covers the beaches, the urge to get out 
where lived the people of old, to search for relics of their 
culture becomes increasingly stronger as the days slowly 
pass. We ponder over the problems that these people 
worked out in their daily scheme of life. We are buoyed by 
the hope that the new season will bring forth something to 
add to our meager knowledge of their life history. 

As soon as the drying mud permits and the ice melts 
along the inner edge of the beaches, the group is out and 
the game is on to see who will have the honor of finding the 
first Indian artifact. Our place is the west half of the 
N. E. 1/4 of Sec. 30, Township 19 N., Range 16 E. The 
southwest corner runs out into a marsh bordering the Fox 
River. A broad creek meanders across the approximate 
middle of the farm. Power dams have raised the level of 
our waters. This caused the marsh to spread out to the 
high land. An ancient beach that existed before the silting 
process had formed the marsh was revealed. Here we find 
evidence of a very old culture. We have named this the 
West Beach. The north bank of the creek at its mouth is 
the North Beach and the south bank of the creek is the 
South Beach. The old French Trading Post was a short 
distance inland from the North Beach which was the boat 
landing for the Post. 

It is not my purpose to burden you with a catalog of our 
finds nor to detail our activities, but only to mention a few 
of the outstanding things we found during the season of 
1931. 

The field near the Trading Post Site produced a very 
unique tool of fine grained stone resembling a greenish 
grey slate. This artifact is 41/4" long, 2%" wide and 9/16" 
thick. On one side is a hole 5/16" across and about the 
same in depth, evidently used to hold the upper end of a 
spindle drill shaft. The opposite side was very smoothly 
and evenly worn as though it had been used with sand and 



158 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 

water as an abrading stone. The ends were marked as if 
it had been used as a pecking or chipping stone, possibly on 
flint arrow heads. Though the Indian used many make- 
shifts and often made the same tool serve a multitude of 
purposes a combination tool such as this is very rare. 

I stood on the North Beach of Overton creek where it 
enters the Fox River. The high water covered the beaches. 
I scanned the bottom as each receding wave momentarily 
revealed the pebble strewn shingle. I saw what appeared to 
be a large fragment of a "trade pipe" stem. A long stick 
helped me to secure it and I held in my hand a drilled plum- 
met made of some large sea shell. This plummet is 2 5/16" 
long, oval in cross section, and i/^" and %" in diameter. 
Through how many hands did this talisman or ornament 
pass on its long journey from the southern sea to the shores 
of the Grand Butte? Was it trade or conquest that brought 
it hither? 

Jim, aged six, found a very perfect, mottled grey flint 
arrow point 2l^" long and 1%" wide, sharply barbed. It 
had a very flat rounded tang. He also found a silver plated 
button which was %" in diameter. On it was a spreading 
eagle with shield on breast and arrows and branch in 
talons. On the back was stamped "Armitage, Phila." This 
specimen was found on the Trading Post site. 

Betty, age nine, found a hollow cone made from the tip 
of a prong of an elk's horn, 1 9/16" long, 11/16" on large 
end and 5/16" on small end. The small end shows tool 
marks where it was whittled down. Was this a part of a 
pipe or was the large end filled with a tuft of hair to make 
a tassel? Lack of nicotine discoloration would place it in 
the class of ornaments. This specimen also was found on 
the Trading Post site. 

Tom contributed a perfect rhyolite point, barbed, 1%" 
long. It possessed a small square butt 1%" by %", notched 
sides and serrated edges. A perfect blue flint drill 2%" 
long, was also found. 

Mary Jane has the following to report: Cream colored 
flint spearhead 3" by 1%", truncated barbs. Turtleback 
flint spud 2" by %", found on West Beach. Perfect leaf 
shaped arrow, black and grey flint 2" long by 1" broad. 
West Beach. From the Trading Post : Part of the hammer 



What a Season Brings Forth 159 

of a Northwest gun. Rusted clasp knife, English pattern, 
blade 31/2" long. Two brass ramrod loops from flintlock 
gun. Small brass bell. Disc bead of bone 11/16" diameter. 
Several gun and rifle flints and bullets. A number of glass 
and wampum beads. 

I was working over the North Beach where the boat 
landing of the old Trading Post was located. I found a 
disc of limestone about four inches across and three-quar- 
ters of an inch thick. It had without question been chipped 
into shape. Several more lay near which I picked up and 
examined. All were of the same general shape and size. 
Being of limestone I ignorantly supposed they could not 
belong to any Indian culture, and tossed them back. A few 
days later the good wife saw them and waded out and re- 
covered nine which varied from 3i/^ to 4i/^ inches in 
diameter and were %" thick. Several more were found on 
the South and West beaches. I found a very perfect one 
on the bar at the end of the South Beach. Going over the 
collection I discovered we had two more, picked up at some 
previous time on the West Beach. We probably have fif- 
teen that are true to type and several that are more crudely 
formed. The number of these discs and their similarity in 
size and shape indicates they must have been made to serve 
some purpose. What use the Indians made of them has 
thus far remained undetermined. 

The most persistent, enthusiastic, and faithful worker 
in our little group is Mrs. Overton who spent more hours 
searching than all the rest of us together. The articles 
enumerated in the following paragraphs were all recovered 
through her untiring efforts. On the South Beach: Near 
the west end of the beach a bone implement 514" long, %" 
wide at one end, %" at the middle and y^" thick, was picked 
up. The broad end is beveled to a blunt chisel edge. The 
small end tapers from near the middle to a rounded flat- 
tened point. This implement is not an awl. The rounded 
point and the flat broad end might suggest its use in mak- 
ing incised decorations on pottery. A small bone awl 2%" 
long. A red slate polishing stone, chipped to an ovoid 
shape, 3" long by 2I/2" wide. One prong of a bilaterally 
barbed iron sturgeon spear, 8I/2" long and generally %" in 
diameter. The main spring of a gun lock. A badly rusted 



160 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 

fragment of scissors. The smallest hammer stone of the 
season 1 13/16" long, ll^" wide by 9/16" thick. The edges 
show much use. 

On the West Beach: A celt of banded green and black 
slate was found about half way down the west beach. This 
celt is 5l^" long, 31^" broad at the cutting edge and 2l^" 
at the top end, lYs'' thick. One edge and the top end have 
not been pecked smooth but were ground over, the hammer 
stone chipping leaving rough depressions. It appears as 
though the old artisan had tried to save all he could of the 
rare and beautiful piece of material and yet make an arti- 
fact true to type. The rest of the celt is nicely polished. 

In this same vicinity were found several points and scrap- 
ers of a beautiful yellow quartzite; triangular point 21/^" 
by 11/^", notched arrow 2l^" by 1", single-barbed fighting 
point 2I/2" by 1%", round end scraper ll^" by %", very 
thin flake ll^" wide and notched like a fish tail, irregular 
flake 3" by li^" one side chipped into a crescent shaped 
scraper, end of a snub-nosed tanning scraper, a small point 
IV2" by %", a large flake of raw material 4" by 2" the 
sharp edge showing use as a knife or scraper, a very finely 
chipped knife 2%" by IVa"^ with a thin rounded tang. All 
these pieces were found within a space of two or three rods 
along the beach. 

Farther down the beach a mottled white flint notched 
spear 2%" by 1%", tang 1%" wide. Painted flint spear 
33/3" by li/s", rounded tang. 

The choicest find of the season was a grey, finely grained 
stone plummet 2%" long, 1%" wide and 1%" thick. It has 
an incised line on each side which extends entirely around 
the plummet on its long diameter. The convex faces meet 
to form a well defined angle at the edges. This type of 
plummet is very rare in our locality. I know of only one 
other, found by Geo. Freer on Lake Poygan, although 
there may have been others, unreported or carried off by 
commercial relic mongers. 

I do not wish to leave the impression that we live in an 
archeological paradise where one may walk across a field 
and get a pocketf ull of fine artifacts. On the contrary, per- 
sistent, intensive search is only meagerly rewarded. Some 



What a Season Brings Forth 161 

of our fields have been cultivated more than sixty years. 
There are seven of us and all are "bugs" on the subject of 
archeology. Each of the younger members is encouraged 
to keep his or her finds in a little private hoard, but the 
whole is available for our study collection. 



162 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 



ARCHEOLOGICAL FINDS IN THE UINTAH 
BASIN IN UTAH 

Albert B. Reagan 

The writer's investigation in the Uintah Basin, in Utah, 
under a grant from the Laboratory of Anthropology at 
Santa Fe, shows that its main centers of ancient occupation 
are Nine Mile (Minnie Maud Creek) Canyon, east of Price, 
Hill (Creek) Canyon, forty miles south of Ouray (includ- 
ing some finds on Willow creek and along Green river) , the 
Brush Creek Region (including some settlements at Green- 
dale, or the Lewis Allen Country, forty-five miles over the 
mountains to the northwestward), and the Ashley-Dry 
Fork valleys, near Vernal. These will be mentioned more 
in detail later. 

Judd*^ had found a definitely Puebloan culture at Willard, 
Beaver and Paragonah to the westward, in Utah; and Rob- 
erts^^ had classified the ruins about Willard as close ap- 
proximations of the A type dwellings of the beginning stage 
of his Pueblo I horizon in the Piedra district in southwest- 
ern Colorado, thereby also correlating them, in part, with 
the writer's*^ finds in the Pine River region, a little to the 
northwestward in the same state. We had therefore ex- 
pected to find remains of this series in the Basin which is 
just east of the Wasatch range of mountains from the typi- 
cal Willard-Beaver culture area, and we did. 

Eleven earth-lodge villages of the Willard Pueblo stage 
were visited. However, on the whole, the individual dwel- 
lings, which were of typical daub-and-mud (jacal) construc- 
tion, seem to be more squarish to rectangular in outline 
than his descriptions would indicate the Willard houses to 
be. Some of them also exhibit a sunken floor as the Class 
A type of houses of Pueblo I horizon so often shown in the 
Piedra District. Otherwise, with their artifacts which are 



« Judd, N. M., 1926, p. 8. 

** Roberts, Frank H. H. Jr., 1930, p. 71. 

*' Reagan, Albert B., 1919, pp. 171-176; Roberts, Frank H. H. Jr., 
1930, p. 69. 



Archeological Finds in the Uintah Basin in Utah 163 

scattered about them, they are Willard type houses as de- 
scribed by him/^ 

These houses, in turn, with the coming and going years, 
changed into houses with soUd walls, much resembling the 
Geordge-Bradshaw type of houses, also found near Beaver, 
Utah, by Judd,^^ which will here be considered as the Beav- 
er Culture. A typical house of this sort is that described by 
the writer as abutting "Big Rock" on the west, about a 
mile northeast of Mrs. Daniels' place, on the bench to the 
right of Uintah river, above Fort Duchesne.'^ It would 
therefore seem that the culture here, as represented by the 
earth-lodges and the first series of solid-walled houses, 
should be termed the Willard-Beaver Culture, if we use 
Judd's nomenclature, as the one evidently grew out of the 
other. 

Some of the caves also seem to have had edifices within 
them of a daub-and-wattlework (jacal) nature, much like 
those seen by the writer in the Kayenta cliff-houses in Ari- 
zona,^^ except they seem to have been of a larger and of a 
more substantial, jacal nature. Their apparent underposi- 
tion in the debris and their structure would also seem to 
place them as belonging to this same culture. 

As the artifacts are the same or very similar, the squar- 
ish houses of the Brush Creek and Greendale regions, part 
of which were built of undressed river cobbles,^^ seem also 
to have been made by these same people and also seem to 
correspond somewhat to Roberts Class C houses of the 
Piedra district above.^^ The small, circular structures and 
stone-edged circles, squares, and rectangles and rock-pile 
mounds about them also appear to correspond to the shrines 
of the Small House People of northern New Mexico, as de- 
scribed by Dr. Douglas.^* The houses here, which are not 
in groups, seem to have been inhabited in about the begin- 
ning of Pueblo II horizon. 



*« Judd, N. M., 1926, above. See Eoberts, Frank H. H., Jr., 1930, 
pp. 69-71; and Reagan, Albert B., 1931 a, and 1931c, p. 126. 
*' Judd, N. M., 1926, pp. 21-35. 
"^ Reagan, Albert B., 1931c, pp. 128-131. 
" Reagan, Albert B., 1922, pp. 279-284. 
'' See Reagan, Albert B., 1931f, pp. 132-138. 
'' Roberts, Frank H. H., Jr., 1930, pp. 50-59. 
'* Douglas, William Boone, 1917, pp. 19-29. 



164 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 

The ruins in Hill Canyon and the older ruins in Nine Mile 
Canyon seem to have been made by the same people but at 
a later period. Most of the artifacts, including the greater 
part of the potsherds, are identical with those found about 
the jackal earth-lodges above. In addition to these, a few 
pieces of black-on-white potsherds and an occasional corru- 
gated piece were found in each area. A sherd of the proto- 
Kayenta (Tusayan) polychrome ware was also seen at the 
Nutter ranch in Nine Mile Canyon, Miss Catherine Nutter 
stating that she found it locally along with some sherds 
that were painted in black-and-white bars on the inside, 
which she also kindly showed us. The ruins of these two 
canyons, and especially those of Hill Canyon, all of which 
are of Pueblo II age, are, for the most part, circular rooms 
or towers, forts, and lookouts, and seem to have their coun- 
terpart in the aboriginal towers and forts in the valley of 
the San Juan and its tributaries, especially the Yellow 
Jacket Canyon and those canyons entering it from the north 
side.^° However, the masonry of the buildings here is much 
inferior to that of the Yellow Jacket-McElmo ruins. Fur- 
thermore, the pottery here is both scanty and very crude 
and is usually a plain gray to dark ware without decoration ; 
while that of the ruins of the more southern clime is much 
advanced both in make and in decoration. Nevertheless, 
the writer is of the opinion that the same people erected 
both sets of buildings, the towers, lookouts, cliff-houses, 
and forts of Hill and Nine Mile canyons antedating those 
to the southward by a lapse of time sufficient for them, in 
their southern trek, to perfect the masonry art and to de- 
velop the better grade of pottery with its elaborate deco- 
ration. The ruins left in the two regions certainly have a 
great likeness. The buildings also seem to have had a like 
religious significance as well as their other uses. They 
were undoubtedly used in defense against a common enemy, 
which, for lack of a better name, the writer has termed 
''Head Hunters," as will be mentioned later. It would ap- 
pear that they made a stand in the Hill Canyon-Nine Mile 
Canyon region. Then, being driven out, their towers and 
forts in the southward show where they made other stands 
against this same people in their southern migration. 



n 



Consult Fewkes, 1917, and 1919. 



Archeological Finds in the Uintah Basin in Utah 165 

The writer wishes to add that, due to the artifacts being 
so similar on the whole, he considers that the earth-lodge 
(jacal house) people of the Uintah Basin, in general, in- 
cluding the solid-wall-house folk of the Uintah-River dwel- 
lings of the Willard-Beaver culture, with modifications, the 
house people of the Greendale and Brush Creek area, and 
the Fort-Tower people of Nine Mile and Hill canyons (what 
might be termed the Canyon Culture) are one and the same 
people, only that the Brush Creek and Nine Mile-Hill Can- 
yon folk represent a later and more advanced stage of that 
culture. As there are considerable variations from the 
cultures found by Judd to the westward, the writer feels 
that this whole culture series should be termed the Uintah 
Culture. Furthermore, according to Roberts' classification 
of the earth-lodge peoples of the Willard stage, as we have 
seen, this series extends in the Pueblo culture scale approx- 
imately from the Class A type of dwelling of the dawning 
period of Pueblo I culture probably far into the Pueblo H 
culture period. 

While the people of the Willard-Beaver-and-Canyon (here 
collectively termed the Uintah) culture period were build- 
ing up their civilization in the Basin another and quite dif- 
ferent peripheral people occupied the caves of the region, 
apparently bordering the Uintah culture and Judd's Wil- 
lard-Beaver culture lands on the east. These people had 
unpainted, black or gray pottery, very similar to that of 
the earth-lodge people. Whether they borrowed the art 
from the Pueblos of the Uintah and Judd's Willard-Beaver 
cultures, or the others borrowed it from them, of course, 
can only be conjectured at this date. Be that as it may, 
the pottery left by either peoples is scanty and quite crude 
in make. Besides the pottery, they possessed a unique type 
of moccasin — the dew-claws of the deer were left on the 
skin of which the moccasin was made, or were sewed on it 
as a decoration, the dew-claws often projecting from the 
sole so as to serve as hobnails. They also had figurines in 
the Uintah Basin area, as well as in the Fremont region 
to the southward. Mr. Leo C. Thorne, of Vernal, has a 
fragment of the terminus of a clay figurine in his collec- 
tion at his studio, much like Morss's figurine d of Plate 28;^^ 



'"Morss, Noel, 1931, "Green River Trip," three images, p. 46, a 
terminus, p. 50. 



166 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 

and several figurines have been secured from Nine Mile 
Canyon, both by Noe and his companions and by Morss, 
both obtaining them from caves on the Rasmussen property 
there. The writer would add that while his party found 
no "skirt" terminus of a figurine, representing the cord 
skirt worn by the real people, the front (apron) part of a 
cedar-bark cord skirt was found by it in Cave 26, north- 
west of Vernal. These people, too, left abundant rock writ- 
ings of characteristic types, as will be mentioned later, and 
had cave cists, both excavated in the hardpan floors, often 
in jug-shape, and slab-bordered cists, similar to those of 
Pueblo I and the Basket Maker periods. These and the 
other artifacts they left would tend to identify them as be- 
longing to a culture about on a Basket Maker III level. In 
fact, in their culture, they consistently show a divergence 
in almost every way from the cultures, in general, through- 
out the Southwest. More will be said about this people 
later. 

The pictographs and petroglyphs of the region show four 
distinct types of culture: Basket Maker, Pueblo, a people 
who made circular-bodied drawings of humans, probably 
patterning their drawings after the shape of their woven 
water jars and after the round faces of the sun and moon, 
and a "head hunting" people, who depict themselves time 
upon time as returning from battle with captive women and 
children and the heads of the braves who dared defend 
their homes. 

We would naturally presume that the characteristic 
Pueblo drawings in the Ashley-Dry Fork valleys and in 
Nine Mile and Hill canyons were made by the peoples of 
the Willard-Beaver and Canyon Pueblo cultures (all three 
here collectively termed the Uintah culture, as above), the 
more advanced drawings of that culture age apparently be- 
ing in Nine Mile Canyon where even typical Southwestern 
horned or plumed snakes are depicted. A scene in Ashley 
valley also shows two men carrying an image of that snake 
in true Hopi-Pueblo style. In a few cases undoubted Pueblo 
scenes, even depicting women with whorled, pumpkin-blos- 
som-attired hair, are shown, superimposed over Basket 
Maker scenes which depict people in square-shouldered 
drawings and as wearing side-bobbed or side-locked hair. 



Archeological Finds in the Uintah Basin in Utah 167 

The latter scenes, however, depict men as using bows and 
arrows, although the Donald Scott party from the Peabody 
Museum is reported to have found an atlatl (a typical Bas- 
ket Maker spear-throwing device) in one of the Nine Mile 
caves on the Rasmussen property this last summer — the 
farthest north an atlatl has so far been found. Further- 
more, the use of bows and arrows by these people would 
seem to place them in the Basket Maker III culture age, 
somewhere near its close. 

Both the round-bodied drawings of humans and the pic- 
tographs that were made by the Head Hunters are superim- 
posed over the Pueblo petroglyphs in many places, the lat- 
ter also being superimposed over the former in some places, 
clearly showing the succession.^^ To what group the peo- 
ple of the round-bodied drawing era belonged is only con- 
jectural. Sure it is that they had some customs that seem 
to ally them to the ancestors of the present Ute-Cheme- 
huevi and certain other Shoshonean peoples. One of these 
was their belief in the bear. Another was their having the 
bear dance much as it is now had by the Utes of the Uintah 
Basin, as is depicted in petroglyphic group P8 which we 
photographed. No strife between these people and the 
Pueblos is depicted in the rock drawings so far as seen, and 
one would be led to believe that they occupied a part of the 
region at a time when the Pueblos were on the decline and 
consequently were not strong enough to drive them out. 

Besides the pictures made by the head-hunting group in 
Ashley and Dry Fork valleys, Morss found their rock writ- 



" The superposition of these pictures is very distinct. It is shown 
both by the older glyphs being much more worn than the later ones 
and by their being made by different methods. Some are pecked; 
some, rubbed; and some, made by being outlined and covered over 
with small drill-holes, and some are painted over the drawings of the 
former periods. The later drawings, too, are often placed slantwise 
over the earlier ones. This superposition was noticed in Nine Mile 
Canyon by Mr. Frank Bechwith (1931, pp. 216-222) as well as by us, 
he stating with reference to one such superposition, among several: 
"The most perfect executed buffalo (among eight) which our party 
saw in Nine Mile Canyon is drawn over older .... and nearly effaced 
designs." Morss (1931, p. 39) also noted a similar superposition of 
rock writings near Thompson, just south of our area, in Utah, the 
writings of the same or of a similar people evidently being involved, 
he stating in comment on same: "It is believed that we have here 
stratagraphic evidence of the development of Fremont art from Bas- 
ket Maker or quasi Basket Maker prototypes." 



168 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 

ings, mostly painted pictures, in lower Nine Mile Canyon 
and in the Fremont area in connection with his cave finds, 
as we did with the cave finds here. The only painted pic- 
tures we saw in Nine Mile Canyon (NP18 B and NP24) 
were undoubtedly made by this same people, as was the 
unpainted group NP7, which exhibits a cornute individual 
like the one from Site 31, near the cave on the Rasmussen 
property, figured by Morss as figure b, on Plate 13.^^ It 
would also seem that all the painted drawings in Hill Can- 
yon (Rock Writings 2A-B to 3a-f and 7) were made by this 
same group of people.^^ However, it appears that the head- 
hunting scenes are portrayed only in the Ashley-Dry Fork 
regions. 

As we have seen, the Head Hunters were a peripheral 
people who utilized the caves of the region. They pictured 
themselves as returning from raids with captives and with 
the heads of the vanquished braves, some of the glyphs 
picturing the captured women as wearing whorled hair as 
Hopi virgins now wear theirs. It should be added that the 
heads they are represented as carrying were probably only 
trophies of war as were scalps among many other Ameri- 
can tribes. Besides having many customs and artifacts 
that apparently pertain to the Basket Maker culture, their 
glyphs also show that they had many customs of the Ute- 
Chemehuevi and other Shoshonean peoples, as had the peo- 
ple of the round-bodied drawing era, even depicting bear 
dance scenes as they are now carried out by the present 
Ute Indians and as are now pictured on the bear dance flag 
that is hoisted over the musicians at every bear dance in 
the Uintah Basin lands. However, in time they took on a 
quasi-Pueblo culture and became the Pueblo No. II people of 
the Fremont stage of that culture age, as given by Morss 
for one of their divisions south of our area;^" and for a 
considerable time, their possessions extended, at least in 
part, probably from far into Wyoming southward along 
Green river and its tributaries to the Fremont (Dirty 
Devil) river in southern Utah. They, however, were out of 
the main stream of Southwestern Pueblo Culture and prob 






■^^ Morss, Noel, 1931. 

»* See Reagan, Albert B., 1931d, pp. 236-241. 

•* Morss, Noel, 1931, above. 



Archeological Finds in tlie Uintah Basin in Utah 169 

ably their culture did not stand closer to that culture, in the 
main, than the Navajo Culture of our day is to the present 
Hopi-Pueblo culture. It would also seem that, besides first 
absorbing the Basket Makers of the region, they, in time, 
passed from the "savage" stage directly into No. II Pueblo 
without passing through the No. I culture stage, due, prob- 
ably to their intermarriage (or their absorbing) the Uintah 
(and Judd's Willard-Beaver) Pueblos who had then passed 
over the threshold into the No. II stage of Pueblo culture. 

In further summary, it would seem that the Pueblo peo- 
ple of the Willard-Beaver culture to the west and south- 
west of the Wahsatch Mountains gradually pushed east- 
ward into the Uinta Basin and here developed the culture 
which the writer has termed the Uintah Culture. This 
reached its culmination in the erecting of the Nine Mile 
Canyon and Hill Canyon forts, lookouts, and towers. 

On entering the basin they drove the Basket Makers 
back into the mountains and for a time they seem to have 
had practically full sway. (They surely felt secure from 
enemy attacks when they dwelt in their earth-lodge huts, 
one would be led to believe.) A new people then entered 
the region who made round-bodied drawings of human be- 
ings. These seem to have had some affiliation with the 
then Shoshonean peoples, if they were not of the Shosho- 
nean family themselves. They and the Uintah Pueblos 
seem to have lived on amiable terms, one would judge from 
the glyphs ; but soon there was to be no peace in the basin, 
for a rising peripheral people to the eastward were to con- 
test with them for the supremacy. The clash between 
these people and the Uintah Pueblos came, as would be ex- 
pected, and to defend themselves the Pueblos, in turn, re- 
moved to the canyons where they built forts, lookouts, and 
towers for defense, as in Nine Mile and Hill canyons. The 
contest must have been long, for before its close the Head 
Hunters had become quasi-Puebloized, likely through their 
intermarriage with the captured Pueblo women that they 
themselves so often depict as taken captive. The final re- 
sult was their inevitably wholly dispossessing the Uintah 
Pueblos, as their rock writings depict. And they them- 
selves finally became Morss's Pueblo No. II peoples of the 
Fremont (Dirty Devil) River area, in southern Utah, as 



170 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 

has been previously noted. The writer's investigations also 
show that they extended their territory along Green river 
and its tributaries northward from there probably far into 
Wyoming. So far as known at present their complex never 
wholly took on the orthodox Pueblo cultures, as we know 
them in the Southwest. Furthermore, what ultimately be- 
came of them is yet a matter of conjecture. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Beckwith, Frank. 

1931. Some Interesting Pictographs in Nine Mile Canyon, Utah. 
El Palacio, vol. 31, no. 14, pp. 216-22, Santa Fe, October, 
7, 1913. 
Douglas, William Boone. 

1917. Shrines of the Small House People of Northern New Mexico. 
El Palacio, July issue, pp. 19-29, Santa Fe, 1917. 
Fewkes, J. W. 

1917. Archaeological Investigations in New Mexico, Colorado, and 

Utah. Smithson. Misc. Colls., vol. 68, no. 1, 1917. 
1919. Prehistoric Villages, Castles, and Towers of Southwestern 
Colorado. Bull. 70, Bur. Amer. Ethn., Washington, 1919. 
Judd, N. M. 

1926. Archaeological Investigations North of the Rio Colorado. 
Bull. 82, Bur. Amer. Ethn., Washington, 1926. 
Kidder, A. V., and Guernsey, S. J. 

1919. Archaeology of Northeastern Arizona. Bull. 65, Bur. Amer. 
Ethn., Washington, 1919. 

1921. Basket Maker Caves of Northeastern Arizona. Papers Pea- 
body Mus. of Amer. Archaeol. and Ethn., Harvard. Univ., 
vol. 8, no. 2, Cambridge, 1921. 

Montgomery, Henry. 

1894. Prehistoric Man in Utah. The Archaeologist, vol. 2, nos. 8, 
9, 11. Waterloo, Ind., 1894. 
Morss, Noel. 

1931. The Ancient Culture of the Fremont River in Utah. Papers 
Peabody Mus. of Amer. Archaeol. and Ethn., Harvard Univ., 
vol. 12, no. 3, Cambridge, 1931. 
Reagan, Albert IB. 

1919. The Ancient Ruins in Lower and Middle Pine River Valley, 
Colorado. El Palacio, vol. 8, nos. 9-12, pp. 171-176, Santa Fe, 
1919. 

1922. Archaeological Notes on Pine River Valley, Colorado, and 
the Kayenta-Tuba Region, Arizona. Trans. Kas. Acad. Sci., 
vol. 30, pp. 244-331 and 394-428, Topeka, 1922. 

1928. Continued Archaeological Studies in the Navajo Country, 
Arizona. Trans. Kas. Acad. Sci., vol. 31, pp. 142-279, Man- 
hattan, 1928. 

1928. The Small House Ruins of the Slab-House and Black-on- 
White Pottery Series in the Comfields-Hopi Volcanic Buttes* 
Field, in the Navajo Country, Arizona. El Palacio, vol. 25, 
nos. 3-4-5, pp. 59-76, Santa Fe, 1928. 



Archeological Finds in the Uintah Basin in Utah 171 

1930. Ruins of Dawning Age, found in Northeast Utah. Science 

Service, December 8, Washington, 1930. 
1931a. Some Notes on the Ancient Earth-lodge Peoples of the Wil- 

lard Stage of Pueblo Culture in the Uintah Basin, Utah. El 

Palacio, vol. 30, nos. 19-20, pp. 236-241, 1 map, 3 plates, May 

20, 1931. 

b. Some Archaeological Notes on Nine Mile Canyon, Utah. El 
Palocio, vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 45-71, 4 pis., Santa Fe, July 29, 

c. Additional Archaeological Notes on Ashley and Dry Fork 
Canyons in Northeastern Utah. El Palacio, vol. 31, no. 8, pp. 
122-131, 2 pis., Santa Fe, August 26, 1931. 

d. Some Archaeological Notes on Hill Canyon in Northeastern 
Utah. El Palacio, vol. 31, no. 15, pp. 223-244, 4 pis. Santa 
Fe, October 14, 1931. 

f. Archaeological Notes on the Brush Creek Region, North- 
eastern Utah. The Wisconsin Archaeologist, vol. 10, no. 4, 
pp. 132-138, Madison, August, 1931. 

g. Early House Builders of the Brush Creek Region in North- 
eastern Utah. The American Anthropologist, vol. 33, no. 4, 
pp. 660-661, Menasha, Wise, September-December, 1931. 

h. Some of the Oldest Historic Written Records North of Mexi- 
co. Americana, vol. 26, no. 4, Fourth Quarter, pp. 465-468, 
with five whole pages of illustrations. New York City, Octo- 
ber, 1931. 

i. Nine Mile Canyon, a review. Discoveries, vol. 2, no. 2, p. 8, 
Philadelphia, November, 1931. 

j. Rock Writings in Utah. Discoveries, vol. 2, no. 3, p. 6, Phila- 
delphia, December, 1931. 

k. Ruins and Pictographs in Nine Mile Canyon, Utah (abstract). 
Trans. 111. State Acad. Sci., vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 369-370, Spring- 
field, December, 1931. 

1. Collections of. Ancient Artifacts from the Ashley-Dry Fork 
District of the Uintah Basin, with some Notes on the Dwell- 
ings and Mortuary Customs of the Ute Indians of the Ouray 
(Utah) Region. El Palacio, vol. 31, no. 26, pp. 407-413, Santa 
Fe, December 30, 1931. 
m. Rock Writings in Ashley and Dry Fork Valleys, in North- 
eastern Utah. Trans. Kas. Acad. Sci., vol. 34, pp. 168-216, 
Manhattan, 1931. 
1932a. The Ancient Agriculturists of Brush Creek Valley, in North- 
eastern Utah (written up in a popular vein). Frontier, vol. 
12, no. 2, pp. 174-176, Missoula, Mont., January, 1932. 

b. Ancient "Writing" North of the Rio Grande. Roger Williams 
Naturalist, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 1-5, 4 pis.. Providence, R. I., 
January, 1932. 
Roberts, Frank H. H., Jr. 

1930. Early Pueblo Ruins in the Piedra District, Southwestern 
Colorado. Bull. 96, Bur. Amer. Ethn., Washington, 1930. 
Other references may be found in Dr. Morss' publication 
above, pp. 79-81. 



172 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 

A VISIT TO THE INDIAN SUGAR-BUSH 
CEREMONIALS 

J. F. Wojta«* 

Ceremonials 

In early April, when the sky is clear and the sun shines 
brightly during the day, and when the nights grow cool, the 
Indian instinctively harkens to the call of nature. Some am- 
bitious Indian starts beating the medicine drum, whose deep 
hollow resounding tones permeate the calm night air, thus 
challenging the tribe to attend the ceremonial dance, and the 
feast following — all of which is preparatory to the families 
moving to the sugar bush, where maple trees grow and 
where the Indians will be making maple sugar and syrup for 
the next three or four weeks. 

A messenger is sent with a sacred bag of tobacco to visit 
the Indians on reservations a few days before the ceremony fl 
is to take place. When the bag is not in use, it lies on or near 
the sacred drum. When the messenger arrives at the home 
of the one with whom he desires to participate in the event, 
he takes from the sacred bag enough tobacco to fill a pipe 
and hands it to the Indian so chosen, and informs him as to 
the place and time for holding the sugar bush ceremonial. 
The fortunate Indian then puts the tobacco into his own 
buckskin pouch and keeps it there until the day of the feast. 
The recipient of this token is then bound to attend the feast 
and the dance. On entering the ceremonial circle he presents 
his portion of tobacco to the party in charge of the affair. 
This formality is equivalent to presenting calling cards 
when calling on friends in our present day social custom. 

The Appointed Day 

On the appointed day, every one who was presented with a fl 
pipe full of tobacco previously, ties it into a small bundle ^ 
and fastens it to his arm. He then enters the ceremonial 
circle. The Dream drums are then sounded by their individ- 
ual owners who also chant a peculiar weird melody. After 



" Agricultural Extension Service, University of Wisconsin. 






A Visit to the Indian Sugar-bush Ceremonials 173 

the chant is ended, the medicine man who is the spiritual 
leader of the tribe, steps into the center of the circle and 
goes through the rituals of the feast. 

The Feast 

The feast proper is now begun. The food, which was pre- 
pared for the table during the progress of the ceremony, is 
now served by the women, and is ready to be consumed. At 
the table, the medicine man again goes through a prescribed 
ritual before partaking of the food especially prepared for 
this occasion. 

The feast is a thanksgiving to the Great Spirit offered by 
the Indians for their survival of the long, cruel, and cold 
winter, which has just passed. The season is now being 
ushered in, as the Maple-sugar-making -time. It is during 
this season that the sap in the trees begins to flow, when na- 
ture is quickened to life, and which, to the average Indian, 
is a sign full of hope and happiness. 

Change of Drums 

Immediately following the feast the Midi drum is used in- 
stead of the Dream drum. The Midi drum is larger and of 
deeper tone, occupying the center of the ceremonial circle. 
The duty of the keeper of the drum is to keep it tuned up 
and to keep it from ever touching the ground. This drum 
is mounted on four staffs or supports, arranged to the 
points of the compass in upright position. These supports 
are beautifully trimmed with feathers, furs, and beads in a 
symbolic design. Each support has a ceremonial signifi- 
cance. 

The first beat on the drum by its keeper indicates that 
ceremonies have now begun. The singers and keepers of 
the drum take their places in a circle around the drum. The 
other members take their places in the outer circle. The 
beating of the drum is accompanied by a weird chant, and at 
that time the members of the outer circle start the slow 
solemn procession around the drum. It is highly desirable 
that the participants keep in step with the rhythm of the 
chant, in the procession. 



174 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 

Dancing 

The dancing now begins. The beating of the drum is fast- 
er and singing is more spirited. After the dancing has been 
going on for some time, one of the dancers is seen untying 
the bundle with which he entered the ceremonial circle. He 
then carefully examines its contents and picks up an article 
from it, hands it to his fellow member who immediately 
arises and joins the others in a dance around the circle to 
the tune of the drum. This is called the Give-away -dance. In 
this dance, a portion of the member's worldly goods are giv- 
en away as an offering to the great spirit for his wonderful 
kindness and mercy to his children. Only a certain portion 
of their food is given away. This custom among the Indians 
is somewhat similar to the Christian belief and practice of 
giving a tenth of our goods to God, which we call tithing. 
This ends the ceremonies in brief and the Indians now take 
off to their various trails which lead to sugar bush and to 
their sugar camps. 

Sugaring 

The first thing the Indians do when sugaring is to dis- 
tribute their home-made birch-bark containers. The contain- 
ers hold from a gallon to two gallons of sap each. The maple 
trees in the bush are next tapped. Some trees have one, 
others two, and still others have three or more spouts con- 
ducting the sap to the containers. 

The Indians collect the sap regularly, which is not an easy 
job, and convey it to large cast-iron kettles where it is evap- 
orated to a consistency at which sugar granules begin to ap- 
pear. From this substance sugar and maple syrup is made. 
An Indian during one season will make from 200 to 300 
pounds of sugar and from 50 to 75 gallons of maple syrup. 
This is a home product and is almost entirely used for home 
consumption. 

After the sap stops flowing and as the buds begin to leaf, 
the Indians will trek back again to their homes and prepare 
for the solemn ceremonies of initiation into the Midi Lodge. 

Customs of Indian Tribes 

There are many versions about Indians, as to their origin, 
their customs, and their mode of life in general. The ques- 
tion is often asked, "How did the Indians come to have so 



A Visit to the Indian Sugar-bush Ceremonials 



175 



many chiefs?" There was a time when the Indians lived as 
one large family, and were more friendly with one another. 
There was only one chief to a tribe. For instance, the Lake 
Superior Chippewas had only one chief. His name was Gi- 
tchi-bi-shi-ki. It was during the reign of this chief in the 
early days, that the British came in contact with the Indians 
and when treaties were negotiated between whites and In- 
dians. 

It was rather difficult to negotiate treaties with only one 
chieftain; therefore every clan of the tribe was given the 
right to choose one representative who was the spokesman 
for his particular clan at every tribal meeting of any import- 
ance. This tribal system was in vogue among the pagan In- 
dians for untold ages. 

Every tribe of Indians was divided into separate groups 
and each group had a totem or a group symbol. For in- 
stance, one would belong to a fish clan, and he was governed 
by the iron-clad rules of his particular clan. By moving to 
another section of the county, he would inquire about the 
fish clan, and finding it he would be received as a brother, if 
a man — or a sister, if a woman, as the case may have been. 
One of the iron-clad rules was that members of the same 
clan could not marry out of the clan. It was sort of a frater- 
nal brotherhood. For example, if one member of the clan 
was injured by a member of another clan, all would feel in- 
jured and seek revenge. 

A member of the bear clan could not represent the mem- 
bers of the fish clan ; so when the different governments be- 
gan to deal with the Indians, it became necessary for a rep- 
resentative of each clan to be selected as a spokesman for his 
particular group. These, in time, came to be recognized as 
chiefs since each was recognized as a leader by his group. 
To-day Wisconsin Indians no longer practice their former 
tribal customs. They are now under federal jurisdiction and 
the federal government no longer officially recognizes chiefs, 
as such, among Indian tribes. They are treated as citizens. 



176 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 11, No. 4 



ARCHEOLOGICAL NOTES 



Meetings 

April 21, 1932. President W. C. McKern presiding. There were 38 
members and visitors present. Mr. McKern expressed his appreciation 
of the honor conferred upon him by his election and asked the active 
cooperation of all members. 

Secretary Brown read the list of regular and special committees 
appointed at the Executive Board meeting by the president. These 
had been approved by the five directors present. Only three members 
of the Advisory Committee elected at the Annual Meeting were pres- 
ent. It was requested that members of this Committee attend all 
meetings of the Board. Treasurer Thorne had reported twenty-two 
members as being delinquent in their dues payments. The death of 
Mrs. Babina M. Dengel, a life member, was announced. 

Dr. Ralph Linton of the Univei*sity of Wisconsin, Madison, gave a 
very interesting lecture on "The Evidence of Early Man in America" 
in which this engrossing subject was fully considered and all of the 
recent evidence presented. Various members participated in the dis- 
cussion which followed. The president thanked the speaker for his 
offering. 

At the close of the meeting Dr. L. S. Buttles exhibited a series of 
flint and copper implements, and Mr. C. G. Schoewe, some Potawatomi 
woven bags, a bone netting needle, a fragmentary shell gorget, a 
stone celt and a hammer stone. The meeting then adjourned. 

The committees appointed to serve for the year 1932-33 appear on 
one of the front pages of this issue of The Wisconsin Archeologist. 

May 16, 1932. President McKern presiding. Dr. H. W. Kuhm act- 
ing as secretary. There were 30 members present. Dr. S. A. Barrett 
presented the following amendment to the Articles of Incorporation 
of the Society : 

"WHEREAS, It is thought best to increase the members of the 
Board of Directors of The Wisconsin Archeological Society to thirty 
instead of ten, 

NOW THEREFORE, be it Resolved that, the Fourth Article of the 
Articles of Incorporation of the Wisconsin Archeological Society be 
and the same is hereby amended, changing the number of Directors 
from ten to thirty, making it necessary to choose the officers of this 
Association from among their number, so that said Article, when 
amended shall read: — 

FOURTH: The general officers of the said corporation shall be a 
President, five Vice Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer, and a 
Board of Thirty Directors, from among which number of Directors 
shall be elected the foregoing named officers and which Board of 
Directors shall constitute the Executive Board. These officers and 
directors shall be elected by ballot at each regular annual meeting of 
the Society, each of which shall hold his office for one year and until 
his successor be elected and qualified." 

Mr. West moved, seconded by Mr. Ringeisen, that these articles be 
executed and filed. The amendment was adopted by the unanimous 
vote of those present. 

Dr. H. A. Anderson, Whitehall, spoke on "Two Pioneer Visions", 
in which he related the experiences of two early settlers of Whitehall. 
He also spoke of his work for the "House of Memories", a museum 
to which he had devoted forty years of his life. Last year he pre- 



i 
1 



Archeological Notes 177 

sented a building containing the results of his four decades of collect- 
ing in the Trempealeau and La Crosse region. 

Mr. C. G. Schoewe exhibited and demonstrated the use of a firesteel 
presented to him by an Indian. 

The newly organized Division of Anthropology of the Illinois Acad- 
emy of Science held its first annual meeting at the University of Chi- 
cago, May 6-7. Professional and amateur students from all parts of 
the state were present to participate in an enthusiastic and profitable 
conference. W. C. McKern addressed the meeting on the subject: 
Local Chronology and the Eegional Distribution of Pottery-bearing 
Cultures. A. R. Kelly of the University of Illinois was re-elected 
president of the Division. 

Wisconsin Field Work 

Mound investigations at a number of sites in northeastern Wiscon- 
sin, under the direction of Theodore T. Brown of the Neville Public 
Museum, Green Bay, are reported to be under way. 

Mr. M. F. Hulburt, of the State Survey Committee, has discovered 
an interesting ancient Indian camp site a few miles north of Merri- 
mack, Sauk County, on the west bank of the Wisconsin River near the 
confluence of Printice Creek and Lake Wisconsin. The building of 
the Prairie du Sac dam had resulted in the complete submergence of 
this site at average lake levels, but prevailingly low water levels have 
permitted its examination. Secretary Charles E. Brown and Messrs. 
Theodore Brown and J. J. Knudsen accompanied Mr. Hulburt to the 
site and assisted in its examination. Camp site detritus was found 
extending several hundred yards along the shore, including hearth 
stones, hammerstones, flint chips, potsherds representing a Lake Michi- 
gan type of pottery, and a worked quartz ball about the size of a 
baseball. Mr. Hulburt will continue to keep the site under observation. 

Reports From Neighboring Fields 

The Department of Anthropology, University of Chicago, has an 
archeological expedition at work in the Illinois field, under the direc- 
tion of Fay-Cooper Cole. Several mounds and village sites in Fulton 
County are in course of excavation. In addition, the surface survey 
of the state is being continued. We are in receipt of a late report of 
this work to the effect that one survey party has just discovered a 
camp site in Jo Daviess County that produces the types of pottery and 
arrowheads characteristic for our own Aztalan site. This is the first 
report of the occurrence of this culture between the Cahokia site, near 
East St. Louis, and Jefferson County, Wisconsin. 

Earl H. Bell, formerly of the University of Wisconsin, now teach- 
ing anthropology at the University of Nebraska, has just completed a 
successful season of archeological investigations in Morrill County, 
Nebraska. He reports the discovery of data indicating the presence 
of ancient cave-dwellers in Nebraska. These early inhabitants made 
a simple, distinctly recognizable type of pottery and arrowheads dif- 
ferent from those known for other classified cultures of that region. 

Dr. Bell also informs us that a new discovery of a chipped-stone 
projectile point associated with the remains of pleistocene bison has 
just been reported by C. B. Schultz, geologist of the University of 
Nebraska. This is the third discovery of similar data in Nebraska to 
support the accumulating evidence of ice-age man in America. 

We hear that W. D. Strong of the Bureau of American Ethnology, 
Washington, excavated a stratified camp site near Signal Butte, Ne- 
braska, and that his party is now engaged in investigating Ankara 
and other old camp sites along the Missouri River. 



178 WISCONSIN AKCHEOLOGIST, Vol. 11, No. 4 

A final report has not as yet been received on mound investigations 
near Faulkton, Faulk County, South Dakota. This work is being con- 
ducted under the direction of the South Dakota University Museum. 
It is understood that a number of old Arikara village sites were also 
examined. 

That Old Man Depression has not entirely succeeded in thwarting 
the progress of archeological field work in the United States area is 
indicated by the fact that field investigations, other than those cited 
above, are under way in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New 
York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, 
Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas, North Dakota, Arizona, New Mexico, 
Utah, Colorado and California. 

Miscellaneous 

T. M. N. Lewis of Watertown recently delivered an address before 
the Watertown branch of the American Association of University 
Women. His subject was: Indian Burial Treasures. The talk was 
illustrated with specimens from the speaker's extensive archeological 
collections, including materials from Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, 
Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia and Wisconsin. Mr. Lewis dis- 
cussed the origin of the American Indians, their routes in peopling 
the contiment, and discussed the purposes and methods of the field 
student of American archeology. 

President W. C. McKern and former president Charles G. Schoewe 
were elected to honorary membership in the Winnebago County Arch- 
eological and Historical Society at the last directors' meeting of that 
organization. 

Publications 

A thorough discussion and trial of the statistical method for deter- 
mining culture similarities in ethnology is contained in a recent bulle- 
tin by H. E. Driver and A. L. Kroeber; University of California Pub- 
lications in American Archaeology and Ethnology, Vol. 31, No. 4, 
1932. Univ. of Cal. Press, Berkeley, Cal. Price 25c. 

A preliminary report on Frank Setzler's archeological investiga- 
tions in a cave in Texas is given in his recent paper, A Prehistoric 
Cave in Texas; Smithsonian Institution Publications, Washington, 
1932. 

A detailed description of the excavation of an old Algonkin village 
site in New York is supplied by William A. Ritchie in his bulletin. 
The Lamoka Lake Site ; Researches and Transactions of the New York 
State Archaeological Association, Rochester, 1932. Price 75c. 

An initial attempt to classify basketry from archeological sites in 
the Southwest is made by Gene Weltfish in his paper, Preliminary 
Classification of Prehistoric Southwestern Basketry; Smithsonian Mis- 
cellaneous Collections, Vol. 87, No. 7, Washington, 1932. 

The American Anthropologist for July-September, 1932 (address 
Dr. Robt. H. Lowie, National Research Council, 2101 Constitution 
Ave., Washington, D. C), contains the following articles: Some Prob- 
lems of Far Eastern Archaeology, by S. Yung Liang; The Kinship 
Nomenclature of the Pueblo Indians, by Elsie Clews Parsons ; Navaho 
Dreams, by William Morgan; The Algonkin Sequence in New York, 
by William A. Ritchie; A Maya Calendar from the Alta Vera Paz, 
Guatemala, by J. Eric Thompson; The Problem of the Culture from 
the Arvilla Gravel Pit, by Albert E. Jenks; Miscellaneous articles by 
Francis Densmore, Emil W. Haury, Helen H. Roberts, H. Ian Hogbin 
and Ralph L. Beals. 

How America Was First Peopled, an interesting article by Marius 
Barbeau of the National Museum of Canada, features the August 
number of the Scientific American. 



Archeological Notes 179 

The April-June issue of the American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 
36, No. 2, 1932, contains a number of interesting articles on archeo- 
logical aspects of the ancient history of Europe. 

The July number of Man, the monthly record of anthropological 
science issued by the Royal Anthropological Institute (Messrs. G. E. 
Stechert & Co., New York City), contains, among others, articles on 
inscribed tablets from Easter Island, Magic and charms in southern 
Nigeria, a composite bow from Hunza, archeological excavations in 
southern Rhodesia and ceremonial presentation of fire in north 
Queensland. 

Articles on the education, languages, social organization, customs 
and folklore of the "Dark Continent" are contained in, Africa, Vol. 
5, No. 2, April, 1932 (a monthly publication), Oxford University 
Press, London. 

J. P. Harrington is the author of, Karuk Indian Myths, a short 
contribution to the mythology and language of this tribe of California 
Indians; Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 107, Washington, 
1932. Price 5c. 

An account of an interesting Indian ceremony, rendered in text 
with translations, is given by Truman Michelson in his. Notes on the 
Fox Wapanowiweni ; Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 105, 
Washington, 1932. Price 35c. 



I 



I 

I 



^•; 



Wwanmn 



Inl. 12 



©rtnbpr 1032 

NEW SERIES 



No. 1 







PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for iu Sec. 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 



1103. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



The Society is a state department, receiving a part of its support 
from the state. Its funds are under state control. Its work is well 
and widely known. It has received the approval of leading Ameri- 
can archeologists, who agree that it deserves the full support of all 
Wisconsin citizens interested in the state's archeological history. 

The Society's activities comprise the location, recording, investi- 
gating and preservation of Wisconsin Indian remains, folklore and 
history, all of which are rapidly disappearing and must be recorded 
and saved immediately if ever. 

Through its efforts many fine groups of Indian earthworks and 
other aboriginal monuments and remains have been permanently 
preserved to the public. Most have been marked with descriptive 
metal tablets. Others are being protected. Surveys and explorations 
have been conducted in many sections of the state. 

It is also engaged in encouraging the establishment of public mu- 
seums and collections and in discouraging the manufacture and sale 
of fraudulent antiquities. 

Regular monthly meetings of the Society are held during the 
months September to May, inclusive, in the Trustees Room of the; 
Milwaukee Public Museum. Meetings are open to the public. No 
regular meetings are held during the months June to August, in-| 
elusive. Special field meetings are occasionally held during the vaca- 
tion months. 

The results of its research and other activities are made knownj 
through its regular quarterly publication, The Wisconsin Arche- 
ologist. Thirty volumes have appeared. The Society has a large 
membership distributed through every part of the state. 

It is co-operating to the fullest extent with all of the various 
scientific and educational organizations and institutions of Wisconsin.! 






U0L 12 ©richer 1032 JJo. 1 

NEW SERIES 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIIi^TY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for iu Sec. 1103. 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 



Itaranattt Arrljwlngtral S^nrirtg 



Incorporated March 23, 1903, for the purpose of advancing the sti 
and preservation of Wisconsin antiquities 



OFFICERS 

PRESIDENT 

W. C. McKern 

VICE-PRESIDENTS 

Dr. A. L. Kastner Dr. H. W. Kuhm 

W. W. Gilman Rev. F. S. Dayton 

R. J. Kieckhefer 

DIRECTORS 

Charles E. Brown Dr. H. W. Kuhm 

Rev. F. S. Dayton W. C. McKern 

W. W. Gilman Charles G. Schoewe 

Dr. A. L. Kastner G. M. Thome 

R. J. Kieckhefer George A. West 

TREASURER 

G. M. Thome 
National Bank of Commerce, Milwaukee, Wis. 

SECRETARY 

Charles E. Brown 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wis. 



COMMITTEES 

REGULAR 

STATE SURVEY— T. L. Miller, Walter S. Dunsmoor, G. L. Pasco, 
T. M. N. Lewis, Dr. A. L. Kastner, J. P. Schumacher, Geo. F. 
Overton, M. F. Hulburt, W. M. Maier, O. L. Hollister, Dr. F. G. 
Logan, David A. Blencoe, S. W. Faville, Col. R. S. Owen, Dr. 
Ralph Linton. 

MOUND PRESERVATION— Mrs. E. H. Van Ostrand, Frank Wes- 
ton, Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, Dr. Orrin Thompson, Mrs. F. R. 
Melcher, Col. Howard Greene, Rev. 0. W. Smith, J. J. Knudsen, 
H. W. Cornell, Dr. E. G. Bruder, A. H. Griffith. 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS— Milwaukee Public Museum (Dr. S. A. 
Barrett), Wisconsin State Historical Museum (Dr. Joseph Scha- 
fer), Oshkosh Public Museum (Niles J. Behnke), Green Bay 
Public Museum (T. T. Brown), New London Museum (Rev. F. 
S. Dayton), Lawrence College (Prof. J. B. MacHarg), La Crosse 
State Teachers College (Prof. A. H. Sanford), Kohler Museum 
(Miss Marie Kohler), Logan Museum (Paul H. Nesbitt), Minne- 
sota State Historical Museum (Willoughby M. Babcock), St. 
Francis Museum (Rev. A. J. Muench.) 

MEMBERSHIP — Louis Pierron, Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Paul Joers, 
Arthur Gerth, Dr. W. H. Brown, W. F. Yahr, Mrs. Anna F. 
Johnson, K. Freckman, Geo. Wright, Mrs. Hans A. Olson, Carl 
Baur, C. G. Weyl, A. R. Rogers. 

STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL PARKS— Geo. A. West, R. J. Kieckhef- 
er, R. P. Ferry, D. S. Howland, Walter Holstein. 

PUBLICITY— J. G. Gregory, A. O. Barton, E. R. Mclntyre, R. K. 
Coe. 

SPECIAL 

BIOGRAPHY— H. H. Smith, G. M. Thorne, Milo C. Richter. 

FRAUDULENT ARTIFACTS— Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., E. F. Richter, 
Geo. A. West. 

PROGRAM — H. H. Smith, Milo C. Richter, Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., 
Dr. A. L. Kastner, R. J. Kieckhefer, T. L. Miller. 

MARKING MILWAUKEE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES— W. W. Gil- 
man, Dr. Paul B. Jenkins, L. R. Whitney. 

PUBLICATION— Dr. Ira Edwards, Dr. H. W. Kuhm, Alton K. Fisher. 

LAPHAM RESEARCH MEDAL— Dr. S. A. Barrett, Geo. A. West, 
Charles G. Schoewe, Milo C. Richter, Dr. A. L. Kastner. 



MEMBERSHIP FEES 

Life Members, $25.00 Endowment Members, $500.00 

Sustaining Members, $5.00 Annual Members, $2.00 

Institutional Members, $1.50 Junior Members, $ .50 

All communications in regard to the Wisconsin Archeological Society 
should be addressed to Charles E. Brown, Secretary and Curator, Office, 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wisconsin. Contributions to the Wis^ 
consin Archeolog-ist should be addressed to Dr. Ira Edwards, Editor, 
Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or to the Secretary. Dues 
should be sent to G. M. Thorne, Treasurer, National Bank of Com- 
merce, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 



I 



CONTENTS 



Vol. 12, No. 1, New Series 

ARTICLES 

Page 

Archeological Research in Wisconsin, Earl H. Bell 1 

The Art of the American Indian, Herbert W. Kuhm 21 

Discussion and Correspondence 26 

Archeological Notes - — 28 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Fig. Page 

1. Cross section of an artificial mound 11 

2. Cross section of a natural mound 11 

3. Diagram of a bird effigy mound showing method of taking ele- 

vations 12 

4. Chart showing method of surveying a burial ground before 

excavating 15 

5. Lateral cross section of a conical mound showing disposition 

of trench 19 



Published Quarterly by the Wisconsin Archeologrical Society 

VOL. 12 9IADISON, WIS., OCTOBER, 1932 No. 1 

New Series 



ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN WISCONSIN 

Earl H. Bell 

Wisconsin, while not an archeologist's paradise to the 
worker from Mexico, Central America, or the Southwest, 
is an important field from the scientific point of view. The 
specimens found, although not spectacular, nor even plenti- 
ful, carry with them facts which scientists hope to fit to- 
gether and so eventually to reconstruct the pre-white his- 
tory of Wisconsin. This will be an important chapter in 
the book* which will record the history of pre-Columbian 
America. 

Sources of Archeological Material 

The sources from which information may be gained are 
camp sites, trails, caves (rock shelters) , mounds, and burial 
grounds. 

The camp sites are places upon which prehistoric man 
has camped for a considerable length of time. Here one 
may find any variety of artifacts ; broken pottery discarded 
by the owner remains as evidence of the ceramic techniques 
of the ancient villagers; fire-stained earth remains as evi- 
dence of a camp fire; burned hearth stones, charred bones 
or perhaps even charred corn are evidence of prehistoric cu- 
linary efforts and from the bones we can often tell whether 
an Indian enjoyed venison, fowl, or fish for dinner. 

ilt is at the camp site that the artisan chipped his arrows 
and knives; one may often find piles of flint chips and oc- 
casionally a discarded flaker, indicating that here was the 
workshop of a village craftsman some time before the white 
man reached Wisconsin. In working through such a pile 
of chips one frequently finds broken points which probably 
fractured in the process of manufacture, and the archeol- 



2 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 1 

easily supply the rather forceful sentiment which undoubt- 
edly accompanies such specimens. Throughout the site one 
may find broken or complete arrows, potsherds, copper ma- 
terial, stone axes, bone awls or fish hooks, beads, et cetera.^ 

In the bluffs of the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers are 
a number of caves, or more correctly speaking, rock shel- 
ters. Various of these have either been inhabited or used 
by hunting parties for shelter during storms or at night. 
The floor of these caves is often rich in refuse resembling 
that from camp sites. The walls may be blackened by pre- 
historic fires, and more interesting still, on the walls of 
these caves may be found petroglyphs, that is, incised draw- 
ings^ made by prehistoric man. 

The subject of Indian trails is indeed a specialized one 
upon which many Wisconsin students might profitably 
spend their time. There is, indeed, a crying need for stu- 
dents of this subject as much of the information is being 
lost with the death of old settlers. There is a very inter- 
esting bulletin on this subject published by the Wisconsin 
Historical Society. Mr. Charles E. Brown has indicated 
that an abundance of material is on file in the State His- 
trical Museum at Madison which will be put at the disposal 
of any one wishing to pursue that line of research. 

The material evidence of Indian trails is fast disappear- 
ing with the clearing, cultivation, and erosion of the land, 
but there remain some traces of them in southern Wiscon- 
sin and one would surmise that there are many more in the 
northerly portions of the state which have as yet escaped 
the ravages of erosional agencies incident to cultivation. 

Indian mounds are probably the most prominent archeo- 
logical evidences in the state. Because of this they have 
probably received more than their share of attention. The 
writer does not intend to discredit their importance but 
rather to suggest that the other sources of information 
mentioned above are just as interesting and certainly as im- 



^ For a complete list of artifacts found to date on Wisconsin camp 
sites see "Check List of Wisconsin Indian Implements," Wisconsin 
Archeologist, vol. 8, no. 3, April, 1929. 

^ For a more detailed account of these see, "Indian Caves in Wis- 
consin," Brown, Charles E.. Wisconsin Archeologist, vol. V, no. 1, 
pp. 7-29. 



I 



Archeological Research in Wisconsin. 



portant. Considering the labor involved, other lines of 
archeological investigation are much more productive. The 
careful layman and amateur can find and contribute more 
to the reconstruction of the prehistory of Wisconsin by 
confining himself to these other sources of information. He 
can accomplish this with less labor, less expense and less 
danger of destroying information which a specially trained 
archeologist with a rather costly equipment would preserve. 

Indian mounds are very plentiful in Wisconsin. It has 
been estimated that there are fifteen thousand within the 
limits of the state. To date twelve thousand have been 
actually located. They range in size from ten feet in dia- 
meter and one and one-half feet or less in height to ninety- 
five feet in diameter and eleven feet in height. The largest 
mound reported is the Nichols Mound, located on "The Lone 
Mound Farm" owned by Mr. Nichols just outside the limits 
of Trempealeau and is a part of the Schwertz group. It 
was ten and nine-tenths feet in central height, ninety-three 
feet in maximum length and eighty-six feet in width. Cul- 
turally it is a variant of the "Hopewell Complex."^ 

The earthworks in Wisconsin can be roughly divided into 
three general types, namely burial mounds, house platforms, 
and enclosures. 

The burial mounds on the basis of outward appearance 
may also be divided into three main types, the conical, the 
linear, and the effigy. The simple conical mound is self de- 
scriptive. The linear mound is a long mound of fairly reg- 
ular width. For some time the linears were believed to be 
fortifications, but subsequent investigations have shown 
that many of them contain burials which are undoubtedly 
inclusive. 

Intermediate between these in shape are the oval mounds 
which resemble the simple conicals except that they are 
somewhat elongated. Another variant of the oval and 
linear mounds is the club-shaped mound sometimes called 
"polywog" mounds. These appear to have been started as 
a conical and then tapered out on one side. 

The effigy mounds are those for which Wisconsin is most 
noted. Their distribution is limited to the state and the 



' McKern, W. C, "A Wisconsin Variant of the Hopewell Culture," 
Bull., Public Museum, Milwaukee, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 243 ff. 



4 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 1 

borders of the bounding states. Some of these mounds ap- 
pear to represent animals such as the fox, panther, bear, 
deer, turtle, et cetera, while others resemble the eagle, 
goose, and other birds. 

The effigy mounds are found associated in groups with 
both conicals and linears. Research has revealed that the 
people who built effigies also built the other types. How- 
ever, those people represented by other mound cultures did 
not build effigies. The effigy mound culture is distinct from 
other mound cultures. Various theories have been advanced 
which attempt to explain the symbolism of the effigy 
mounds. The most probable explanation is that they are 
of totemic importance but the problem is not yet definitely 
solved. 

Effigy mounds were originally believed to have been for 
ceremonial purposes only and were not believed to contain 
burials. As early as 1850, however. Dr. I. A. Lapham found 
burials in some effigy mounds. The ceremonial as opposed 
to the mortuary theory was held until recently. However, 
in recent years with more thorough investigation it has 
been shown that they also were definitely burial mounds. 
It is very probable that the effigy mound had a ceremonial 
significance, but it is now certain that at least most of 
them were also burial mounds. 

Another type of prehistoric earthwork peculiar to Wis- 
consin is the intaglio. These peculiar works are relatively 
rare. Mr. Charles E. Brown tells me that not over fifteen 
have been found. The intaglio may resemble either an in- 
verted conical or effigy mound. The best existing specimen 
is an effigy of the panther type preserved in River Park at 
Fort Atkinson, which is described with others in the Wis- 
consin Archeologist, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 5-10. An effigy in- 
taglio in the Kletzien Mound group in Wilson Township, 
Sheboygan County, was examined by the Milwaukee Public 
Museum in 1927. It is reported by Mr. W. C. McKern* as 
follows : 

"A panther effigy intaglio, represented as disposed on 
the left side, head to the southeast, legs directed toward 
the southwest. The tail is largely obliterated due to the 



'McKern, W. C, "The Kletzien and Nitschke Mound Groups," 
Bull., Public Museum, Milwaukee, vol. 3, no. 4, p. 494. 



I 



Archeological Research in Wisconsin. 



long" intensive cultivation of a field into which it pro- 
truded. All interior surface contours are rounded and 
smooth, corresponding in reverse to the surface of a 
mound of similar shape. The earth removed in digging 
the intaglio was apparently banked about the margin on 
all sides. This fact was determined by the discovery of 
a humus line, in several places excavated, below these 
embankments and in the same horizontal plane with the 
environing natural surface. 

"The body of the intaglio is twenty-eight feet in length. 
Only about three feet of the tail is now apparent. The 
maximum width, along the major axis of the front legs 
and across the body, is 14.5 feet. The minimum width of 
the body, immediately anterior to the rear leg, is nine 
feet. The greatest depth, at a point equidistant between 
sides and somewhat posterior to the center of the effigy's 
shoulder, is 1.6 feet. The surrounding banks have a 
maximum height above the original surface of 1.2 feet. 

"Excavation resulted in the discovery that the entire 
intaglio, or that portion of it now remaining, was origi- 
nally lined with an artificially placed stratum of light 
gray sand, mottled with brown lines from water seepage, 
from .1 to .4 feet in thickness, deeper in the central por- 
tions of the intaglio than about the margin. This ma- 
terial is identical in appearance, and probably in source, 
to that featuring the floors of several mounds in this 
group. No other interior features were encountered." 
The purpose of these is not definitely known, but investi- 
gatior of the McClaughry Group in section 22, Packwaukee 
Township, Marquette County, on the shores of Buffalo Lake 
in 1925^ showed that an eifigy mound (mound No. 13) had 
an intaglio base. This might be conceived to indicate that 
the intaglios are bases for mounds which were never erect- 
ed. However, most mounds which have been excavated do 
not show any indications of having a prepared intaglio base. 
The house platform mounds resemble conicals except that 
they are flat on top like a truncated cone. From the de- 
scriptions of early settlers it is probable that some of them 
at one time were rectilinear in shape, but now, after culti- 
vation and erosion, they have become well rounded, and only 
the flat top remains as evidence of their type. Some flat- 
topped inounds have contained burials. Hence the only sure 
way to determine that they are not burial mounds is by 



° "The Neale and McClaughry Mound Groups," Bull., Public Mu- 
seum, Milwaukee, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 336-339, 1928. 



6 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 1 

excavation. The best known platform mounds in the state 
are located in the Aztalan State Park near Lake Mills, Wis- 
consin. The Aztalan group has been thoroughly excavated 
by the Milwaukee Public Museum, but the report is not yet 
available. 

Enclosures may be circular or rectilinear in shape and 
usually contain gateways. Some, like those of Aztalan, are 
large, while others may not be over 150 yards in diameter. 
The surrounding wall of earth was probably in most cases 
the basis of a stockade, as has been proved by post holes 
which are often plainly visible upon careful excavation. 
Other enclosures probably encircled a dancing place as 
shown by a hard floor and evidence of a fire in the center. 

All Indian groups in Wisconsin did not bury their dead in 
mounds. It is even possible that all individuals in mound 
building groups were not buried in mounds. A few prehis- 
toric burial grounds have been located within the state and 
two of them have been partially excavated. One of these is 
the Midway site on the Onalaska Canning Company farm, 
near Midway, Wisconsin, and another near Oshkosh, Wis- 
consin. Since burial grounds are difficult to locate, they 
have not been very extensively investigated. But the two 
with which the writer is familiar have been very produc- 
tive sites. 

The Archeological Approach 

The most important items to stress in archeological work 
are care, exactness, accuracy, alertness, a conscientious re- 
cording of all details, and an imagination tempered by rea- 
son. The worker can not be too careful. A careless move 
may break, destroy, or displace a specimen. He must be 
minutely exact in his descriptions, measurements, and loca- 
tions. Above all, he should record all details. The value 
of a specimen found in a burial is not so great if it is not 
located in relationship to the associated burials. The best 
pot or pipe is practically worthless, at least so far as science 
is concerned, if the place in which it was found is forgotten. 

The worker must have imagination enough to see things 
which would be overlooked by a less observant person, but 
not so much as to make him see things which do not exist. 
He must expect anything, but must not look for evidence 
for a pet theory so diligently that he projects that evidence 



Archeolog-ical Research in Wisconsin. 



r 
1 



from his mind to the site on which he is working and so 
overlooks other important information which is present. 

The Technique of Surface Survey 

There are two general levels in which the archeologist 
may work: the surface level and the sub-surface level. It 
is for work in the latter that the archeologist is most 
famed. The word ''archeologist" itself brings to the lay- 
man's mind the excavation of Egyptian tombs, the cities 
of Troy, and the ruins in the Tigris and Euphrates valley. 
However, sub-surface work is no more important to science 
than are the surface surveys, and whereas the former takes 
much more physical force, costly labor and equipment, the 
latter may be done on a Sunday afternoon with little cost 
or equipment. 

The person who is interested in surface survey work 
should be equipped with a camera, a large map of the town- 
ship, (a topographic map is best, if such can be obtained), 
a kit of tools including a grape-fruit knife, a trowel, a whisk 
broom, a varnish brush, some paper or, better, cloth sacks, 
notebooks containing plain and cross-section paper, steel 
tape, and a compass. It is very desirable to have available 
a transit or plain table and stadia rod. 

Camp sites are usually found close to streams, rivers or 
lakes where spring water is likely to be convenient. One 
may walk along terraces just above the flood plain and look 
in cultivated land for chips, arrow points, knives, pottery 
and other camp site materials. 

One should converse with the local farmers and deter- 
mine if they find arrows or axes while cultivating their 
fields. If they do, the archeologist should go over that 
field (the best time being after a hard rain). Thus if it 
shows signs of having been inhabited, it should be marked 
on the map, notes written as to its exact location and ac- 
cessibility, and it should be given a designating name. 

The best way to describe the location of a camp site is 
by use of the state survey and any other distinguishing and 
quite permanent land marks. For instance the N. E. 14 c>f 
the S. W. 14 of sec. 12, about thirty rods from the left bank 
of Bear Creek would definitely locate a site. 

It is usual to name campsites after the owner of the land 
upon which they are located or after some prominent geo- 



8 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 1 

graphical feature. In case of several sites on the same 
man's farm they may also be given a number, such as 
"White Camp Site, No. 2." 

All artifacts found on a given site should be temporarily 
deposited in a sack with the locality plainly marked with 
ink or indelible pencil. For safety, a card with the same in- 
formation should be placed in the sack. If these materials 
are not to be turned over to a museum immediately, each 
specimen should have a number placed upon it with India 
ink. This number should be followed by the name of the 
site from which it came and other information pertaining 
to it should be entered in a notebook. A specim&n is of no 
value to science unless its place of origin is known. 

On pasture land one cannot find material lying on the 
surface. Here, caved banks should be examined as they 
often yield pottery, chips, and other evidence indicative of 
camp sites. In such places one may find two or more kinds 
of sherds at different levels. In such an event, they should 
be placed in separate sacks, which, in addition to being 
marked as indicated above, should be clearly designated as 
to the strata from which they came. Finds such as this 
are of great importance for they show cultural stratifica- 
tion. If the worker is unable to excavate the site thor- 
oughly in the method indicated later in this article, he 
ought to report it to some institution able to carry on the 
work. 

In investigating caves or rock shelters it is well to read 
a few books on the geology and physiography of the region 
in which one is working. These will give the location of 
some of the better known caves. Others may be found by 
interviewing residents of likely regions. There are probably 
caves in Wisconsin yet undiscovered and waiting for the 
person inclined to explore them. 

After reaching the cave or rock shelter one should ex- 
amine the floor for evidences of occupation. In case the 
floor is of loose material it is necessary to dig test pits, as 
debris may have accumulated over the original floor. If 
the loose material is deep and fairly rich in artifacts it 
should be excavated as directed below or reported to an in- 



Archeological Research in Wisconsin. 



stitution able to carry out the work. The walls of the cave 
should also be examined for petroglyphs.^ 

Petroglyphs are sometimes incised in the rock walls. 
They are often naturalistic pictures of animals, fish, men, 
etc., but frequently are unknown symbols or such highly 
conventionalized designs that one cannot determine what 
they represent. One must learn to distinguish between In- 
dian drawings and the more recent initial cutting. In case 
petroglyphs are found they should at least be sketched, but 
sketching is the most unsatisfactory method of recording 
them. Photographs are very desirable. If they do not 
photograph well in a natural state one may chalk the in- 
cisions. An advantage of chalking is that in so doing one 
shades only the prehistoric designs so that the photograph 
does not record so plainly the modern signs and symbols 
which may be present. 

Another method of securing a record of this type is by 
tracing. A large piece of paper may be placed over the 
petroglyphs and a soft crayon used to trace in the incisions. 
The tracing may later be sprayed with shellac and thus 
made permanent. 

A still better method is that of making casts. For this 
work one needs bee's wax (if it is not to be obtained par- 
afin will do), cloth (preferably scrim) cut to various sizes, 
and burlap. The first step is to clean the wall thoroughly 
with a brush and then coat it with melted wax, being sure 
to get the wax well worked into all of the crevices. While 
the wax is still soft, press on the scrim. Then apply an- 
other coat of wax and add more cloth. Repeat the process 
several times, finishing with the burlap. After the whole 
has cooled, it may be easily pealed off and the impression 
is completed. In the laboratory the impression may be cov- 
ered with plaster of Paris, which, after it has hardened, 
may be separated from the impression and a perfect repro- 
duction of the wall and the incisions remains on the plaque. 

In caves, one may find other things than the more com- 
mon artifacts and petroglyphs. For instance, in a cave in 
Minnesota, birch bark scrolls were found, upon which were 



° Those interested in this phase of archeology should have at hand 
"Indian Caves in Wisconsin," Brown, Charles E., Wisconsin Archeol- 
ogist, vol. V, no. 1, pp. 7-29^ 



10 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 1 

drawn very interesting mnemonics.^ In a cave in Ohio a 
dessicated human body was found together with clothes, 
wrappings, etc. In archeology, it is always necessary to 
keep one's eyes alert for everything. All caves yielding 
artifacts or petrographs should be reported to a museum or 
the Historical Society together with a description of the 
materials. 

In the location of mounds much the same procedure is 
used as in the location of camp sites. Farmers are inter- 
viewed and likely locations such as hill tops and terraces 
should be examined. The worker will often find mounds 
which the farmer has not recognized and many "mounds" 
will be reported which are natural. These the experienced 
archeologist will be able to recognize very easily. 

There are a few general rules which help one distinguish 
artificial mounds from natural formations. 

1. Mounds are usually conical, long and of regular width, 
or built in eflfigy. 

2. Mounds in Wisconsin usually occur in groups. Be 
skeptical of single mounds. 

3. Mounds of excessive size are nearly unknown in Wis- 
consin, the largest being eleven feet high. Local residents 
often mistake an erosional remnant of a flood plain for an 
Indian mound. These often resemble mounds, except for 
size but it will be noted that they are the same height as 
the nearby terraces. 

4. Most Indian mounds are found on the stream terraces 
above the flood plains. Occasionally one encounters mounds 
which resemble artificial structures in the flood plain. In 
such cases a very careful examination should be made be- 
fore they are designated as either natural or artificial. 

5. Since artificial mounds are built of surface soil, a test 
pit dug in the mound and another nearby will determine if 
the mound in question is artificial or natural. If it is nat- 
ural the top soil on the mound will not be any deeper than 
that on the level. If the mound is artificial the top soil 
will go to the level of the bottom of the top soil beside the 
mound (Figs. 1 and 2). Often, though not always, the old 
sod line is visible at the base of the mound. 



■ This find was reported by Mr. Willoughby M. Babcock of the Minne- 
sota State Historical Society. 



Archeolog-ical Research in Wisconsin. 



11 



6. To determine that a questionable mound is artificial 
does not necessarily insure it to be of Indian origin. It is 
often necessary to check upon it through old settlers. The 
writer has seen old house foundations which resemble In- 
dian mounds. An old fence row makes a beautiful linear 
mound. What appeared to be an enclosure once proved 
upon investigation to be an old race track. 




Fig-. 1. Cross section of an artificial mound: (a) sodline ; (b) top soil: 
(c) subsoil. Note the old sod line showing below the mound. 




Pig. 2. Cross section of a natural mound: (a) sod line; (b) top soil; (c) 
.subsoil. Note that the subsoil rises with the top soil and that there 
is no trace of a sod line at the base of the mound. 

After a mound or group of mounds is located it should 
be surveyed. If a transit or plane table is used the group ^ 
should first be surveyed as a whole, i. e., each mound lo- 
cated in its relation to the others. At this time each mound 
should be numbered. The group should then be located 
with reference to a cornerstone or other permanent land 
mark. The next step is to survey the mounds individually. 
In the case of small conicals it is sufficient to survey the 
distance from the reference point to the edge of the mound 
in the four cardinal directions. One should determine the 
elevations of each and if the reference point is not the high- 



12 



AVISCONSIN AllCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 12, No. 1 



est point of the mound a fifth point should be estabhshed 
there. 

In case of a linear mound, the major axis should be es- 
tablished and elevation should be taken of the two margins 
at right angles to each ten-foot point along the major axis 
(Fig. 3). The same process is followed with the oval and 
polywog mounds. 




Fig. 3. Diagram of a bird effigy mound, showing method of recording eleva- 
tions for any effigy or linear mound. 



When surveying effigy mounds the major axis should first 
be established and other straight lines laid out from this 
where necessary. Measurements and elevations should 
then be taken at right angles to each ten-foot interval or at 
such other points as are necessary to show irregularities. 

The whole group should then be charted on cross-section 
paper. If part of a mound has been destroyed, that por- 
tion may be projected if indicated by broken lines. The 
number of each mound should be indicated and each refer- 
ence point established should be shown and identified. All 
records obtained in making the survey should be filed to- 
gether where they may be easily located for reference. It 
is advisable also to send a copy to a museum. 

Each group of mounds should be named and located in 
much the same manner as the camp sites. 

Some archeologists prefer a plane table to a transit, as it 
is somewhat simpler to use and the map is projected at the 
same time the survey is made. 

In case that a transit or plane table is not available a 
less accurate survey can be made by the use of a compass 



Archeological Research in Wisconsin. 13 

and tape. While this is not as desirable as a more accurate 
survey it is far better than none at all. The important 
thing is to have the sites recorded and described as well 
as possible together with explicit directions as to how they 
may be reached. 

Burial grounds are much more elusive than any of the 
other remains discussed above. Indications of them will be 
gleaned through conversations with farmers who have un- 
covered bones during the cultivation of their land or while 
laying tiles, digging wells, cisterns, etc. While exploring 
caved banks one may find bones protruding from the cliffs. 
All of this, of course, may be an indication of burial 
grounds. It may be that the remains found are those of an 
individual buried in other than a regular burial ground. 
However, thorough excavation is the only certain way of 
discovering whether or not the site is a true burial ground. 
All indications should be reported to institutions able to 
undertake more thorough work. 

For any one to be successful in archeology it is necessary 
for him to gain the confidence of the inhabitants of the re- 
gion in which he expects to work. Farmers are often very 
skeptical of those who wander over their land in search of 
such trivial objects as arrow points and potsherds. But it 
is essential to win their confidence and interest. 

Another important field for the archeologist is the sur- 
vey of various private collections. There are many people 
who are interested in Indian artifacts only as curios. They 
often have materials and information which are very valu- 
able to science and which are, unfortunately, often lost. 
Every collector should be won to the cause of science. This 
is not difficult for the tactful and honest archeologist. The 
collector should be taught to keep his specimens catalogued, 
and persuaded to cooperate with and keep in touch with 
some museum. The latter statement cannot be too strongly 
emphasized. In order to piece together Wisconsin pre- 
history we must know the whereabouts of the pieces. 

The Technique of Excavation 

A short explanation of the structure of stratified camp 
sites will help to explain the necessity of the slow and some- 
what tedious method of excavation. 



14 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 1 



A location for a camp or village site is chosen, we shall 
say, by one of the first groups of Indians to live in the 
state. They may have lived there for many years during 
the course of which time refuse was thrown out, implements 
lost, etc. Meanwhile, the accumulation of humus built up 
the land surface at a definite rate which varies with local 
conditions. Later these people may have been driven out 
of the region or voluntarily moved away and other groups 
found the same place a favorable camp site and the process 
of accumulation continued. Such conditions resulted in one 
layer of cultural determinants being superimposed on an- 
other, with the oldest stratum at the bottom and the most 
recent on top. Such a discovery is of great importance as 
it indicates a sequence of cultures within that region. 

In excavating such sites it is best to lay out trenches 
three feet wide and from ten to twenty or more feet long 
according to the size of the force of laborers. The soil 
should be taken off in three-inch layers and sifted through 
screens. The specimens from each layer should be placed 
in a separate sack and marked as to site, trench number 
and layer number; for instance: "White Campsite, No. 2, 
Trench 2, Layer 12, 36 inches below the surface." Such a 
procedure would put the more recent material in smaller 
numbered sacks and the oldest material in the higher num- 
bered sacks. Layers should be removed until the paucity 
of refuse indicates that the bottom of the site has been 
reached. 

The screens for sifting may be made of wire netting of a 
size best suited to the soil conditions. It is sometimes nec- 
essary to sift the soil twice and use two different gauges of 
screen. 

Whenever a rather large collection of sherds is found 
together it is well to clean them off carefully while in situ, 
photograph them, and place them together in a sack labeled 
as indicated above, and, in addition, numbered as a ''fea- 
ture." Anything which appears to be related should be pho- 
tographed, labeled, and placed in a sack plainly marked. If 
it is not a skeleton it should be given a feature number. A 
"feature sheet" should also be filled out. 

When a burial is encountered it should be cleaned out in 
situ, the outlines of the pit determined, and the whole pho- 



Archeolog-ical Research in Wisconsin. 



15 



tographed. The burial should be numbered, and each in- 
dividual within the burial given an individual number. Any 
associated specimens should be photographed, numbered as 
a feature accompanying the burial and individuals, and 
placed in a sack labeled as to trench level and as an asso- 
ciation with burial number and individual number, if the 
latter can be determined. The whole should then be charted 
according to scale on cross-section paper. Any whole bones 
or parts of a bone which may be of value to the physical 
anthropologist should be preserved with a full record as to 
site, level, burial number and individual number. 

In the excavation of the floors of caves the same tech- 
nique as that used in excavating camp sites should be fol- 
lowed so far as conditions will allow. At least the floor 
should be removed by thin lateral layers and sifted through 
screens. 



4-0 




^-? 


'*\ 


4-4 


»-o 


A-/ 


3-2 


1-1 


3-4 


?-f> 


2.-I 


?-2 


2 J 


2-4 


l-O 


J-l 


/■2 


1-1 


h4 


0-0 


o-f 


0-Z 


0-: 


OA 



Fig. 4. Chart showing- method of surveying a burial ground before excavat- 
ing. Stakes observe an interval of five feet. 



16 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 1 

In excavating burial grounds the area should be surveyed 
and laid out in squares. Five or ten-foot squares are usu- 
ally found most convenient. Each stake should be num- 
bered starting with the southwest corner as 0.0 and num- 
bering east, 0.1 0.2, 0.3, etc., to the end, and north 1.0, 2.0, 
3.0, etc. The other pegs are numbered by having the first 
number that of the stake directly west of it on the north 
and south base line, and the second number that of the 
stake directly south of it on the east and west base line 
(Fig. 4) . Each square takes the number of the stake in its 
southwest corner. The elevation of each stake should be 
taken in relation to an established point. 

After this is completed excavation may be started. The 
ideal method is to assign each man to a square and pro- 
ceed with a trench from one or two of the sides, in accord- 
ance with the size of the work laid out, and number of 
workers obtainable. By this technique, nothing is over- 
looked. In case of a limited amount of time, the less thor- 
ough method of alternating sections, i. e., omitting every 
other section may be used.^ In this way more ground may 
be covered, and, by watching the sides of the trenches for 
indications of burials, most of those in the intervening sec- 
tions will be noted and can be excavated. 

As to the actual technique of digging, one has a choice of 
three methods; namely, taking a vertical cross-section, a 
horizontal cross-section, or a combination of both. Those 
using the vertical method, would first dig on the edge of the 
section to the bottom, i. e. to at least six inches below the 
top soil, then proceed to work in by slicing off thin vertical 
layers, keeping all walls of the trench straight and clean, in 
order to be able to see any indications of disturbed soil to 
the side or below the trench. 

Those pref ering the lateral . cross-section would remove 
the soil in thin horizontal layers being sure to keep the floor 
and walls of the trench straight and clean. The writer pre- 
fers this method. After one becomes familiar with the site 
it may be that the conditions will permit him to remove 
some of the top soil by the ordinary vertical method of dig- 
ging providing he is careful, takes thin layers, and keeps the 
floor of the trench clean. 



* In this case it is advisable to lay out the site in five foot sections. 



Archeological Research in Wisconsi-n. 17 

All loose camp site material should be placed in sacks 
labeled as to site and trench number. Where there are signs 
of stratification, levels should be taken. Features should be 
dealt with as described above, burials should be carefully 
cleaned out and the limits of the pits should be determined 
(this can usually be detected as disturbed earth is darker 
than the surrounding soil) . The burial should be numbered, 
the whole photographed, burial notes taken, levels ascer- 
tained and physical data observed before the burial is re- 
moved. That part which is of value should be preserved and 
marked so that it is easily identified as to site, burial, and 
individual number. After the removal of the burial, excava- 
tion should continue to the bottom of the pit as quite often 
material is placed beneath the buriaP and would otherwise 
be missed. 

The entire area of the pit should be cleaned out before 
anything is removed for in many cases there are several in- 
dividuals in one pit. 

When only alternating squares are excavated, it is espe- 
cially necessary to keep the walls straight and clean, for one 
may then detect any indications of disturbed soil, which in- 
dicate a possible burial in the intervening section. 

Mound Excavation 

A mound should be prepared for excavation by surveying 
and laying it out in five or ten-foot sections. One of the best 
methods of doing this is to set the instrument in such a 
position that north, south, east and west lines may be estab- 
lished so that they just cut the edge of the mound. After 
these are established, the instrument may be set at the op- 
posite corner so that similar hnes will intersect those al- 
ready determined. A rectangle is now constructed and a 
tape may be used to measure the ten-foot intervals on all 
four sides. After this a chalk line is stretched north and 
south from all pins and east and west from all pins, so that 
the points of intersection of the lines when extended to the 
base of the mound will mark the corners of the ten-foot 
sections. 



^ When cleaning out the burial, the worker should go below the 
level of the skeleton to the bottom of the pit, if that is not so far 
as to spoil the photographic effect. This will show all associations 
possible in their relation to the burial when photographed. 



18 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGI^T. Vol. 12, No. 1 

The stakes should be numbered in the same manner as 
described for the burial ground and the elevation at each 
taken. 

The most thorough technique is that of removal. In this 
case each worker is assigned one of the squares. If the 
mound is large and enough men are present it is best to ap- 
proach the center from all sides. The excavation should go 
well below the sod line where it is present, and elevations of 
it should be taken below each stake. This procedure gives 
the exact height of a mound at each stake. The floor of the 
trench should be well cleaned in order to assure the worker 
of the presence or absence of any important information. 
Anything located below the sod line is either pre-mound or 
intrusive and the discovery of any burial, or artifacts there 
may give valuable information as to cultural sequences. 
Burials below the sod line will be marked by darker soil. 
This will be very evident on a clean floor but almost indis- 
tinguishable on a rough one. Here, as with the excavation 
of the burial grounds, the worker has his choice of using the 
vertical or horizontal cross-section. In many cases the sod 
has been removed before the mound was built. Thus the ex- 
cavation must go well below the original top soil. 

While excavating the mound, the worker must watch for 
intrusive burials as these too are indicators of a sequence of 
cultures. They may be distinguished by a shaft of disturbed 
soil which extends from the top of the mound. 

The burial may be placed in the mound material directly 
at the base of the mound or in a pit below the mound (Fig. 
1). The worker must expect it anywhere. Sometimes the 
mounds themselves are stratified, i. e. mound built upon 
mound.^^ 

When a burial or feature is discovered it should be well 
cleaned and given a number. The outlines of the pit, if 
there is one, should be determined, the whole photographed, 
a drawing made to scale, and notes taken or data sheets 
filled out. Steps should be taken to preserve the material 
which should be stored in sacks or boxes and labeled as to 
the mound group, and mound number from which it came; 
also feature number, and burial number with which it is as- 



" This has seldom been encountered in Wisconsin, but is fairly 
common in Illinois. 



Archeological Research in Wisconsin. 



19 



sociated. In the case of burials containing more than one 
individual, each one should be numbered. 

If the owner objects to the removal of the mound, or if, 
due to the pressure of time, a quicker method must be used, 
the most of the material and information can be obtained 
by the trenching method. A ten to twenty-foot trench may 
be put through the major portion of the mound and five-foot 
trenches extended from the ends of the large trench beyond 




Fig. 5. Lateral cross section of a conical mound at the floor level (shaded 
portion), showing the disposition of the centrally broad trench (un- 
shaded portion) with narrow marginal extensions. 

the margin of the mound (Fig. 5). This gives a complete 
cross-section of the mound and while one may miss some 
loose artifacts in the mound material, the main features and 
details of the mound construction will be determined. 

In excavating a linear mound either of the two techniques 
above described may be used. In trenching a linear mound 
the trench should be of uniform width throughout the entire 
length of the mound. 

An effigy mound may be either removed or trenched. 
Through experience with ef^gy mounds, it has been found 



20 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 1 

that the features usually occur along and at the intersec- 
tions of the major and minor axes. 

All excavations should be carried out very thoroughly 
and carefully. The materials are old and often rotten. A 
careless thrust of shovel or trowel may break or even de- 
stroy a valuable specimen. Some important finds may be 
easily overlooked. Cloth, pearls, leather, and bark are some- 
times preserved by their contact with copper, but in such 
a poor state that a careless worker might completely over- 
look them. The writer has seen mounds built over pits the 
soil of which was piled around the edges of the excavation. 
The soil in the banks was of a different texture than that of 
the mound and in the removal of the mound this bank was 
left. A more complete conception of the method of its con- 
struction resulted. Careless workers might have missed this 
bit of information. Often lensing is present in a mound and 
should be recorded. This is evidently caused by the different 
loads of earth which partially retain their shape and identi- 
ty. In one mound in Ohio, the basket in which the dirt was 
carried had been thrown in with its load and the actual im- 
pression of the basket remained. The various kinds of 
mottling in the cross-section are of importance and can only 
be seen by keeping the walls clean. Post holes may be de- 
termined by the dark spots they have left. Everything con- 
cerning the structure of the mound should be observed and 
accurately recorded in notes and charts. 

The first important rule for the archeologist is: "Keep 
your eyes open, keep the walls and floors clean, and very 
carefully examine anything which appears to be different". 
The second rule is: "Record, photograph and save every- 
thing possible". 

Do not hurry to reach the feature for in so doing you may 
miss something of great importance. It may seem unneces- 
sary to clean the floor of the trench below the sod line but if 
this is neglected, you may pass over something of value. It 
may be that just a corner of a pit projects from under the 
wall of the trench and to get to its feature would require 
the removal of loose dirt just thrown out of an eight-foot 
trench, but it is possible that here lies important informa- 
tion. If you do not thoroughly complete the project, much 
of the reward for your work may go to others or be perma- 
nently lost. 



Tlae Art of the American Indian 21 



THE ART OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN 

Herbert W. Kuhm 

It is significant that all races, and primitive peoples espe- 
cially, exhibit the wish somehow to inscribe their racial 
autograph before they depart. It is the Indian who has 
written down the first known history in America. 

Americans of our time and of times to come can know 
little or nothing of their spacious land until they have 
sought some degree of intimacy with their first artistic rela- 
tive, the Indian. You will travel over many continents to 
find a more beautiful artistry than our red man offers. We 
go about the world seeking out every species of life foreign 
to ourselves for our own esthetic or intellectual diversion, 
and yet we neglect, on our very doorstep, one of the most 
remarkable recordings of beauty that can be found any- 
where, namely the artistry of the American Indian. 

The Indian is an artist of the very first order. We have 
nothing more native at our disposal than the beautiful crea- 
tions of this people, and should eagerly accept their con- 
tributions to our culture. We must not forget that the In- 
dians are a vastly older, and in symbolic ways, an infinitely 
more experienced race than our own. Soon we shall see them 
recorded only on tablets of stone, along with the Egyptians 
and the other races that have perished. 

It is the red man of America who knows with an almost 
flawless eye the natural harmonies of the life that surrounds 
him. He has for so long decorated his body with the hues 
of the earth that he has grown to be a part of them. He is a 
living embodiment in color of various tonal characteristics 
of the landscape around him. He knows the harmonic values 
of a bark or a hide, or a bit of broken earth, and of the nat- 
ural unpolluted coloring to be drawn out of various types 
of vegetable matter at his disposal. Even if he resorts to 
our present-day store ribbons and cheap trinkets for acces- 
sories, he does it with a view to creating the appearance of 
racial ensemble. He is one of the essential decorators of the 
world. A look at his totem poles, pottery, blankets and 
wearing apparel will convince you of that. 



22 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 1 

He knew how to take blades of grass, strips of bark, the 
juice of berries and stains from roots and put these together 
into an exquisite basket ; he could take clay, mold it, color it, 
temper and fire it with only the crudest of implements and 
evolve some of the world's most beautiful pottery ; he could 
take raw wool, dye it with his natural earthy colors, and 
weave in rainbow tints and sunset hues, his inmost sacred 
beliefs of how the world began and life came to be ; he took 
shells, feathers and animal skins and made them into cere- 
monial robes that kings might wear with pride. 

What of these remarkable talents of the Indian? Have 
they not a place to fill in the culture and industry of our 
country? We are a people of great mechanical and inven- 
tive genius, but we are not naturally song-makers, poets, or 
designers. Can we afford to lose for posterity the sincere 
and spontaneous art impulse of so naturally gifted a race? 
The undeveloped talents native to the aboriginal American 
are precisely those in which the Anglo-Saxon American is 
deficient. Although far ahead of Europe in labor-saving de- 
vices, we are far behind in all art industries. Our patterns 
and designs are largely imported. And yet, here among us, 
downtrodden and by us debauched, is a people of real crea- 
tive artistic genius — our first Americans. Yet our selfish in- 
terests would seem to declare that this once prou'd race must 
perish. Would we not do well at least to find out what these 
people really are before we declare that the natural law of 
the survival of the fittest pronounces their doom? 

In America as elsewhere it has been the same old story. 
The Anglo-Saxon smashes the culture of the primitive peo- 
ple that get in his way and then, with loving care, places in 
museums the beauty he salvages from the wreckage he has 
wrought. 

Unfortunately for us, the art of the early Wisconsin In- 
dians reached its highest development in perishable mater- 
ials which are, therefore, no longer to be found. The finest 
of this was the embroidery and weaving in dyed deer hair 
or the colored quills of the porcupine. To the Wisconsin 
archeologist remain, however, occasional carved or etched 
stones and bones, sherds of pottery vessels, effigy pipes, 
bones, stone and shell ornaments, and chipped flints of re- 
markable symmetry. 



I 



The Art of the American Indian. 23 

When we visit our museums and view the handiwork of 
the American Indian exhibited there we cannot withhold 
our admiration for the beauty of the primitive workman- 
ship: — as in the variegated designs of the effigy pipes in 
the George A. West collection in the Milwaukee museum, or 
the grace of the planes of the bird stones, the intricately 
woven and beautifully designed fabrics, the exact rightness 
and restraint in surface decoration of the pottery, the per- 
fection and delicacy of weaving in the garments, even to 
the handiwork of those ancient artisans who delved at Az- 
talan. As we view all this we are convinced that the Ameri- 
can Indian was a true artist. 

In spite of the heavy business of procuring food and shel- 
ter, he had a margin of time for a deep and personal touch 
with beauty. It surrounded him at all times. He wove it 
into his fabrics, chipped it into flint, ground it out of stone, 
tamped it onto his pottery, worked it into his bird stones 
and gorgets, carved it into his artifacts and painted it onto 
his dwelling. The Indian was daily in intimate contact with 
beauty. 

The art of the Indian should not be judged by the white 
man's yard stick. It was created from a different racial 
point of view. Perhaps there remained the subconsciousness 
of the Indians' memories of his Asiatic origin. There was 
something archaic in his feeling and it seems to have some 
subtle relationship with old Mongolia. The Indian crafts- 
man, whether it be the Navajo in his blankets, the Pueblo 
in his pottery, or the plainsman in his beadwork and magni- 
ficent ceremonial costume, has a fine sense for decorative 
design and for harmony in tone and color. 

No doubt the most primitive specimens of Indian art are 
the simple images inscribed upon smooth-faced rocks, both 
in the open and in caves. These rock-scratched images vary 
from indecipherable scrawls to well-executed animals, floral 
forms and figures that are symbolic in meaning. 

Many caves in Wisconsin reveal evidences of aboriginal 
habitation, having walls inscribed with rude figures repre- 
senting lightning and rain, the moon, sun and stars, the 
thunderbird and panther, and animal effigies among which 
bison, lynx, bear, badger, elk, otter, heron and rabbits have 
been recognized. Some caves were covered so completely 



24 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 1 

with these pictographs that the drawing extended over the 
roof. Some inscriptions are several feet in length and con- 
ceivably depict the exploits of warring or hunting parties. 

The Indian artists made much use of symbols in their 
decorative schemes. There are decorations, for example, 
that are appropriate to the costumes of men, others to those 
of women, and again others for children ; there are marks 
and crests that designate clan and tribal kinships ; there are 
insignia that mean war and peace, life and death, joy and 
grief, feasting and fasting. The same is true even of uten- 
sils: certain emblems belong to the weapon, others to the 
water-jar or the food-basket, others to the medicine pipe, or 
the ceremonial drum. In fact, pipe and tomahawk, feathers 
and blanket, beadwork, quillwork, facepaint, and mask, all 
combine into a symbolism of colors and shapes which are in 
themselves a portrait of the tribesman's life. 

The range of this symbolic expression naturally varies 
greatly among differing Indian groups. With some it 
amounts to little more than a differentiation of costumes 
for the sexes. With others, as on the Northwest Coast, it 
attains to an elaboration of totemic heraldry that is quite 
comparable to that of the Medieval chivalry of Europe. 
Again, as among the Pueblo, it becomes an elaborated cere- 
monial symbolism, primarily religious, and akin to the 
symbolisms of Buddhism and Christianity. While for a 
third example, in the meticulously elaborated warrior sym- 
bolism of the Great Plains region we have a language of 
prowess that is as eloquent as words. 

In the Southwest nearly all the paintings are ritualistic 
in inspiration; the ceremonials and the beautiful costumes 
of the dancers form the dominant themes, and even where 
the theme is secular, as of a buffalo hunt or a mounted war- 
rior, still the art is close to the spirit of the ritualism that 
pervades all Pueblo life. But on the Plains the whole cast of 
the art is different : here the picture is chiefly a glorification 
of the warrior; the picture is of the deed of arms, the ex- 
ploit ; and it is meant to be painted on blanket or tipi as the 
outward proclamation of the valor and prowess of the man 
it celebrates. 

"Each people," said a learned Frenchman, "through its 
great artists affirms its infinite faith, reveals its manners of 



The Art of the American Indian. 25 

understanding life and enriches just so much of the patri- 
mony of the world." 

Hence the art of the American Indian, which springs 
from the very American soil itself, can enrich our patri- 
mony, and if the striking characteristics of that art should 
eventually be absorbed into the artistic expression of our 
country, they will weave into the fabric of our national cul- 
ture a strand of color instead of adding to the prevailing 
monotone of gray. 



I 



26 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 1 



DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE 

Prehistoric Copper Artifacts 

In the last issue of the Wisconsin Archeologist there appeared 
an interesting article by Dr. Anton Sohrweide on "The Origin and 
Distribution of Copper Artifacts." Included in this paper were a 
few statements which recent investigations have proven to be with- 
out substantial foundation, and it seems appropriate at this time 
to introduce data which might assist in clearing up some of these 
much disputed questions. 

Dr. Sohrweide quotes from C. E. Brown's paper on "The Native 
Copper Implements of Wisconsin" which appeared in Volume 3, No. 
2 of the Wisconsin Archeologist as follows: — "A provisional descrip- 
tion of the territory in which such artifacts have been found up to 
the present time may be given as extending from about the middle 
of Milwaukee County, northward to Door County, thence westward 
to the Wisconsin River or slightly beyond, thence southward along 
this stream to Dane County and eastward to Milwaukee County, the 
starting point." In the twelfth annual report of the Bureau of 
Ethnology which was published in 1894, Cyrus Thomas reported that 
he found copper artifacts in mounds which he excavated in Vernon 
and Crawford counties, and among these artifacts were beads, 
plates, and pendants of copper. During the past five years the 
archeological expeditions sent out by the Milwaukee Public Museum 
have obtained prehistoric copper artifacts from mounds and camp- 
sites in Trempealeau, La Crosse, Vernon, and Crawford counties. In 
the Milwaukee Public Museum there are on display copper artifacts 
which were obtained from counties outside of the general area men- 
tioned by Mr. Brown; these counties are Vilas, Iron, Barron, Forest, 
Trempealeau, Richland, LaFayette, Rock, Racine, and Walworth. 
In view of these facts we may state that prehistoric copper artifacts 
have been found in many parts of the southern two-thirds of Wis- 
consin, and that these artifacts have also been found in Iron, Forest 
and Vilas counties, on the northern border of the state. 

Dr. Sohrweide also states that "copper is found not infrequently 
in burial mounds, but there is no way to determine whether these 
structures are post-Columbian or whether the burial occurred years 
after the erection of the mound." It is an ethnological observation 
that trade materials of European manufacture frequently reached 
the interior of North America before the general advent of the trad- 
ers in those regions, and that the white men's materials rapidly su- 
perceded the primitive elements of the material culture of the na- 
tive inhabitants. When the historic era opened in Wisconsin the 
Indians of this region were in possession of a considerable quantity 
of material of European or colonial origin, and many of these ma- 
terials were buried with the dead. If, in a given mound, no objects 
of European or colonial origin are found, is it not logical to believe 
that the mound and the burial which it contained, if the burial be 
inclusive, are at least culturally prehistoric? The archeological field 
parties of the Milwaukee Public Museum have thoroughly excavated 
between two and three hundred mounds in various parts of Wiscon- 
sin, and many of these mounds contained copper artifacts, and yet 
not a single mound has been encountered in which any inclusive 
feature has shown any materials of historic origin. In every instance 
where historic burials have been found in mounds it has been shown 
that the burials were not inclusive but that they were made after 



Discussion and Correspondence. 27 

the erection of the mound. In the vast majority of cases it is a 
relatively simple matter to identify an intrusive burial, for careful 
mound removal or trenching technique generally reveals the outline 
of the intrusive pit. This is not a mere theory but an actual prac- 
tice which has proven successful through a period of fifteen years 
of intensive archeological work in Wisconsin. 

Dr. Sohrweide quotes Neil M. Judd in the following words : "Prior 
to the advent of the Europeans, our American Indians hammered 
out of copper ore all their copper artifacts, however thin. Sheet 
copper was unknown to them before the whites came; then pots and 
kettles furnished the principal source." The above statement seems 
to indicate a lack of specific knowledge on the subject of prehis- 
toric sheet copper, for there are two very important points to be 
kept in mind. The first point is that the pots and kettles referred 
to by Mr. Judd were almost always made of brass and very rarely 
of copper. I invite immediate correction if I am in error. The 
second point is that there are in the Milwaukee Public Museum many 
artifacts of sheet copper which have been obtained from prehistoric 
mounds in Wisconsin within the past fifteen years. In the bulletin 
of the Milwaukee Public Museum entitled, "A Wisconsin Variant of 
the Hopewell Culture" by W. C. McKern, there are several excellent 
illustrations of some of these sheet copper artifacts. It will be a pleas- 
ure to show these specimens with all pertinent data to those who are 
interested in the subject of prehistoric sheet copper. However, it is 
not necessary to consider only the data collected in Wisconsin. In 
the American Anthropologist, N. S., Volume 5, Number 1, published 
in 1903, there appeared the classic discussion on copper from the 
mounds by Messrs. Moore, McGuire, Putnam, Dorsey, Moorehead, 
and Willoughby. In the papers presented by these men Drs. Sohr- 
weide and Judd will find evidence in quantities which might pos- 
sibly induce them to alter their views regarding prehistoric sheet 
copper. 

It is hoped that this criticism will be thoroughly examined for 
flaws and the details published in succeeding issues of the Wisconsin 
Archeologist, for it is only through specific and candid discussion of 
available data that we can hope to clear up the often perplexing 
problems of archeology. 

ALTON K. FISHER, 
Milwaukee Public Museum. 



28 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12. No. 1 



ARCHEOLOGICAL NOTES 

Meetings 

At the regular meeting of the Society held at the Milwaukee 
Public Museum on Monday evening, September 19, 1932, there were 
over fifty members and guests present. President W. C. McKern 
presided. Dr. H. W. Kuhm acted as secretary in the absence of 
Secretary Charles E. Brown. Dr. Kuhm announced that at the meet- 
ing of the Executive Board, held earlier in the evening, and at which 
there were present Messrs. McKern, Gilman, Richter, Barrett, Kast- 
ner, West, Schoewe, Kannenberg and Ringeisen, and Mrs. Theodore 
Koerner, it was decided that the amendment to the Constitution pro- 
posed and adopted at the May meeting of the Executive Board and 
at the regular meeting of the Society of the same date was illegal 
as it required a majority vote of the membership for its passage. 
This proposed amendment increased the number of the directors of 
the Society from ten to thirty. On motion of Director Gilman it 
was voted to postpone action on the amendment until the annual 
meeting of the Society. Mr. L. C. Proesch, of Evanston, Illinois, had 
been elected an annual member of the Society. 

Mr. Theodore T. Brown, superintendent of the Neville Public 
Museum, Green Bay, gave an illustrated lecture on "The Archaeol- 
ogy of the Green Bay Region." In this rich and interesting region 
the speaker has been for several years conducting investigations of 
village sites, mounds and burial places, and also conducting his- 
torical investigations of its more recent Indian occupation. The 
Neville Museum contains quite extensive archaeological and ethno- 
logical collections assembled in this part of Wisconsin. These the 
speaker described, also exhibiting some notable specimens recently 
obtained. 

Dr. Kuhm spoke of the American Indian as an artist and called 
attention to the exhibit of Allied Indian Arts then being shown at 
the Milwaukee Art Institute. This consisted of pottery, jewelry, 
fabrics, sculpture and paintings. Mr. White reported on the finding 
of five Indian burials in a gravel pit near the intersection of the 
Green Bay and Green Tree highways near the city. Mr. G. R. 
Zilisch, of Hustisford, exhibited portions of a beaded garment from 
an Indian grave. Mr. M. C. Thompson, of Oconto Falls, exhibited 
a copper knife, a celt and a pottery vessel found at Horns Pier near 
Sturgeon Bay; Mr. R. S. Van Handel of Sheboygan exhibited an 
effigy head from a pottery vessel, and Mr. C. G. Schoewe, an Indian 
ro^ch headdress and a wooden bowl. Mr. Arthur Kannenberg dis- 
played a pottery vessel and a shell bead obtained from an Indian 
burying ground on the Karow farm on the Lake Winnebago shore 
near Oshkosh. Dr. Barrett reported that he had investigated a 
rumor that the intaglio effigy preserved in River Park at Fort At- 
kinson was being destroyed. This was found to be untrue; the 
effigy was in fine condition and well preserved. 

There were about 150 members and visitors present at the meet- 
ing of the Wisconsin Archeological Society held at the Milwaukee 
Museum on Monday evening, October 17, 1932. Among this large 
audience were many Indian men and women. Secretary Brown re- 
ported on the meeting of the directors. The death of Mr. Guy V. 
Deering of Columbus, an old member of the Society, had been re- 
ported. Mr. Paul Scholz of Milwaukee had been elected an annual 



Archeological Notes. 29 

member. Mr. Huron H. Smith reported on the programs arranged 
for the coming meetings of the Society. 

Mr. William J. Kershaw delivered an interesting address on "The 
Plight of the Indian" in which he called attention particularly to the 
neglected and poverty stricken condition of some thousands of Wis- 
consin Indian people. Mr. Kershaw has been for years an ardent 
advocate of the rights of these native Americans. Mr. Peter Powlas, 
of Milwaukee, an Oneida Indian gentleman of prominence, followed 
Mr. Kershaw with an interesting talk on the history of the Wiscon- 
sin Oneida, located near Green Bay, and on their present condition. 
The addresses of both speakers were heartily applauded by their 
audience. On the motion of Mr. Smith both were elected honorary 
members of the Society. Dean Drake of All Saints Cathedral, Mil- 
waukee, made a plea for the sympathetic understanding of and 
brotherhood with the suffering Wisconsin redmen. 

At the close of the meeting Mr. Kermit Freckman exhibited some 
fine drawings made by himself of several groups of Indian mounds 
located at Pleasant Lake in Waushara County. Mr. C. G. Schoewe 
displayed a peyote rattle and fan obtained from the Wisconsin Po- 
tawatomi. 

Obituary- 
Guy V. Deering of Columbus, Wisconsin, died in his home in that 
city on June 9, 1932. Mr. Deering was for many years a member 
of the Wisconsin Archeological Society and was deeply interested 
in its work although attending but few of its meetings. He was a 
son of Capt. Oscar Deering, a Civil War officer, and was born at 
Columbus, September 28, 1871. He was an alumnus of St. Johns 
Military Academy at Delafield. Mr. Deering was at the time of his 
death the president of the American Trapshooter's Association. He 
was a Mason and also a member of the Modern Woodmen and the 
Knights of Pythias. He is mourned by a large number of friends 
throughout the state. 

• Field Notes 

Mr. Theodore T. Brown, Superintendent of the Neville Public Mu- 
seum at Green Bay, has recently discovered a fish effigy pipe of 
rare and interesting workmanship. A detailed report on this fine 
specimen will probably appear in a subsequent issue of the Arch- 
eologist. 

Messrs. A. P. Kannenberg of Oshkosh and L. J. Dartt of Montello, 
while excavating a village site about four miles north of Oshkosh 
on the Karow farm, unearthed approximately fifty primitive burials. 
For the most part the skeletons were extended in the flesh, prone 
on the, back. With the burials were found four fine pottery ves- 
sels, two intact shell spoons, each marginally decorated by means 
of serrations, two biconical stone pipes and many other interesting 
and informative articles. The types of burial and the objects asso- 
ciated with the dead testify that the people buried here possessed 
what is known as the Lake Winnebago variant of the Upper Mis- 
sissippi culture. There is a considerable array of facts to support 
the theory that this was the culture of the prehistoric Winnebago 
Indians, 

Three more attractive pottery vessels, in addition to four pots 
previously found in the same area within the year, have been un- 
earthed by Messrs. Geo. L. Pasco of Ripon and Walter S. Dunsmoor 
of Markesan as the result of investigations at a number of sites in 
Green Lake County. Two of the three vessels were found in one 
mound, one associated with a burial. The third pot, for which 
sherds were found representing about one-half the vessel, was en- 
countered in a sand blow. This pot has one of the most elaborately 
cord-imprinted decorative patterns about the rim that is known for 



30 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 1 

the Wisconsin area. Materials of outstanding interest other than 
pottery were likewise discovered. A report covering the results of 
these investigations has been promised for the Archeologist. 

Publications 

The Denver Art Museum Department of Indian Art, Fredric H. 
Douglas, curator, has printed six additional Indian leaflets bearing 
the titles: Modern Pueblo Indian Villages, leaflets 45-46; Hopi In- 
dian Pottery, Leaflet 47; The Klamath Indians, Leaflet 48; Long 
Island Indian Tribes, Leaflet 49; Long Island Indian Culture, Leaf- 
let 50. These may be obtained at small expense by writing to Mr. 
Douglas. 

The July issue of the Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quar- 
terly, Vol. 41, No. 3, 1932, contains two papers of probable interest 
to local students: (1) Excavation of the Coon Mound and an 
Analysis of the Adena Culture, by E. F. Greenman; (2) Outdoor 
Guiding in History and Prehistory, by Carl E. Guthe. 

Melvin R. Gilmore is the author of: The Ethnobotanical Labora- 
tory at the University of Michigan, Occasional Contributions from 
Museum of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Vol. 1, Ann Ar- 
bor, 1932. 

A recent contribution by W. B. Hinsdale relates to the nearby 
Michigan field: Distribution of the Aboriginal Population of Michi- 
gan, Occasional Contributions from Museum of Anthropology, Uni- 
versity of Michigan, Vol. 2, Ann Arbor, 1932. 

A report on the ''Exploration of the Etowah Site in Georgia," by 
Warren K. Moorehead, describes the results of work at one of the 
most important southern sites ever to be examined by archeologists. 
Phillips Academy Dept. of Archaeology Etowah Papers, Vol. 1, 178 
pp., Yale Univ. Press, New Haven, 1932. 

Those interested in the Eskimos are advised to read: Intellectual 
Culture of the Copper Eskimos, by Knud Rasmussen, Danish Ex- 
pedition to Arctic North America, Rept.- of the 5th Thule Expedi- 
tion, Vol. 9, 350 pp., Copenhagen, 1932. Price Kr. 12.00. 

One of the initial publications on the archeology of the western 
plains is: Archaeological Survey of Eastern Colorado, 2nd Rept., by 
E. B. Renaud, Univ. of Denver Dept. of Anthropology, 1932. 

The American Anthropologist for October-December, 1932 (Ad- 
dress E. W. Gifford, Dept. of Anthropology, University of California, 
Berkeley, Calif. ) , contains the following articles : Ethnological Value 
of the De Soto Narratives, by John R. Swanton; Proboscis Statue 
from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, by Gladys A. Nomland; Span- 
iards and the Sweet Potato in Hawaii, and Hawaiian-American Con- 
tacts, by John F. Stokes; The Archaeology of Environment in East- 
ern North America, by Paul B. Sears; The Archaeology of East 
Texas, by J. E. Pearce ; Miscellaneous articles by Richard Thurnwald, 
J. H. Driberg, T. S. Chen and J. K. Shryock, Melville Jacobs and 
Frances Densmore. 

One of the earliest documents known relating to the history of 
Mexico, concerning the years 1547-1577, by Fray Bernardino Saha- 
gun, has just been translated from the Spanish version of Carlos 
Maria de Bustamante by Fanny R. Bandelier and published by the 
Fisk University Press, Nashville, Tennessee, 1932. Price $3.50. 



n 



Wi^itomin 



"«ToI. 12 lanuarp, 1933 iBto. 2 

NEW SERIES 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailingr at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103. 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

The Society is a state department, receiving a part of its support 
from the state. Its funds are under state control. Its work is well 
and widely known. It has received the approval of leading Ameri- 
can archeologists, who agree that it deserves the full support of all 
Wisconsin citizens interested in the state's archeological history. 

The Society's activities comprise the location, recording, investi- 
gating and preservation of Wisconsin Indian remains, folklore and 
history, all of which are rapidly disappearing and must be recorded 
and saved immediately if ever. 

Through its efforts many fine groups of Indian earthworks and 
other aboriginal monuments and remains have been permanently 
preserved to the public. Most have been marked with descriptive 
metal tablets. Others are being protected. Surveys and explorations 
have been conducted in many sections of the state. 

It is also engaged in encouraging the establishment of public 
museums and collections and in discouraging the manufacture and 
sale of fraudulent antiquities. 

Regular monthly meetings of the Society are held during the 
months September to May, inclusive, in the Trustees Room of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum. Meetings are open to the public. No 
regular meetings are held during the months June to August, inclu- 
sive. Special field meetings are occasionally held during the vacation 
months. 

The results of its research and other activities are made known 
through its regular quarterly publication, The Wisconsin Arche- 
ologist. Thirty volumes have appeared. The Society has a large 
membership distributed through every part of the state. 

It is co-operating to the fullest extent with all of the various 
scientific and educational organizations and institutions of Wisconsin. 



Wi^tomin 
Srcljeologisit 



¥^01. 12 



fanuarp, 1933 

NEW SERIES 



iSo. 2 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

VV^rSCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103 
Act. Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 



Wiitomin arcfteolosical ^ocietp 
iWiltoaufere, Wi&ton9iin 



Incorporated March 23, 1903, for the purpose of advancing the study 
and preservation of Wisconsin antiquities 



OFFICERS 

PRESIDENT 

W. C. McKern 



VICE-PRESIDENTS 

Dr. A. L. Kastner Dr. H. W. Kuhm 

W. W. Oilman Rev. F. S. Dayton 

R. J. Kieckhefer 



Charles E. Brown 
Rev. F. S. Dayton 
W. W. Oilman 
Dr. A. L. Kastner 
R. J. Kieckhefer 



DIRECTORS 



Dr. H. W. Kuhm 
W. C. McKern 
Charles O. Schoewe 
O. M. Thorne 
Oeorge A. West 



TREASURER 

O. M. Thorne 
National Bank of Commerce, Milwaukee, Wis. 



SECRETARY 

Charles E. Brown 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wis. 



COMMITTEES 

REGULAR 

STATE SURVEY— T. L. Miller, Walter S. Dunsmoor, G. L. Pasco, 
T. M. N. Lewis, Dr. A. L. Kastner, J. P. Schumacher, Geo. F. 
Overton, M. F. Hulburt, W. M. Maier, O. L. Hollister, Dr. F. G. 
Logan, David A. Blencoe, S. W. Faville, Col. R. S. Owen, Dr. 
Ralph Linton. 

MOUND PRESERVATION— Mrs. E. H. Van Ostrand, Frank Wes- 
ton, Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, Dr. Orrin Thompson, Mrs. F. R. 
Melcher, Col. Howard Greene, Rev. 0. W. Smith, J. J. Knudsen, 
H. W. Cornell, Dr. E. G. Bruder, A. H. Griffith. 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS— Milwaukee Public Museum (Dr. S. A. 
Barrett), Wisconsin State Historical Museum (Dr. Joseph Scha- 
fer), Oshkosh Public Museum (Niles J. Behnke), Green Bay 
Public Museum (T. T. Brown), New London Museum (Rev. F. S. 
Dayton), Lawrence College (Prof. J. B. MacHarg), La Crosse 
State Teachers College (Prof. A. H. Sanford), Kohler Museum 
(Miss Marie Kohler), Logan Museum (Paul H. Nesbitt), Minne- 
sota State Historical Museum (Willoughby M. Babcock), St. 
Francis Museum (Rev. A. J. Muench.) 

MEMBERSHIP— Louis Pierron, Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Paul Joers, 
Arthur Gerth, Dr. W. H. Brown, W. F. Yahr, Mrs. Anna F. 
Johnson, K. Freckman, Geo. Wright, Mrs. Hans A. Olson, Carl 
Baur, C. G. Weyl, A. R. Rogers. 

STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL PARKS— Geo. A. West, R. J. Kieck- 
hefer, R. P. Ferry, D. S. Howland, Walter Holstein. 

PUBLICITY— J. G. Gregory, A. 0. Barton, E. R. Mclntyre, R. K. 
Coe. 

SPECIAL 

BIOGRAPHY— H. H. Smith, G. M. Thorne, Milo C. Richter. 

FRAUDULENT ARTIFACTS— Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., E. F. Richter, 
Geo. A. West. 

PROGRAM— H. H. Smith, Milo C. Richter, Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., 
Dr. A. L. Kastner, R. J. Kieckhefer, T. L. Miller. 

MARKING MILWAUKEE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES— W. W. Gil- 
man, Dr. Paul B. Jenkins, L. R. Whitney. 

PUBLICATION— Dr. Ira Edwards, Dr. H. W. Kuhm, Alton K. Fisher. 

LAPHAM RESEARCH MEDAL— Dr. S. A. Barrett, Geo. A. West, 
Charles G. Schoewe, Milo C. Richter, Dr. A. L. Kastner. 



MEMBERSHIP FEES 

Life Members, $25.00 Endowment Members, $500.00 

Sustaining Members, $5.00 Annual Members, $2.00 

Institutional Members, $1.50 Junior Members, $ .50 

All communications in reg-ard to the Wisconsin Archeological Society- 
should be addressed to Charles B. Brown, Secretary and Curator, Office, 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wisconsin. Contributions to the Wis- 
consin Archeologist should be addressed to Dr. Ira Edwards, Editor, 
Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or to the Secretary. Dues 
should be sent to G. M. Thorne, Treasurer, National Bank of Commerce, 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 



CONTENTS 



Vol. 12, No. 2, New Series 

ARTICLES 

Page 

The Greater Copper Pike, Geo. A. West 31 

The Weaving Technic of Winnebago Bags, B. F. Carter 33 

Eighty Years After Lapham, W. B. White 48 

Museum Origins in Milwaukee, John G. Gregory 54 



ILLUSTRATIONS 
Copper pike from Forest County Frontispiece 

Figure Page 

6. Winnebago weaving technics 37 

7. Path of weft in type-V bags 44 

8. Patterns and designs 46 

9. Lapham's map of Milwaukee River mounds, showing surviv- 

ing features 50 




Copper Pike from Forest County. 
Milwaukee Public Museum print. 



Published Quarterly by the Wisconsin Areheological Society 



VOL. 13 MADISON, WIS., JANUARY, 1933 No. 2 

Nov Series 



THE GREATER COPPER PIKE 

George A. West 

The above name seems appropriate for a very rare type 
of prehistoric copper implement that heretofore, because of 
their shape but regardless of their size, have been classed 
as pikes. Considering the length and weight of the greater 
copper pike, it is reasonable to presume that it v^as employed 
for purposes where the smaller examples, being seldom more 
than ten or twelve inches in length, could not have sufficed. 
The greater copper pike is round in section, double pointed 
and from about fifteen to more than thirty inches long. Of 
the twenty thousand copper artifacts found in Wisconsin, 
not to exceed a dozen or fifteen are of this type. 

The Milwaukee Public Museum was fortunate in recently 
acquiring the specimen of the greater copper pike illustrated 
in the frontispiece. This specimen is thirty inches in length, 
one inch in its greatest diameter, circular in cross-section 
and tapers to a sharp point at each end. It weighs three 
and one-half pounds. It well illustrates expert craftsman- 
ship in its fabrication by the Indian artisan. It shows the 
ridges and pits of erosion sufficiently pronounced to indicate 
pre-Columbian age, and probably many centuries more. It 
bears a heavy coat of green patina, which adds to its value 
as a specimen. This pike has a decided curve or bend well 
toward one of its ends, its object being problematical. Con- 
siderable power must have been applied to produce this 
bend. The specimen bears no sign of abrasion or evidence 
of injury from having been bent as the result of a wagon, 
or other vehicle, passing above it, or from the tread of some 
animal. Such an explanation of the curved shape seems 
more unlikely as the pike was found in a gravel pit, two feet 
below the surface. 



32 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 2 

This interesting specimen was discovered in Forest 
County, Wisconsin, which is farther north than the range 
of copper artifacts in this state is supposed to extend. 

Other Greater Copper Pikes 

In the Hamilton Collection, at the State Historical 
Museum, are three fine examples of the greater pike, all 
found in Wisconsin. One from Shawano County measures 
nearly thirty-two inches in length and weighs six pounds. 
Another from Manitowoc County is twenty-eight and one- 
half inches long and weighs two and three-fourths pounds. 
The third is a trifle over eighteen inches in length and 
weighs twenty-one ounces. Each is circular in cross-section 
with a graceful bevel to a sharp point at either end. 

In the Logan Museum, Beloit College, are two examples 
of the greater pike from the south central portion of Wis- 
consin, of precisely the same form as that described above. 
One is about thirty inches in length, and the other is two- 
thirds as long. 

A very fine example, thirty-two and one-half inches long 
and weighing four pounds, from Carlton County, Minne- 
sota, has found a home with the Minnesota Historical 
Society.^' 

A collector, Mr. Walter Wyman of Chicago, secured a 
greater pike found in Wisconsin that is reported to be about 
thirty-six inches long. It was cut in two by the finder and 
soldered together. This is the largest of all pikes that have 
come to the writer's notice. An attempt to trace its present 
ownership has failed. 

Foster^- mentions a pike of this type, reported by the late 
Fred Perkins, of Burlington, Wisconsin, a noted collector of 
his time, who failed to secure it. This pike was found near 
Barton, Wisconsin, in 1873. In about 1884, when visiting 
the writer at Racine, Mr. Perkins informed him that this 
particular pike was found by a woman in her garden, and 
described it as being "as long as her arm", and that she sold 
the same to a junk peddler for twenty cents, it weighing 
four pounds at five cents a pound. Thus one of the rarest 



Babcock, Willoughby M., Wis. Arch., N. S., Vol. 7, pt. 4, p. 211. 
Foster, J. W., Prehistoric Races of the U. S., p. 250, 1873. 



The Weaving- Technlc of Winnebago Bags. 33 

of all copper artifacts so far found in Wisconsin was lost to 
science forever/^ 

Their Probable Uses 

Pikes of this type may have been found convenient for a 
diversity of uses. That they were employed as weapons is 
improbable. One important use to which they were likely 
put was the burning of holes. In hollowing out a solid log 
in making the dug-out or log canoe, the excavation could 
have been much facilitated by burning a series of holes 
across the grain of the wood in a number of places, after 
which it would be an easy task to split out the sections of 
wood. This sort of canoe, rather than the birch bark type, 
common to upper Wisconsin and Michigan, was used in loca- 
tions where the greater pike has been found. This process of 
burning and chipping could also well be employed in mak- 
ing wooden mortars, used in the reduction of wild rice and 
corn to flour or meal. Troughs used in the harvest of maple 
sugar, basins, and many other receptacles of wood were 
doubtless made in the same way. Another important use of 
this implement would be that of pecking holes through the 
ice for winter fishing. It might have been useful in the 
clearing of land and its preparation for planting, in punch- 
ing holes in hard soil for tent stakes, and for many other 
purposes that the lesser pikes were not large enough to 
accomplish. 

THE WEAVING TECHNIC OF WINNEBAGO 

BAGS^' 

B. F. Carter 

Very little has been written about the woven bags of the 
Woodland Indian tribes, and practically nothing about those 
of the Winnebago. Radin^' mentions them in connection 
with food storage and includes several plates illustrating 



" West, Geo. A., Copper its Mining and Use by the Aborigines of the 
Lake Superior Region, Milw. Publ. Mus. Bull., Vol. 10, no. 1. pp. 92, 
93,1929. 

" This paper was awarded first prize in a Beloit College contest and 
is now the property of the Logan Museum. 

'' Radin, Paul, The Winnebago Tribe. 37th Ann. Kept., Bur. Amer. 
Ethn., p. 118, Washington, 1923. 



34 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 2 

them, but he makes no study of their fabrication or design. 
Such a study would be profitable, as these bags are a com- 
mon feature of the material culture of the Central Algon- 
quian tribes, especially the Ojibwa (Chippewa), Sac, Fox, 
Miami, Menomini, Potawatomi, and Kickapoo; and of some 
Siouan tribes whose culture is essentially Algonquian, viz., 
Iowa, ''Santee" bands of Dakotas, and Winnebago. These 
wallets were used for storing food and clothing in the lodges 
and for carrying goods when moving from one site to an- 
other ; the smaller ones often were used for carrying objects 
on the Indian's person, since his clothes were devoid of 
pockets; larger wallets, or "friendship bags", were used for 
carrying presents to other clans and tribes. 

I examined a considerable number of these bags from 
various tribes, and, more specifically, fifty genuine Winne- 
bago bags. Data for this paper were obtained chiefly from 
these observations. Since the manufacture of these bags 
was accomplished by the skillful use of the hands, without 
the aid of tools, the technic necessarily varied somewhat 
with each maker, so that no arbitrary statement of the exact 
methods of weaving these bags can be made. Mr. Oliver 
La Mere, a part- Winnebago Indian, and author of several 
monographs on Winnebago social and material cultures, 
stated in a letter to the writer that "the weavers did not use 
any looms, but had strings suspended on a stick, and worked 
with the fingers. A few of the older women can still weave 
the bags, but do not do it." Never having witnessed the 
process, then, we can only make generalizations as to how 
the wallets were actually fabricated. The first part of this 
paper will deal with the various methods of preparing mate- 
rial and weaving it, together with descriptions of different 
types of bags ; the second part will treat of the designs and 
symbols used. 

Technic of Manufacture 

1. Preparation of Materials. Before any textiles can be 
woven, thread has to be prepared. Originally this was done 
by the weaver, and only in such amounts as were immedi- 
ately needed. Later, thread was made some time in advance, 
and there was a division of labor: one person gathered 
and prepared the fibers, while another did the weaving. In 



The Weaving Technic of Winnebago Bags. 35 

the manufacture of thread there are three essential 
processes i^*^ (a) ginning, or stripping and cleaning the 
fibers of foreign material; (b) carding, or loosening and 
straightening the cleansed fibers; (c) spinning, or drawing 
the carded filaments into an even rove and twisting them 
into fine or coarse thread. 

One of the most common materials thus prepared was 
bast, the strong, woody fiber from the phloem of various 
trees, especially linden, or basswood. Hoffman describes 
the preparation of bast by the Menomini Indians/^ Their 
neighbors, the Winnebagoes, employed practically this same 
method. The inner bark of young basswood sprouts was 
peeled off in sheets and was softened by boiling in a solution 
of lye made from wood ashes. The shoulder blade of a deer 
or other large animal was fastened to an upright post and 
a hole about one inch in diameter was drilled through the 
blade. The softened fiber was then pushed back and forth 
through the hole until all splinters and hard fragments had 
been removed; hanks of fiber were then hung up in the 
lodge, and cords were twisted from them when desired. The 
inner barks of cedar or slippery elm were also used. 

Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum) occurs from the 
Atlantic to the Pacific, and was widely used by aborigines 
in making many kinds of cordage articles, as was wild nettle 
fiber also. These stalks were commonly hackled by beating 
with sticks, and were sometimes boiled in lye solutions. The 
threads made from this rotted nettle fiber, as it is often 
termed, have a strong resemblance to ecru cotton string. 
The Winnebagoes also made a woolly yarn from buffalo 
hair. 

The Winnebago women spun these fibers into yarn in 
much the same fashion as primitive peoples all over the 
world. No spindle was used. They held the hank of carded 
fiber in the left hand and with the right pulled out a strand 
which they separated into two parts. These they rolled 
against the thigh with the right hand, and then allowed the 
fibers to twist themselves together into a cord. In this man- 



'* These processes are suggested by Luther Hooper in "The Loom 
and Spindle", Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution, p. 633, 
Washington, 1914. 

" Hoffman, W. J., The Menomini. 14th Ann. Rept., Bur. Amer. 
Ethn., No. 1, pp. 260-7, Washington. 1896. 



36 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 2 

ner they obtained more pressure than by rubbing the fiber 
between the hands and, moreover, the left hand was free to 
hold the hank. The twisted portion was pushed to the right 
beside the spinner, and more fibers were drawn from the 
hank, and the process repeated. In this way it was possible 
to spin very even cords, varying from the thickness of pack 
thread up to twine about three-sixteenths of an inch in 
diameter. After the advent of the white man in Wisconsin, 
the women secured Germantown yarn from traders or un- 
raveled string from grain sacks. The stems of flags and 
rushes were also used in the coarse, openwork bags. They 
frequently were not twisted but were left as rough, semi- 
flat fibers. 

The Indian women knew many processes of coloring these 
threads with primitive dyes. It is not within the scope of 
this paper to list the minerals, roots, and plants which 
yielded coloring matter, nor to tell of the surprising amount 
of chemistry which the aborigines applied in producing dye- 
stuffs. Coville has made a careful study of the plants used 
in dying basket materials, and his work^' indicates in part 
at least the dyestuffs used by the various tribes. 

2. Methods of Weaving.^^ Having observed how the In- 
dians prepared the yarn, we are now ready to consider the 
methods of combining it into textiles. Of the various meth- 
ods of weaving — checkerwork, wrappedwork, twilledwork, 
twinedwork, etc. — we need deal with only the last men- 
tioned, inasmuch as that was the only kind observed in the 
fifty Winnebago bags that were studied. Twining is found 
widely in the primitive cultures of both North and South 
America, and indeed among savages throughout the world. 
It is the most intricate of all the methods of weaving or 
plicating fabrics. Twinedwork is built on straight warp 
elements, the weft elements being administered in two or 
more strands, although in the Winnebago bags only the two- 
strand twining is found. In passing between the warps, the 
pair of weft elements make a half twist on each other. Ac- 



I 



^^ Coville, F. v., Annual Report of the United States National 
Museum of the Smithsoninn Institution (Washington, 1904), pp. 199- 
214. 

" The terminology here used is that suggested by 0. T. Mason in his 
work "Aboriginal American Basketry", in Ann. Rept. U. S. Nat. Mus., 
Smith. Inst. (Washington, 1904), pp. 193-7, 221-40. 



The Weaving- Technic of Winnebago Bags. 



37 



cording to the relation of the weft elements to one another 
and to the warp, different structures in twined weaving re- 
sult. Those which we shall need to consider are, (a) plain 
twined, (b) diagonal twined, (c) wrapped tivined. 







Pig. 6. Winnebago weaving technics : a, plain twined openworl?, single 
warps ; h, plain twined openwork, paired warps ; c, plain twined closedwork ; 
d, plain twined openwork, crossed warps ; e, loose zigzag twinedwork ; /, 
diagonal twinedwork ; g, wrapped twinedwork, inside view ; h, wrapped 
twinedwork, outside view ; i, beading over twinedwork ; j, method of sus- 
pending bag while weaving. 



Xa). Plain twined weaving. Plain twining may be done 
over single warps (figure 6, a) or over pairs of warp treated 
as one (figure 6, &). In either of these, the weft elements 
are carried along in rows spaced from one-quarter to three- 



38 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 2 

quarters of an inch apart. If the warps are spaced, the 
resulting netting is termed open work (figure 6, a and b) . 
Closed work (figure 6, c) results from crowding the warp 
together tightly. The warp elements may also be crossed 
at an angle to produce a further variation. The weft passes 
across between the points where the warps intersect each 
other, leaving hexagonal interstices, forming a sort of lat- 
tice effect (figure 6, d). As an intermediate step between 
these, we also have a zigzag weave over paired warp (figure 
6, e), which is very common among the older wallets. The 
weft rows are usually about one-fourth of an inch apart. 
Each strand of a paired warp is caught alternately with the 
other half of the same warp and with a strand of an adjoin- 
ing one. The warp elements, being flexible under the strain 
of weaving, assume a zigzag shape, leaving triangular inter- 
stices. 

(b) . Diagonal ttvined iveaving. The twisting of the weft 
elements in diagonal twined weaving is precisely the same 
as in plain twined weaving, the difference in texture being 
caused by the manner in which the weft crosses the warp. 
The technic of diagonal weaving consists in passing over 
two warp elements at each turn. Adjoining weft rows, how- 
ever, do not include the same pairs in each half turn. The 
ridges on the outside of the textile, therefore, are not verti- 
cal as in plain weaving, but pass diagonally over the sur- 
face; hence the term, diagonal weaving (figure 6, /). 

(c) . Wrapped tivined weaving. One of the weft elements 
in wrapped twining is laid along one side of the warp ele- 
ments at right angles to them. The other weft element is 
wrapped about the crossings of warp and weft, parallel to 
the warps on the back of the textile, and to the untwisted 
wefts on the front of the textile (figure 6, gr) . Usually this 
type is combined with diagonal twining to produce a varia- 
tion in design, since it allows a weft element of one color to 
remain hidden on the inside of the bag while one of another 
color (the wrapping element) predominates on the front 
(figure 6, h) . Warps are usually treated in pairs, the same 
as in diagonal twinedwork, except when a vertical instead 
of diagonal line is required for the design. Then the turns 
of successive weft rows alternate over one and then two 
warps along the edges of the vertical stripes. 



The Weaving- Technic of Winnebago Bags. 



3. Types of Bags. The several kinds of twinedwork 
described above were often included in the same wallet for 
purposes of ornamentation. For convenience the bags are 
classified into five groups on the basis of their texture.^^ 

Type I. The bags in this group were made solely for 
utensils. The material is either rush fibers or coarse bark 
cords, fashioned in either open or closed plain twinedwork. 
Paired straight warps are less common than single warps. 
The openwork bags usually have either zigzag or crossed 
warp. Weft strings are sometimes nettle or softened bast 
threads; more commonly they are a coarser twine made 
from unsoftened cedar or elm bark. Sometimes vertical 
stripes are produced by including groups of colored warps 
spaced off with plain ones. Faded red, blue, and green are 
the commonest colors, with occasional lavender or yellow 
ones. The warp threads were suspended over a stick the 
length of the desired bag. Starting at one end of the stick, 
a row of plain twined weft was carried across to the other 
end, along what was to be the bottom of the bag, and then 
was continued around spirally, each time being spaced from 
three-eighths to three-quarters inch from the previous 
round. The bottom was narrowed somewhat by crowding 
the warp closer together than at the top. The weft spiral 
stopped three or four inches from the free ends of the sus- 
pended cords, and these were then braided into a finished 
edge. The stick, which was probably hung by cords from a 
tree limb or lodge rafter, was removed, and the finished bag 
was ready to be used as a gathering pouch, granary, or 
clothes bag. Because of their utilitarian purpose, a mini- 
mum of ornamentation was placed on them. In addition to 
the colored warps previously mentioned, there was some- 
times added a beading of colored straw, brought down zig- 
zag outside the warp, but caught in the passing weft turns 
so as to produce two or three chains of colored diamonds on 



'" This classification is mine. Other groupings have been made ac- 
cording to uses, age, or designs: but for the purpose of this paper, 
which is to deal primarily with the technic of manufacture, the classi- 
fication by texture is the most satisfactory division of the fifty bags 
studied. The number of bags in each group is as follows: Type I, 
10;- Type II, 11; Type III, 1; Type IV, 26; Type V, 2. Since these 
bags were found in three museums and two private collections, these 
numbers are somewhat indicative of the relative scarcity of the differ- 
ent types. 



40 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 2 

either one or both sides of the bag (Figure 6, i) . The size 
range of these type I bags is from nine by twelve to fourteen 
by twenty-four inches. 

Type II. **The technic of these wallets is so interesting 
in the survival of ancient weaves that they justify a special 
description. They are from elm bark twine associated with 
colored yarns. The weft is plain twined weaving; all the 
ornamentation, therefore, is effected by means of the warp, 
which is partly vertical, but more of the zigzag type. In all 
the specimens the warp is made up of twine, partly in the 
material of the weft and partly in colored yarns. The diam- 
eter of the warp twine, especially the yarns, seems to be 
greater than the length of the twists in the weft, so that 
there is a crowding which brings one color to the front and 
leaves another color inside — that is, the figures that are 
brown on the outside will appear in yarn on the inside and 
the reverse. To be more explicit, beginning at the lower 
edge of any one of these wallets, the warp may be in pairs, 
the elements of which separate and come together alter- 
nately in the rows of weaving. On the outside of the bag 
two elm-bark warp strands will be included and appear; 
in the next half twine two yarns will be included and show 
on the inside of the wallet. After this zigzag process goes 
on for a short distance the weaver changes her plan, omits 
the yarn warp altogether, but continues the twining process, 
making a strip of plain twined weaving with vertical warp." 
In this quotation, Mason-^ is describing an Ojibwa bag. Its 
zigzag closed work, or crossstitch twining, is identical to the 
texture of the Winnebago bags, of type II. Nettle thread 
or cotton string is often substituted for the elm-bark fiber. 
There usually is a strip of plain twining over double warps 
at each end ; then one or two figured stripes in colored yarn 
and ecru twine, set off by plain stripes; and then a large 
center design. The bags were suspended inverted on a stick 
in the same fashion as type I, and were woven from the bot- 
tom down. The beginning of the weft, however, was not at 
one corner, but near the center of the bottom, since the cor- 
ners are too tightly woven to allow starting there. One pair 
of wefts continues around the bag spirally to within an inch 



Op. Cit. pp. 385-6. 



The Weaving- Technic of Winnebago Bags. 41 

of the top. The other pair goes from the center of the bot- 
tom to the corner, and there becomes a pair of warp ele- 
ments. No spHces were detected in the long spiral weft; 
this means that the weaver needed two three-hundred-foot 
weft elements and that she had to work two balls of string 
about two inches in diameter through the warps at the start 
of the weaving. The size of these balls diminished, of 
course, as the work progressed. The weft may have been 
woven on shuttles, although I have never seen any from the 
Winnebagoes. She narrowed the bottom of the bag by in- 
cluding more than two warps in each twist of the weft for 
several turns near each end. To make a border at the top, 
half of the warp pairs were clipped off after the fourth from 
the last weft row ; the other warp strings, which are about 
four inches longer, were doubled back on themselves and 
their free ends hidden in a welt that was bound at one edge 
by another row of weft twining. The weaver then added 
three more rounds of weft over these doubled-back warps; 
then she cut the weft and knotted it. A fringe of looped 
warps about one inch long was now left. She gathered these 
loops together in fives and loosely twisted them, catching 
them at the top in a fine six-strand braid running along the 
edge. These twisted loops cause the border to roll over the 
top of the bag, giving a very pleasing finish. The common- 
est size of this type of bag is about fourteen by twenty-two 
inches, although sizes range down to wallets only six by 
seven inches. The ornamentation on these bags will be 
described in the second part of this paper. 

Type III. I have seen only one bag^^ of this type, but it 
is so unique that it is impossible to include it in any other 
group. It is about fourteen inches in height by twenty-two 
inches in breadth. Unlike the previous types, the warp runs 
horizontally around the bag in a spiral from top to bottom. 
The weft is vertical, but each element, instead of crossing 
the bottom of the bag, returns on the same side. The weav- 
ing is mixed diagonal and wrapped twinedwork. Two pairs 
of wefts travel down the bag, including alternate pairs of 
warp ; in the last twist of the wefts only one warp is caught, 
so that on the return alternate pairs are still included in 



Milwaukee Public Museum, Cat. No. 3327. 



42? WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 2 

adjacent weft rows. The first weft row returns as the third, 
the second as the fourth, and so on. The bottom is sewed 
together and the weft ends at the top are looped and made 
into a border the same as type II. Obviously a bag with 
horizontal warp cannot be woven by a method of suspended 
threads. The warps have to be stretched over a frame in 
such a way as to be moved along. Professor Linton of the 
University of Wisconsin suggested to me that this bag was 
made on a sort of roller loom. Although there is no evidence 
that roller looms were ever found among the Winnebagoes, 
it would seem that some such device would be essential for 
this type of weaving. Two polished sticks driven firmly in 
the ground would serve to hold the horizontal warp-spiraL 
Since the patterns on the front and back of the bag are 
different, and separated by unornamented diagonal-twined 
stripes, part of each side could be woven without moving the 
warps. After they were thus stabilized with weft, the bag 
could be rotated about the sticks by springing them together 
enough to remove the tension from the warp. Such a device 
would contain the basic principle of the roller loom and be 
consistent with the stage of Winnebago culture. To satisfy 
myself that this method would offer no practical difficulties, 
I set up a model loom and wove a few courses. To unskilled 
fingers it is a slow, awkward task, but it is perfectly pos- 
sible to reproduce the bag in this way. For a tight weave 
like this I found a thin strip of wood very useful as a batten 
stick, as did the Winnebago women, no doubt. The weft 
material is nettle or fine bast twine and colored cord; the 
warps are of heavier cord. It has a rather simple geometric 
design of diamonds and rhomboids. Without doubt it is a 
rare specimen. 

Type IV. This type of bag is comparatively modern, and 
hence is the most common. The weft is usually woolen 
yarn obtained from traders and is woven horizontally in 
mixed diagonal and wrapped twinedwork. The Indian 
women occasionally spun the weft twines, but more com- 
monly obtained string of white manufacture, either from 
traders or from unravelled sacks and knitted wear. The 
patterns were in two colors in separate horizontal bands of 
mixed twining, set off by single-colored stripes in diagonal 
twining. More than two colors in a pattern are impossible 



The Weaving Technic of Winnebago Bags. 43 

f 

in two-strand wrapped twinedwork. This does not mean, 
however, that the bags were never of more than two colors. 
On the contrary, I have seen as many as eight different 
shades of yarn in one wallet. The colors of each pattern 
row — and there are usually several of these rows — may dif- 
fer. When changing from, for example, a brown to a blue 
weft yarn, the two are not tied together ; instead, their ends 
are buried in the textile. This causes the bags to unravel 
more easily than those of type II, whose weft is a continu- 
ous twine. In weaving these bags, the Indian women used 
the technic of suspended threads. The warps, although they 
hung double, did not cross the bottom of the bag. When the 
weaving was completed, therefore, the result was a bottom- 
less cylindrical band of cloth that had to be flattened and 
sewed along the bottom to produce a bag. During the weav- 
ing process the bag was inverted and fabricated from the 
bottom down. The Menomini^^ weavers drove two sticks in 
the ground at a distance equal to the desired breadth of the 
bag (figure 6, j) . Around these they tied a loop of cord 
and hung warps from this loop. The sticks inclined suffi- 
ciently outward at the top so that after the first few rows, 
the weft did not bind on them, but hung free on the warps. 
After the weaving was completed, the loose warp ends were 
gathered in groups to form a sort of hemstitched border 
about an inch deep, and then gathered into a rope encircling 
the top of the bag. This rope was bound with yarn which 
made a half hitch or buttonhole stitch at each wrapping. On 
some of the bags the warps are cut off flush with the last 
weft row, and the raw edge bound with cloth. The bags in 
type IV are generally large, about eighteen by twenty-two 
inches being the average size. I have never seen handles 
on any Winnebago bags. 

Type V. There are only two bags in this group. Both 
resemble type IV in that they have vertical warp and hori- 
zontal weft, together with sewed bottoms and cloth-bound 
tops. One^* has a turned-in seam up the side as though it 



^'' Skinner, Alanson : "Material Culture of the Menomini", Bulletin 
of the Museum of the American Indian: Indian Notes and Mono- 
graphs Number 20 (New York). Since the cultures of the Menomini 
and Winnebago tribes are so closely related, this description of technic 
would apply to either. 

^* Wisconsin State Historical Society Museum, Number 2014. 



44 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 12, No. 2 



had been made in a flat piece instead of circular. It may 
have been cut down from a wider bag, as it was about ten 
by fourteen inches in size. It has a wool weft and is very 
similar to bags in type IV except for the technic of the 
diamond design on it. The other bag^"' has a fine, hard, 
horizontal weft, closely woven in these same diamond and 
elongate-hexagon designs. The material is probably bast 
fiber of good quality and well twisted. Diamond designs on 
bags of type IV are produced by hiding one warp in wrapped 
twining. The diamond design here, however, is made by 
diagonal twining in a peculiar fashion. Instead of follow- 
ing clear across the bag, the weft rows double back and 
forth to produce a triangle ; then they follow down one side 
of the triangle to a base vertex of an adjacent triangle and 
from there repeat. The course taken by the weft is indi- 
cated in figure 7. This weaving was done from the bottom 
down, since the bag was suspended inverted. In figure 7, 
then, the red weft was all put in before the black was 




Red 



Black 



Bli 



Fig-. 7. Path of weft in type-V bags. 



started, and the black was finished before the blue was 
started. The bag at the Milwaukee Public Museum has red, 
green, yellow, tan and brown patterns on it. The design on 
the bag from the State Historical Museum is not composed 
entirely of these diamond patterns, but has four rows of 
them inserted between other patterns in mixed twining. It 
is, therefore, a sort of transition between types IV and V. 



'-^ Milwaukee Public Museum, Number 3330. In the opinion of W. C. 
McKern, this bag is more typically Winnebago than any of the other 
types, which show strong Algonquian influence. 



The Weaving Technic of Winnebago Bags. 45 



Designs and Symbols 

There is a marked difference between a design and a sym- 
bol. The former may have no particular significance other 
than to please the eye or identify the ornamented object; 
the latter always has a mystical meaning, known usually 
only by the maker of the symbol. Radin, in his abrupt and 
arbitrary manner, says, 'These bags were always covered 
with designs, mostly of geometric patterns, although real- 
istic designs, as elk, deer, thunderbirds, and water spirits, 
all unquestionably property marks, were frequently used."^*^ 
Without doubt these designs did serve as property marks, 
but they were more than designs; they were secret repre- 
sentations of moods and feelings in the weaver's life. It is 
true that the Central Woodland tribes did not weave nearly 
so much mysticism into their bags and baskets as did many 
Western tribes; the Winnebagoes did, nevertheless, have 
much symbolism in their bag designs. Lakes, hills, mythical 
and tribal animals, as well as abstract ideas, were repre- 
sented in the patterns, although oftentimes in such degen- 
erate geometric forms as to be unrecognizable. Zigzag lines 
are interpreted as waves or lightning; triangles are sup- 
posed to represent mountain tops, arrowheads, or tepees. 
However, except for certain unmistakable animals, there is 
no way of understanding a symbol unless it be interpreted 
by its creator. According to Mr. La Mere, ''Many of the 
bags have designs of the weaver's inspirations during fast- 
ing in their first menses periods." Among the Winnebagoes 
much of their social culture was built around the menstrual 
function in women. It is reasonable to believe, that it also 
greatly influenced the weaver's choice of designs. 

A few of the geometric patterns on bags of type II are 
shown in figure 8, a-f. No attempt is made to interpret 
them. Figure 8, g shows a Thunderbird design that is com- 
mon on the cross-stitch bags. This particular bag illustrates 
the legend of the Thunderbird instructing her young. She 
is supposed to say to the two little ones as they are flying 
over a Winnebago village, "Do not drop any eggs (thunder- 



^^ Radin, Paul, Thirty-seventh Ann. Rept. Bur. Am. Eth., (Wash- 
ington, 1932) p. 118. 



46 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 12. No. 




»> <«> <»> (»> <»> (»> 



b c 






-A JcyocntA 



^-4 rA>tnd«<>Ao/f« 



nnn 

UDTT 



nnn 

UTTU 



►^ = ►^3 <<<<<<<< 



mm 




m 

Fig. 8. Patterns and designs : a-f, geometric patterns on type-II bags : 
g, thunderbird design ; h, waterspirit design ; i-7i, geometric patterns on 
type-IV bags, including elongate hexagon, hourglass, eye, modified herring- 
bone and modified swastika designs. 

bolts) on the village, because the Indians are our friends."^^ 
Waterspirits (wak 'tcexi — sometimes called horned pan- 
thers or underground panthers) are also a favorite design 
(figure 8, h) . "Waterspirits live in the deep water off the 
shore of Governor's Island. Only a few old men have ever 



■' This explanation was given by Charles E. Brown, State Historical 
Museum, Madison, Wisconsin. 



i 



The Weaving Technic of Winnebago Bags. 47 

seen them. These long-tailed monsters, when they are 
angry, cause the waters to become very rough and at such 
times they overturn the Indian canoes and people are 
drowned. At night they crawl out on the bank. When 
Earthmaker created the earth he put waterspirits under it 
to keep it from turning. Then he scattered stones over its 
surface and the earth became quiet."-^ 

The designs on the bags in type IV are all geometric. 
Many probably had symbolic meanings for their weavers. 
Figure 8, i-n gives some idea of the variety of patterns. 

Acknowledgments 

In all, fifty Winnebago bags were examined and much of 
my information is the result of this study. I wish to express 
my appreciation to Messrs. McKern and Fisher of the Mil- 
waukee Public Museum, and to Mr. Charles E. Brown, State 
Historical Museum, Madison, for their cooperation in allow- 
ing me to examine the wallets and for many helpful sug- 
gestions. 

Acknowledgment is also made to: Mr. Oliver La Mere, 
Madison ; Dr. Ralph Linton of the Department of Anthro- 
pology of the University of Wisconsin ; Dr. Geo. Collie and 
Miss Burnette of the Logan Museum of Beloit College; and 
Mr. Albert G. Heath, Chicago, and Mr. N. E. Carter, Elk- 
horn, Wisconsin, dealers in Indian relics, for the loan of 
bags. 

Bibliography 

W. H. Holmes : "A Study of the Textile Art", Sixth An- 
nual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology 
(Washington, 1888), pp. 189-252. 

Holmes: "Prehistoric Textile Art of Eastern United 
States", Thirteenth Ann. Rept. Bur. Am. Eth. (Wash- 
ington, 1896), pp. 3-46. 

W. J. Hoffman : "The Menomini Indians", Fourteenth Ann. 
Rept. Bur. Am. Eth. (Washington, 1896), pp. 260-1. 



"'Brown, Chas. E., Lake Mendota Indian Legends (Madison, 1927), 
p. 4. 



48 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 2 

Paul Radin : *'The Winnebago Tribe", Thirty -seventh Ann. 
Rept. Bur. Am. Eth. (Washington, 1923), plates xxxii 
to xxxvii. 

0. T. Mason: ''A Primitive Frame for Weaving Narrow 
Fabrics", Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institu- 
tion, United States National Museum (Washington, 
1899), pp. 485-513. 

Mason : ''Basket Work of the North American Aborigines," 
Ann. Rept. Smith. Inst., U. S. Nat. Mus. (Washington, 
1884), pp. 291-300. 

Mason: ''Aboriginal American Basketry", Ann. Rept. 
Smith. Inst., U. S. Nat. Mus. (Washington, 1904). 

Luther Hooper: "The Loom and Spindle, Past, Present, 
and Future", Ann. Rept. Smith. Inst. (Washington, 
1914), pp. 629-78. 

Alanson Skinner: "Material Culture of the Menomini", 
Bulletin of the Museum of the American Indian: In- 
dian Notes and Monographs Number 20 (New York). 

C. E. Brown: "Lake Mendota Indian Legends (Madison, 
1927). 

EIGHTY YEARS AFTER LAPHAM 

W. B. White 

Anyone who has read the careful surveys of Dr. Increase 
A. Lapham in "Antiquities of Wisconsin", published April, 
1855, by the Smithsonian Institution, must do homage to 
the care and attention to detail as well as the scientific con- 
scientiousness with which he carried on the work of chart- 
ing Indian mounds and earthworks in Wisconsin. The value 
of this document is beyond price to the modern archeologist. 
In attempting to trace and reconstruct the culture of the 
pre-historic peoples of this state. Dr. Lapham's charts are 
a mine of information, much of which, today, could be se- 
cured from no other source. Yet, so accurate are his maps 
and descriptions that, in spite of the destruction wrought by 
our modern civilization, all that remains of his discoveries 
can be identified and his information checked, although 
more than eighty landmark-revolutionizing years have 
passed since he made his survey. 



Eighty Years After Lapham. 49 

It is the purpose of this research to carry on where he left 
off, at least as concerns the Milwaukee River and the Indian 
culture which abounded along its banks. Although this 
work has been barely begun, yet the findings already justify 
the labor, and they point to the need for further research 
on a scale which cannot be attempted at present. 

The northernmost group of mounds marked by Dr. Lap- 
ham in Milwaukee County lay on the west bank of the Mil- 
waukee River in the northeast quarter of section thirty. 
They were cut nearly in half by the Bender road ; while the 
mound sites at the north end of the group were crossed by 
the embankment of the Chicago and Northwestern railroad. 
The Green Bay road (Highway 57) missed their western 
border by a narrow margin. But, destructive as these ar- 
teries of modern civilization might have been to the earlier 
Indian culture, the Bender road has acted as a preservative 
agent. The entire site of this group of mounds is now gravel 
pit and dump heaps, and all that remains of the extensive 
earthworks (except for a portion of one intaglio which for- 
tunately was placed above a poor grade of gravel ; hence not 
removed) are those two or three mounds which were buried 
in the embankment of the Bender road. 

So accurate were the charts of Dr. Lapham that even this 
minute remainder could be traced and identified in the midst 
of the present debris and desolation (figure 9). 

Originally, according to Dr. Lapham, this site contained 
not less than twenty-one conical mounds, two linear, two 
effigy (probably bird), one lunar, and five intaglios, making 
a total of thirty-one. Three hut rings and an Indian garden 
are also indicated by him. 

These mounds occupied a former elevation above the Mil- 
waukee River extending about half a mile from north to 
south. Beginning on the south at a small, southeasterly- 
directed ravine which cuts the twelve foot bank marking 
the highwater mark approximately a quarter of a mile south 
of the Bender road, they follow the direction of this bank 
and the river to terminate at another small ravine near the 
section line. This north boundary is at the site of the old 
Bender mill (present Town and Country Club). 

In this immediate vicinity were formerly placed four 
conical mounds and one intaglio. They were noted by Lap- 



50 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 12, No. 2 



ham chiefly because one of them had been used for a recent 
burial shortly before the time of his survey (1848). He 
describes how the top of the older mound had been scraped 
out into a shallow burial, while poles had been piled above 




LAPMAM 
MOUND GROUP 

Modern detail indicated oi- 
copy of LapKam's 
original plat. 

/ndian Ca.tdzn 



Fig. 9. Lapham's map of Milwaukee River mounds, showing 
surviving features. 

the bodies to keep off wolves and other wild animals. Thus, 
bodies from two widely differing periods probably lay in the 
same mound. Unfortunately, all this was destroyed by vari- 
ous excavations extending over a period of many years, and 
no one seems to remember what was found here. These 



Eighty Yeai's After Lapham. 51 

mounds, as has been said before, were also in the path of 
the railroad embankment. 

South of these lay a group of eight conical mounds dom- 
inated by two larger conicals, designated by Dr. Lapham as 
"observation" mounds. These last two are well remembered 
by Mr. Wilbur Bender on whose farm they were situated. 
At the time the gravel was dug he removed part of them to 
fill a spring hole at the south of his farm and obtained "at 
least 100 wagonloads of dirt from them." He is not certain 
that implements were found in them, although two or three 
bodies were buried there. Skeletons, potsherds, flint and 
copper implements, and ornaments were found in the 
smaller mounds adjacent. 

The only remaining traces of these last are those which 
happened to be preserved by Mr. Bender, Mr. Meseberg, 
Mr. Kleist and others in the neighborhood, whose kindness 
and cooperation in the present work deserve acknowledg- 
ment, as does that of Mr. Louis Pierron whose knowledge 
of the territory has been of great service. 

Noteworthy among the findings on this site are those few 
scraps of pottery which have been preserved. They indicate 
cultures of two distinct types : (1) an Algonquian-like cul- 
ture, as indicated by the grit-tempered, cord-imprinted Lake 
Michigan ware; and (2) a Siouan culture, probably Winne- 
bago, with its flaky, shell- or cell-tempered Upper Missis- 
sippi ware. 

It is again unfortunate that circumstances do not permit 
absolute identification of the potsherds with their respective 
burials, but such is impossible. However, this much is indi- 
cated : the mounds of the Lapham group were probably not 
the work of a single tribe or culture. It is more likely that 
they grew exactly as a modern city grows. Tribe A came 
to the site of the Bender road an unknown number of years 
ago. A camp was decided upon and mounds of a certain 
cultural pattern were built upon desirable sites. Years pass. 
Tribe A decides, or is forced, to move, and tribe B, finding 
the site desirable, moves in, being either ignorant of, or 
ignoring the former culture. They build their mounds, or 
if not mound-builders, leave their burials, and imprint their 
distinct cultural impress upon the location. Then they pass, 
and tribe C, which may be of the same stock or even a new 



52 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 2 

generation of tribe A, become the tenants. But they, too, 
are probably ignorant of or ignore the preceding cultures, 
building according to their own pattern which may be some 
modification of the old. Thus, a third and distinct impress 
may be left upon the growing group of earthworks, which 
to an observer, coming years later when even the more re- 
cent Indian culture has become legendary, may appear, at 
first glance, to be the work of a single community. 

It is with the problem of these overlapping cultures that 
the modern archeologist must deal. Thus, it is unfortunate 
that evidence like that which this site might have yielded 
has been obliterated. The loss is comparable, in a sense, to 
the erasure of precious old Greek manuscripts upon which 
monks of the Middle Ages wrote their endless repetitions of 
the New Testament. Modern culture has destroyed the rec- 
ords of these ancient Indian cultures in order to inscribe its 
endless repetition of cement roads and skyscrapers. 

Among the ornaments found on this site were conical 
bangles constructed of strips of brass, or some alloy of cop- 
per, and formed to fit, one inside the other, on a string. 
These probably represent the era of white influence on the 
continent, but they do not necessarily indicate the presence 
of whites in the vicinity. Trade between the Wisconsin In- 
dians and the seaboard existed before the white man came 
to this state and was quickened by his presence. A steel 
knife was also found, according to Mr. Bender, but although 
it was picked up in a burial, the use of a scraper in remov- 
ing the top soil would make it problematical whether this 
last was actually buried, or whether it was *'float" and 
scraped in. A copper needle and a copper awl, the latter 
having a thumb and finger grip flattened into its handle, 
were also found by Mr. Bender. 

As to the actual numbers buried in the site, no exact rec- 
ord exists. Mr. Bender states that more than one body was 
found in most burials, while Mr. Meseberg recalls that the 
usual position was "on their bellies with their knees drawn 
up under their chins." Some testimony is offered to the 
effect that a few bodies were buried "lying out straight". 
Neither men recall that the heads pointed in any particular 
direction, but they feel that accident, rather than design, 
determined this phase of burial. 



I 



Eig-hty Years After Lapham. 53 

To the southwest of the mounds just described lay a group 
of four intaghos. The Bender road passes through the site 
of this group, probably covering with its north embankment 
the body of the northernmost intaglio. The intaglio remain- 
ing was one of the southernmost of this group. 

To the southeast of the intaglios and near the southeast- 
ern boundary of the plot lay two linear mounds. Nothing 
has been learned concerning them to date. 

Southwest of them lay two effigy mounds, a large and a 
small. The smaller lay between the linear mounds and the 
large effigy. This last is thought by Mr. W. C. McKern of 
the Milwaukee Public Museum to have been a representation 
of a flying wild goose, or similar water fowl. On either side 
of it and encroaching upon its crest. Dr. Lapham has indi- 
cated an Indian garden. He notes that its boundaries do not 
respect the supposedly sacred character of the symbol upon 
which it was placed, and he comments upon the fact by con- 
cluding that the gardenmakers did not know or care. He 
says: 

''Indeed it is hardly to be supposed that any extensive sys- 
tem of works was ever planned out by the aborigines and 
built up at one time. Those we find were doubtless the re- 
sults of successive efforts, perhaps by separate and distinct 
generations, and even, in some instances, by distinct tribes." 

He feels that the Indians who built the mounds were not 
the ones who made the garden. They probably belonged to 
another generation, and perhaps to a different tribe. 

Scattered among the mounds just described are other 
smaller mounds. Nothing is known about them save in the 
instance of the lunar mound and its neighbor to the north- 
west. The lunar mound had a scrub oak growing upon it 
and is remembered by many people in the neighborhood; 
and its neighbor lies at the intersection of the Bender road 
with a side road leading into the gravel pit. Both mound 
sites served as landmarks in locating the rest and led to the 
discovery of the remaining intaglio. 

North of the ravine marking the north boundary of the 
Lapham group just described, lies Blatz Park. It has a por- 
tion of an effigy mound, probably turtle, and an Indian gar- 
den. Further work may reveal a campsite. 

North of it lie the gravel pits on the farm of Mr. Mese- 



54 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 2 

berg. Many burial mounds, a campsite, and an arrowhead 
factory have been found here. However, the data on this 
site has been too recently collected to warrant publication. 
Continuing north are many burials, probably extending all 
the way to Cedarburg and beyond. Indications point to 
many Indian camps in this territory, but they have not yet 
been touched in this research. 

Following in the footsteps of Dr. Lapham is slow, hard 
work, but the results will prove worthwhile. For, if many 
more destructive years pass, what will be left of the little 
that remains, and who will be able to follow the footsteps 
of Lapham ? 



MUSEUM ORIGINS IN MILWAUKEE 

John Goadby Gregory 

Ninety-three years ago what is now the city of Milwaukee 
was a congeries of settlements beginning at the natural 
mouth of the Milwaukee River and ending in heavily-for- 
ested hills from two to three miles farther north. Except 
for a low, sandy ridge along the river, the area on the West 
Side between what are now West Wisconsin and West 
Juneau avenues was a tamarack swamp, the most noticeable 
development on that side being at the east end of Chestnut 
Street (now West Juneau Avenue). In the midst of the 
swamp, on an island which a generation later became the 
site of the Second Ward Savings Bank, stood Leland's Pa- 
vilion, popularly known as ''the Shanty Tavern." The 
county court house, the post office, the government land 
office, all the hotels but Leland's, and a majority of the 
larger business establishments, as well as a preponderance 
of the residence structures, were on the east side of the 
river, concentrating in the vicinity of Juneau's old trading 
post at the intersection of East Water and Wisconsin 
streets, and straggling toward the court house and the lake. 
Milwaukee on the east side of the river and Milwaukee on 
the west side of the river were distinct townsite projects, 
each with a government of its own, though by legislative 
enactment they were merged in the spring of 1839. South 
of the river, title to the land was in dispute, and settlers 



I 



L 



Museum Origins in Milwaukee. 55 

were managing as best they could without formal and legal 
organization. All Milwaukee contained fewer than fifteen 
hundred inhabitants, but was gaining accessions daily and 
recovering from the panic of 1837. Even at that time it 
was the principal population center in Wisconsin. Two 
weekly newspapers maintained a struggling existence — ^the 
Advertiser, which in 1841 became the Courier, and the Sen^ 
tinel. The Sentinel of January 1, 1839 published the fol- 
lowing announcement : 

"Lyceum. — The citizens of Milwaukee desirous of organizing a Ly^ 
•ceum are requested to meet at the office of J. E. Arnold, Esq., on Sat- 
urday next at 2 o'clock p. m." 

In the Sentinel of January 8, 1839, the proposed Lyceum 
was accorded more space than editors of the period usually 
devoted to topics of a local nature unconnected with real 
estate promotion or elections. Here is the article in full : 

"The Lyceum. — The organization of a Lyceum at this place is at 
once an interesting and an important event. It is a strong illustra- 
tion of the march of mind and civilization, and an evidence that this 
<5ommunity has done with the insane rage of making fortunes in a 
day, and puts a proper estimate upon the cultivation of mind and 
those refinements which necessarily attend it. Societies of this nature 
have been formed in almost every village in the Eastern States, and 
have proved to be eminently useful. Public lectures and debates, 
which constitute their chief objects, are well calculated to excite gen- 
eral interest and highly beneficial to those who are engaged in them. 
An opportunity is presented to all who take an interest in the scientific 
and literary wonders of the age to display their knowledge and re- 
searches for the benefit of others. Interesting topics of public policy 
can be there discussed without that acrimony of feeling which always 
mingles itself in the deliberations of political bodies. 

"To these associations are often attached cabinets of curiosities, 
and libraries, which add much to their interest and usefulness. 

"We believe that the one in contemplation here will be sustained — 
that every citizen will feel anxious for its continuance and prosperity 
— ^that as a place we shall feel a becoming pride in its organization, 
as it is the first, probably, which has been commenced in the Terri- 
tory, and that the older portions of the country may know that even 
here upon the frontiers of civilization, where but yesterday the savage 
and the wild beast were the undisputed occupants, now flourish all the 
institutions of civilization and refinement. We deem the objects of 
this institution highly praiseworthy and entitled to the support of all 
who feel an interest in the welfare of our flourishing town." 



56 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 2 

The Milwaukee Lyceum was formally organized on the 
10th of January, 1839, with the following officers: Presi- 
dent, Lucius L Barber; vice president, Hans Crocker; secre- 
tary. Increase A. Lapham ; executive committee, William A. 
Prentiss, H. N. Wells, Joshua Hathaway, J. S. Rockwell, 
Jonathan E. Arnold, John H. Tweedy. A bill for its incor- 
poration was passed at the ensuing session of the Territorial 
Assembly. 

January 15th, in space allotted to advertising, the Sen- 
tinel published the following : 

"Lyceum Meeting. — The first regular meeting of the Milwaukee 
Lyceum will be held at the Methodist Chapel on Thursday evening 
next at half -past 6 o'clock. Question for discussion, 'Are usury laws 
expedient?' Disputants, Messrs, Wells and Arnold. The citizens gen- 
erally and ladies especially are respectfully invited to attend." 

That the Lyceum began its career with a flourish was at- 
tested by this glowing comment in the news columns of the 
Sentinel of January 22 : 

"At the second regular meeting of the Lyceum there was a numer- 
ous attendance, composed of both ladies and gentlemen. J. E. Arnold 
and H. N. Wells were the speakers. We hope the Lyceum, which has 
been thus auspiciously commenced, will continue to increase in influ- 
ence and usefulness, and that hereafter, when its advantages shall 
have become more extensively diffused, when every village within our 
borders shall have imitated its example, and when library associations, 
academies, colleges and universities shall have their halls filled with 
the youth of Wisconsin, it may be said with laudable pride that the 
first to establish a literary institution in this territory of the Far 
West were the young men of Milwaukee." 

In the fragmentary data available for the compilation of 
this review the next item bears date of October 29, 1839, 
being notice in the Sentinel, over the signatures of H. C. 
Crocker, president, pro tem, and I. A. Lapham, secretary, 
that ''by order of the Board of Directors, the regular meet- 
ings of the Milwaukee Lyceum will commence on Thursday, 
the 31st inst., at half -past 6 p. m., at the Methodist Chapel." 
The following is from the Sentinel of November 5th : "It is 
with pleasure that we notice the revival of the Lyceum meet- 
ings. Meetings will hereafter continue on Thursday even- 
ings." In sharp contrast with the tone of its earlier refer- 



Museum Origins in Milwaukee. 57 

ences, is the following from the Sentinel of December 24, 
1839: 

"Obituary 

"Died. — About three weeks since, the Milwaukee Lyceum, owing to 
a general debility of the system. We think, however, with the timely 
aid of a galvanized battery life might be restored. Will not some of 
the old friends of the deceased make an effort at restoration? If suc- 
cessful, we propose the following question for discussion. *Is the per- 
manency of the Union of the States probable?' or this, which we think 
more appropriate: 'Is there perseverance enough in the young men 
of Milwaukee to sustain the Lyceum?' Let there be no scrambling 
for the negative of the question." 

One factor contributing to the momentary languishing of 
the organization may have been that those who called it into 
existence and bore the laboring oar at the outset had taken 
on other activities which claimed their time. Dr. Barber 
had been elected to membership in the Territorial House of 
Representatives. Mr. Lapham was busy in various matters 
of public and private concern. New hands now grasped the 
helm. The following appeared in the Sentinel of December 
31: 

"Milwaukee Lyceum. — The next meeting of the Milwaukee Lyceum 
will be held at the Methodist Chapel on Thursday evening next at 
half -past 6 o'clock. An address will be delivered by the Rev. L. B. 
Hull. A general attendance is requested. H. Crocker, president; 
C. Walworth, secretary." 

The Sentinel of January 7th, 1840, remarked : 

"We are happy to state that the Milwaukee Lyceum is revived, and 
we trust that the members will feel bound hereafter to sustain it with 
spirit. The annual meeting for the election of oflficers will be held on 
Thursday next at 3 p. m., at the reading room over the store of 
L. Rockwell & Co." 

L. Rockwell & Co. dealt in dry goods, groceries, hardware 
and crockery, their store on East Water Street being one of 
the leading commercial establishments at the time. It is 
interesting to observe that Milwaukee was provided with a 
reading room at that early stage of its career, and reason- 
able to infer that this may have been auxiliary to the 
Lyceum. 

At the Lyceum's annual election Mr. Crocker was chosen 
president and Mr. Walworth secretary. Shortly afterward 



58 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 2 

Mr. Lapham delivered a lecture. Among* the subjects de- 
bated during 1840 were the Wisconsin-Illinois boundary 
question and the temperance movement. Hans Crocker was 
elected president and Charles J. Lynde secretary in 1841. 
In August of that year Secretary Lynde lost his life by the 
burning of a steamboat on Lake Erie. The Courier of Feb- 
ruary 9, 1842, contained the following, credited to the Sen- 
tinel, in which it had appeared a few days before : 

"Milwaukee Lyceum. — We are happy to perceive that this valuable 
institution is again making an effort to render itself all that its most 
ardent advocates could desire. The executive committee has arranged 
for a regular course of lectures once a week. In addition to this, 
and in our opinion what will interest the greatest number, there is 
to be a Museum for the collection and arrangement of specimens of the 
different departments of natural history. We are informed that al- 
ready some of our citizens have consented to deposit their private 
cabinets of minerals, shells, coins, birds, insects, reptiles, fish, curi- 
osities, etc., which will at once comprise a most beautiful and useful 
ornament to our place. To apprise our readers of what is to be ex- 
pected, we take the liberty of extracting from the catalogue of speci- 
mens: 

"Minerals. — This collection will consist of a cabinet of about three 
thousand specimens, among which may be found beautiful objects 
from Mount Vesuvius, the Alps and other localities on the continent 
of Europe, as well as fine specimens from the mines of England and 
our Eastern States. 

"Shells. — A collection of about two thousand shells, arranged in 
order, from every part of the world, including many exceedingly rare 
and curious. 

"Coins. — The nucleus of this department was purchased at auction 
and once formed part of the cabinet of the Duke of York. The oldest 
piece in the collection was struck in the reign of Caius Julius Caesar, 
during the century preceding the birth of Christ. There are four 
hundred ancient coins in the collection, coming down to Constantine 
the Great, A. D. 642. 

"Insects are represented by eight hundred varieties of butterflies 
and moths, with beetles, etc., in great numbers. Of reptiles and fish 
there are specimens from the East and West Indies, as well as many 
from nearer home. The various birds of Wisconsin will be arranged 
in separate cases, some thirty being represented at present by mounted 
specimens. The Lyceum will correspond with literary and scientific 
societies throughout the country, with a view to arranging for the 
exchange of Wisconsin minerals, etc., for such other objects of interest 
as may be obtained elsewhere. In a few years our town may be able 
to boast of a cabinet not to be surpassed in the West." 



i 



Museum Origins in Milwaukee. 59 

What became of the Museum for which these elaborate 
preliminaries had been engaged in I have so far accumulated 
no data to explain. Enough has been adduced to indicate 
that museum-minded people were not wanting in the early 
. days. At times they worked collectively. At times they car- 
ried on important activities in private. Thomas A. Greene, 
who came to the city in 1848, was a business man during 
business hours, but studious by nature and an indefatigable 
collector. The Greene Memorial Museum, at Milwaukee 
Downer College, contains the fruit of many years of assidu- 
ous collecting by Mr. Greene. Among its treasures are 
14,000 mineral specimens and 75,000 fossils, mostly gath- 
ered in Wisconsin. 

In 1851 a Museum of considerable extent and importance 
for those days was brought to Milwaukee by Professor 
Amasa Buck, who opened an academy in the old Congrega- 
tional Church building which stood on the present site of 
the Central Fire Station. He had been at the head of an 
educational establishment at the East in which Harrison C. 
Hobart had been one of his pupils. His portrait and that 
of General Hobart hang in the public library today. After 
the death of Professor Buck, which occurred in 1853, his col- 
lections were purchased by the trustees of Lawrence Col- 
lege, at Appleton. 

Mr. Lapham's collections were of wide variety and impor- 
tance. Many of them suffered destruction by fire at the 
burning of Science Hall in Madison on the 1st of December, 
1884. 

An invaluable accession to the cultural life of Milwaukee 

I and of all Wisconsin was the inpouring of men of high in- 
telligence and advanced education which followed the col- 
lapse of the German revolutionary uprising of 1848. One 
of the results of that immigration in this city was the es- 
tablishment in 1851 of the German-English Academy, un- 
der the direction of Peter Engelmann. He was an ideal 
teacher, who imparted to his pupils not only learning but 
also an enthusiasm for learning which influenced their later 
lives and contributed to the uplift and advancement of the 
community at large. One of Professor Engelmann's prac- 
tices was to take his pupils into the surrounding country 
for the study of nature at first-hand. On such excursions 



60 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 2 

they acquired familiarity with the geography of the region 
and peeped into its geology, its botany, its mineralogy and 
its archaeology. Each pupil was encouraged to gather spe- 
cimens of whatever challenged his interest, and to put ques- 
tions concerning their significance to his teachers. Such of 
the specimens as were likely to possess recurrent value in 
the recitation room were preserved. Before long the Ger- 
man-English Academy possessed the nucleus of a Museum, 
and this Museum grew, receiving contributions from the 
parents of the pupils as well as perpetual additions brought 
in by the pupils themselves. Professor Engelmann attended 
to the scientific arrangement of the miscellaneous objects in 
the collection, which became a frequent place of resort for 
older people of studious inclinations, and attained such mag- 
nitude and importance that an organization of its adult pa- 
trons, suggested by Professor Engelmann, met hearty ap- 
proval. 

The Wisconsin Natural History Society was brought into 
existence on the 6th of May, 1857, at a meeting of twenty- 
two well-remembered friends of learning and supporters of 
the German-Enghsh Academy, who signed their names to 
the constitution in the following order: Peter Engelmann, 
F. A. Pfaff, A. Bolkenius, A. Rosenthal, Christian Preusser, 
J. J. Dederich, A. Just, Dr. W. Lorenz, E. Vintschger, P. 
Bodenbach, Dr. F. Brendecke, F. Cassian, Christian Fern- 
ekes, Votja Naprstek, J. Schauss, Dr. F. A. Luening, G. A. 
Schmidt, E. Neymann, F. Beyer, Gustav Preusser, E. Diede- 
richs. Dr. Luening was elected to the presidency of the so- 
ciety and continued in the office till his death in 1861, after 
which Christian Preusser was chosen as his successor and 
re-elected for many years. Gustav Preusser was treasurer 
for a quarter of a century. There were 81 members in 1865, 
229 in 1877 and 169 in 1882. Meetings were held at least 
once a month. 

When the school had prospered sufficiently to erect its 
first building, on the west side of Broadway, then Main 
Street, near Knapp Street, a room was set apart for the use 
of the Natural History Society. The expansion of the Mu- 
seum collections proceeded apace. When the building was 
enlarged, the floor-space assigned to the Museum was cor- 
respondingly increased. 



I 



Museum Origins in Milwaukee. 61 

Professor Engelmann died in 1874. One of his last labors 
of love was the preparation of a catalogue of the 731 speci- 
mens of vertebrates which the Museum contained at that 
time. He had planned catalogues of each of the other prin- 
cipal departments, but did not survive to complete them. 
By this time the Museum had won recognition as of value to 
the community, and was growing day by day. The number 
of objects in its cases and on its walls increased from 7,000 
in 1869 to 15,000 in 1875. Some of them were suffering for 
want of care. Many could not be properly utilized, due to 
lack of accommodations for their display. Their voluntary 
custodian after the death of Professor Engelmann was Dr. 
Brendecke. He needed assistance. Moreover the establish- 
ment was short of funds, its only financial help coming from 
the Natural History Society, and consisting of the dues paid 
by members. The plan of transferring the collections of the 
Museum to the city was broached as early as 1876, but in 
this direction nothing was decided till 1881. In the latter 
year August Stirn, who was an alderman as well as a mem- 
ber of the Natural History Society, made a canvass of the 
members to secure their assent to the gift of the Museum 
to the city under conditions which would perpetuate the sci- 
entific and educational intentions of the founders. Formal 
offer of the Museum to the city was made in February, 1882. 

At that time the Milwaukee Exposition had been estab- 
lished, its annual exhibitions of objects of art and industry 
attracting thousands of visitors to Milwaukee. One of the 
features of the Exposition which proved a magnet in draw- 
ing attendance was its art gallery. That the maintenance of 
a Museum in the Exposition building would afford an ad- 
ditional incentive to people in the State at large contemplat- 
ing trips to Milwaukee seemed obvious to practical-minded 
aldermen, and also appealed to the judgment of Milwaukee 
members of the Legislature. Determined that at the out- 
set of its new and enlarged usefulness the Museum should 
receive a testimonial of popular appreciation, public-spirited 
citizens raised a fund of twelve thousand dollars for the pur- 
chase of a noted collection of natural history objects from 
Professor Ward of Rochester, New York. The city rented 
space in the Exposition building for the use of what now 
came to be called the Milwaukee Public Museum, the respon- 



62 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 2 

sibilities of Custodian being entrusted to Carl Doerflinger, 
who in his youth had been one of the pupils in Professor En- 
gelmann's school. At the end of his first year in office Cus- 
todian Doerflinger reported the treasures in his charge as 
including a total of 26,800 objects — 11,199 zoological speci- 
mens, 2,921 ethnological specimens, 5,000 botanical speci- 
mens, 2,439 paleontological specimens, 4,532 mineralogical 
and lithological specimens, and 737 books, charts and pic- 
tures. Generous gifts to the Milwaukee Public Museum con- 
tinued to be made from time to time. In 1886 citizens sub- 
scribed $2,000 for the Perkins collection of Indian coppers. 
The Goss collection of eggs of American birds, whose value 
was estimated at $10,000, was another important early gift. 

Carl Doerflinger had been called in from his farm in Ra- 
cine County to take charge of the institution as its first cus- 
todian, which office he held till failing health compelled his 
resignation in 1886-7. After a year or more on his farm he 
went abroad in 1889, pursuing scientific investigations in 
Switzerland and France. On this excursion he collected 
more than 1,000 prehistoric relics which are now in the Mil- 
waukee Public Museum. The lacustrine villages of prehis- 
toric Switzerland and the vestiges of the cave-dwellers were 
among his favorite objects of investigation. In 1894 he 
traveled extensively in Mexico, his physical condition having 
improved sufficiently to enable him to undergo the exertion 
and fatigue of journeying in the mountains on muleback. 
He died in 1911. His successor as custodian was Dr. 
William Wheeler, another former member of the German- 
English Academy faculty, who afterward became identified 
with the University of Chicago. He was ably assisted by 
Carl Thai. Professor Thui*e Kumlein, formerly of Albion 
College, carried on faithfully in the interest of the Public 
Museum for many years. Many of us have pleasant mem- 
ories of Henry Nehrling as Custodian, and also of Mr. Ward. 

One of the outstanding names associated with the Mu- 
seum's history is that of Carl Akeley, who came in 1887 re- 
maining till 1895, and during those eight years enriched the 
Museum with examples of a new art — sculptural taxidermy 
— which commanded admiring attention from artists as well 
as from students of natural history, and which contributed 
to the raising of technical standards in museum circles 



Museum Orig-ins in Milwaukee. 63 



throughout the world. A typical reminder of Mr. Akeley's 
genius, familiar to every visitor to the Milwaukee Public 
Museum, is the muskrat group, illustrating those interesting 
animals as living muskrats would appear to a spectator sur- 
veying them in the privacy of their home in a Wisconsin 
marsh. Each member of the little family is modeled with 
strict regard to every detail of muskrat anatomy and posed 
in a characteristic attitude while engaged in activity nat- 
ural to his species, the exhibit as a whole possessing the 
merits of genre painting by a Flemish master. 

As it stands, the Museum is the work of many hands. 
Year by year the scope of its exhibits has been extended to 
include material illustrative not only of natural history but 
also of successive phases in the evolution of the world and 
its inhabitants, practically embracing every subject interest- 
ing from the standpoint of human intelligence, and supply- 
ing visual aids to teaching which could not be provided by 
other means. 

"Within its walls," to borrow the language of Dr. S. A. 
Barrett, its Director, "are gathered hundreds of thousands 
of objects from the uttermost ends of the earth. The stu- 
dent, whether of high or low degree, can find the actual ob- 
ject of his studies, and is no longer called upon to imagine 
that of which he reads or hears." Here is material for the 
geologist, the biologist, the archaeologist, the entomologist, 
the ornithologist, the zoologist, the anatomist, the ethnolo- 
gist and the chemist, and for a variety of special researchers 
in other lines. Here are entertainment, illumination and in- 
spiration for visitors representing every element in the com- 
munity. The Milwaukee Public Museum has grown to be 
the largest strictly municipal institution of its character in 
the United States. 



64 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 2 



ARCHEOLOQICAL NOTES 

Meetings 

The Wisconsin Archeological Society held a meeting at the Milwau- 
kee Public Museum on Monday evening, November 21. President 
McKern occupied the chair. Forty members and guests were in at- 
tendance. Secretary Brown presented a report on the meeting of the 
Executive Board. He announced that H. L. Skavlem, Dr. W. G. Mc- 
Lachlan, Mrs. E. C. Wiswall, Aden T. Newman and Frank G. Miller, 
all old members of the Society, had been elected life members. Mr. 
Pierron presented a report on membership. Mr. McKern gave a 
very interesting and informative illustrated lecture on "The Prehistoric 
Indian Cultures of Wisconsin" in which he presented an account of 
what had been accomplished in determining their character and extent. 
Dr. Alfred L. Kastner followed with a very interesting talk on the 
physical characteristics, diseases and medicines of the North American 
Indians giving the result of Dr. Ales Hrdlicka's investigations in this 
field. Various members participated in the discussions which followed 
this lecture and talk. N. E. Carter exhibited a fine collection of In- 
dian pipes, tubes, discoidals, bar ceremonials and a bannerstone. 

A meeting of the Society was held at Milwaukee in the Trustees 
Room of the Public Museum on Monday evening, December 19. Presi- 
dent McKern requested the fifty members in attendance to assist the 
Membership Committee in securing additional members. Secretary 
Brown presented a report of the director's meeting. The program of 
the evening consisted of a lecture on "The Black Hawk War" by Mr. 
Brown. The speaker presented a full account of this conflict of the 
Sauk Indians with the U. S. regular troops, and Wisconsin and Illi- 
nois militia in the year 1832. A collection of lantern slides, gen- 
erously loaned by the Milwaukee Public Museum, was used in illustrat- 
ing this story of the war. 

At the close of the meeting exhibits of Indian specimens were made 
by several members. 

The first regular meeting of the Society in the year 1933 was held at 
Milwaukee on the evening of Monday, January 16. President McKern 
directed the meeting. In the absence of Secretary Brown, Dr. Her- 
bert W. Kuhm acted as secretary. The election of V. E. Motchen- 
bacher, Rewey; Wm. K. Andrews, Milwaukee, and Elliott Cooley, Wau- 
watosa, as annual members of the Society was announced. Alton K. 
Fisher, Assistant in Anthropology at the Milwaukee Public Museum, 
spoke on "Ancient Diseases" explaining ho.w, through a study 
of skeletal material, present-day scientists have been able to obtain 
valuable knowledge of the existence of various diseases among the 
prehistoric Indian inhabitants of the United States. Lantern slides 
were used in illustrating these. Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., gave a talk on 
"Fluted Stone Axes", discussing their manufacture and artistic inter- 
est. He exhibited thirty-one specimens of these taken from his own 
collection. Dr. L. S. Buttles exhibited two stone axes, one from She- 
boygan and one from Ozaukee County, and six flint fleshers from 
northern Mississippi. 

General 

The principal exhibitors of archeological specimens at an Adult 
Hobby Show, held at the Y. M. C. A. at Madison, January 20-22, 



Archeological Notes/ 65 

were the Seeliger brothers, Dr. L. V. Sprague, L. R. Cooper and Ted 
Kouba. Mr. Cooper showed a collection of potsherds from a rock- 
shelter in the Baraboo Range; Dr. Sprague, a fine collection of stone 
and copper implements from Wisconsin and Indiana. 

A Madison group consisting of John J. Knudson, Chas. E. Brown, 
Dr. Sprague, E. R. Guentzel and Dwight Kelsey have been broadcast- 
ing an archeological program over WHA Radio Station. This has 
been widely heard and appreciated. Ted T. Brown has been broad- 
casting over, the Green Bay station, and Will F. Bauchle over that at 
Beloit. The University of Wisconsin station was the first in America 
to broadcast an educational program. 

The Milwaukee Public Museum has recently completed the restora- 
tion from single representative sherds of twenty pottery vessels of 
Aztalan ware. In each instance the sherd was sufficiently large and 
rich in detail to supply the needed information on size and shape. 
The restored vessels portray the shape and dimensions in a manner 
difficult to visualize from a casual examination of the sherd itself. 

Notice: Send in your articles, letters and notes for the Archeolo- 
gist immediately, in order to insure early publication. Editorial staff. 



Obituary 

The Wisconsin Archeological Society regrets to report the death, 
on December 2, 1932, of Mr. L. J. Pettit of Milwaukee, a life member. 
He became a member in 1903. His interest in the work of the Society 
continued to the time of his death. 

P. E. Cox, State Archaeologist of Tennessee and Keeper of Archives 
and Museum in the State Department of Education at Nashville, died 
on October 25, 1932, of the effects of influenza. Mr. Cox was inten- 
sively active in the archeological field of his district and was known 
and admired by many of our local students. 



Field Work 

The resumption of archeological field activities in our sister state, 
Minnesota, under the capable direction of Dr. Albert E. Jenks, Depart- 
ment of Anthropology, University of Minnesota, is a fitting occasion 
for rejoicing on the part of students in Wisconsin and other adjacent 
areas. We need information from Minnesota in order to make cul- 
tural comparisons that will assist us in solving our own problems. 
We have been sorely handicapped in the past by the limited quantity 
of information available from this great field bordering our western 
frontier. 

During the past summer, a thorough investigation of the site which 
had formerly produced the ancient remains of "Minnesota Man" re- 
sulted in the recovery of 355 additional skeletal specimens. In addi- 
tion to this work, a habitation site on Blackduck Lake was excavated, 
producing burials, fireplaces, pottery, flint implements and a tubular 
stone pipe. A mound in Crow Wing County was also excavated, re- 
sulting in identifying the tumulus as a burial place, and the obtain- 
ing of data on mound structure. 

We congratulate Dr. Jenks and his assistants on a splendid begin- 
ning and hope that he will find means for continuing the work of 
withdrawing the veil of the unknown from about the prehistoric first 
citizens of Minnesota. 



66 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOCUST. Vol. 12, No. 2 



Publications 

A late report on The Discovery of Primitive Man in China, pre- 
pared by G. Elliot Smith, is contained in Publication 3164, reprinted 
from the Smithsonian Report for 1931, pp. 531-547, Washington, D. C. 
The separate report was issued in 1932. 

J. G. McAllister is the author of an interesting report on Indiana 
archeology: The Archeology of Porter County, Indiana Historical 
Bulletin, Vol. 10, No. 1, Indianapolis, 1932. 

The November, 1932, issue of The Masterkey, published by the 
Southwest Museum, Los Angeles, California, contains a very instruc- 
tive article by Charles Amsden on Reviving the Navaho Blanket. 
Another article, by M. R. Harrington, gives a description of the 
ivachina Rockshelter, Nevada, so named after the kachina-like picto- 
graphs painted on the cave walls. 

The February, 1933, issue of Hobbies contains, on pages 79-80, an 
account of a newly installed exhibit of Peruvian textiles in the Boston 
Museum of Fine Arts, and explains something of the story that these 
ancient, colorful fabrics have to tell of the prehistory of Peru. 



Wisiton^in 



•^oL 12 april, 1933 jeto. 3 

NEW SERIES 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing- at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103. 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

The Society is a state department, receiving a part of its support 
from the state. Its funds are under state control. Its work is well 
and widely known. It has received the approval of leading Ameri- 
can archeologists, who agree that it deserves the full support of all 
Wisconsin citizens interested in the state's archeological history. 

The Society's activities comprise the location, recording, investi- 
gating and preservation of Wisconsin Indian remains, folklore and 
history, all of which are rapidly disappearing and must be recorded 
and saved immediately if ever. 

Through its efforts many fine groups of Indian earthworks and 
other aboriginal monuments and remains have been permanently 
preserved to the public. Most have been marked with descriptive 
metal tablets. Others are being protected. Surveys and explorations 
have been conducted in many sections of the state. 

It is also engaged in encouraging the establishment of public 
museums and collections and in discouraging the manufacture and 
sale of fraudulent antiquities. 

Regular monthly meetings of the Society are held during the 
months September to May, inclusive, in the Trustees Room of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum. Meetings are open to the public. No 
regular meetings are held during the months June to August, inclu- 
sive. Special field meetings are occasionally held during the vacation 
months. 

The results of its research and other activities are made known 
through its regular quarterly publication, The Wisconsin Arche- 
ologist. Thirty volumes have appeared. The Society has a large 
membership distributed through every part of the state. 

It is co-operating to the fullest extent with all of the various 
scientific and educational organizations and institutions of Wisconsin. 



I 



I 

4 



Wi^tomin 



^ol 12 



april, 1933 

NEW SERIES 



Mo.Z 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETl? 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 



Wiiton^iin ^rcfjeolosical ^ocietp 
iWiltoaufeee, Wiiton&in 



Incorporated March 23, 1903, for the purpose of advancing the study 
and preservation of Wisconsin antiquities 



OFFICERS 

PRESIDENT 

W. C. McKern 



W. W. Oilman 
Dr. A. L. Kastner 



VICE-PRESIDENTS 

R. J. Kieckhefer 
Dr. H. W. Kuhm 



E. F. Richter 



Charles E. Brown 
Rev. F. S. Dayton 
W. W. Oilman 
Dr. A. L. Kastner 



DIRECTORS 

R. J. Kieckhefer 
Dr. H. W. Kuhm 
W. C. McKern 



Charles O. Schoewe 
G. M. Thorne 
Oeorge A. West 



Joseph Ringeisen, Jr. 

J. O. Oregory 

A. P. Kannenberg 

Mrs. Theo. Koerner 

O. R. Zilisch 

T. L. Miller 

Dr. E. J. W. Notz 



ADVISORY COUNCIL 

Marie Kohler 

Arthur Oerth 

Paul Joers 

Rev. F. S. Dayton 

Dr. Louise P. Kellogg 

Louis Pierron 

Dr. L. S. Buttles 



T. T. Brown 
Dr. Ralph Linton 
A. T. Newman 
Dr. S. A. Barrett 
Dr. Orrin Thompson 
Marshall Cousins 



TREASURER 

O, M. Thorne 
National Bank of Commerce, Milwaukee, Wis. 



SECRETARY 

Charles E. Brown 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wis. 



COMMITTEES 

REGULAR 

STATE SURVEY— M. F. Hulburt, David A. Blencoe, Walter S. 
Dunsmoor, S. W. Faville, O. L. Hollister, Dr. A. L. Kastner, Dr. 
F. G. Logan, T. M. N. Lewis, W. M. Maier, T. L. Miller, Geo. F. 
Overton, Col. R. S. Owen, Geo. L. Pasco, J. P. Schumacher, J. J. 
Knudsen, E. R. Guentzel. 

MOUND PRESERVATION— Theodore T. Brown, Dr. E. G. Bruder, 
H. W. Cornell, Mrs. W. J. Devine, Col. Howard Greene, A. H. 
Griffith, Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, Mrs. F. R. Melcher, Rev. O. W. 
Smith, Dr. Orrin Thompson, Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Frank Weston. 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS— Milwaukee Public Museum (Dr. S. A. 
Barrett), Wisconsin State Historical Museum (Dr. Joseph Scha- 
fer), Oshkosh Public Museum (Niles J. Behnke), Green Bay Pub- 
lic Museum (Theodore T. Brown), New London Museum (Rev. 
F. S. Dayton), Lawrence College (Prof. J. B. MacHarg) , La 
Crosse State Teachers College (Prof. A. H. Sanford), Kohler 
Museum (Miss Marie Kohler), Logan Museum (Paul H. Nesbitt), 
Minnesota State Historical Museum (Willoughby M. Babcock), 
St. Francis Museum (Rev. A. J. Muench). 

MEMBERSHIP— Chas. G. Schoewe, Carl Baur, Dr. W. H. Brown, 
Dr. L. S. Buttles, K. Freckman, Arthur Gerth, Paul Joers, Mrs. 
Anna F. Johnson, Mrs. Hans A. Olson, Louis Pierron, A. R. 
Rogers, C. G. Weyl, Geo. Wright, W. F. Yahr. 

STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL PARKS— R. P. Ferry, W. W. Gilmore, 
Walter Holstein, D. S. Howland, A. P. Kannenberg, Prof. A. H. 
Sanford, Ray Van Handel. 

PUBLICITY— J. G. Gregory, A. O. Barton, R. K. Coe, E. R. Mc- 
Intyre. 

SPECIAL 

BIOGRAPHY— Miss R. T. Campbell, Paul Joers, Mrs. Theo. Koerner, 
Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Chas. G. Schoewe, Dr. A. L. Kastner, Dr. 
H. W. Kuhm. 

FRAUDULENT ARTIFACTS— Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., E. F. Richter, 
Geo. A. West. 

PROGRAM— Dr. H. W. Kuhm, W. E. Erdman, Alton K. Fisher, Dr. 
A. L. Kastner, G. M. Thorne. 

MARKING MILWAUKEE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES— R. J. Kieck- 
hefer, Dr. Paul Jenkins, Milo C. Richter, Geo. A. West, L. R. 
Whitney. 

PUBLICATION— Dr. Ira Edwards, Dr. H. W. Kuhm, Alton K. Fisher. 

LAPHAM RESEARCH MEDAL— Dr. S. A. Barrett, Dr. A. L. Kast- 
ner, Milo C. Richter, Chas. G. Schoewe, Geo. A. West. 



MEMBERSHIP FEES 

Life Members, $25.00 Endowment Members, $500.00 

Sustaining Members, $5.00 Annual Members, $2.00 

Institutional Members, $1.50 Junior Members, $ .50 

All communications in regard to the Wisconsin Archeolog-ical Society- 
should be addressed to Charles E. Brown, Secretary and Curator, Office, 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wisconsin. Contributions to the Wis- 
consin Archeologist should be addressed to Dr. Ira Edwards, Editor, 
Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or to the Secretary. Dues 
should be sent to G. M. Thorne, Treasurer, National Bank of Commerce, 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 



CONTENTS 



Vol. 12, No. 3, New Series 

ARTICLES 

Page 

Resolutions of Condolence for Huron H. Smith 67 

Huron Herbert Smith, S. A. Barrett Q?l 

Recent Excavations at Aztalan, S. A. Barrett 74 

Comments on the Discoidal, A. H. Sanford 86 

An Exceptional Wisconsin Pot, Iran T. Otto , ^9 

Rubbish, Alton K. Fisher J 90 

Committee Reports 93 

Archeological Notes 99 



ILLUSTRATIONS 
Huron Herbert Smith, 1883-1933 Frontispiece 

Facing 
Figure Page 

10. View of southeastern corner of Aztalan enclosure — 76 

11. View of excavations along one side of an Aztalan 
tower 76 

12. Outlined molds of pestholes at Aztalan 78 

13. Post molds marking the former walls of the Aztalan 
enclosure 78 

14. Diagram showing method of projection 83 

15. Apparatus for turning out clay form 84 

16. Shaping the clay on the turntable 86 

17. Completed clay form with set-in sherds 86 

18. Plaster-covered mold with clay removed 88 

19. Restored pot with plaster mold partly removed 88 

20. The finished restoration of the pot 90 




Huron Herbert Smith, 1883-1933. 



Published Quarterly by the Wisconsin Archeological Society 

Vol. 12 MADISON, WIS., APRIL, 1933 No. 3 

New Series 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

RESOLUTION 

Whereas, Our esteemed fellow worker and beloved 
friend, Huron Herbert Smith, has departed from this life; 
and 

Whereas, The years of scientific service and accomplish- 
ment, and of brotherly fellowship, which he spent in our 
midst renders it fitting that we officially record our deep 
appreciation of those activities and that rare fellowship, 
and our sorrow and sense of infinite loss at their untimely 
cessation; therefore 

Resolved, That this Society record its sense of personal 
bereavement and its sorrowful acknowledgement of loss 
sustained in the death of this professionally respected and 
personally beloved member, whose vitally active interest in 
anthropology, as expressed in his tireless efforts to advance 
the best interests of this Society, in his friendly and pro- 
ductive study of the Wisconsin Indians, in his important 
achievements in the field of ethno-botany, and in his strong 
devotion to service in answer to every call, as well as the 
fine spirit of cordial fellowship which won for him a lasting 
place in the hearts of all who knew him, will ever be held 
in grateful remembrance by his friends and former asso- 
ciates in the Society. 

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted 
by the Secretary to any members of the family surviving 
the departed as a fitting expression of the profound sorrow 
and sense of heavy loss sustained by the Society, and of the 
sincere sympathy of its members with the bereaved in this 
hour of great trial. 

Wisconsin Archeological Society. 
(Signed) President, W. C. McKern. 
Secretary, Chas, E. Brown. 

Adopted March 20, 1933. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12. No. 



WINNEBAGO COUNTY ARCHEOLOGICAL AND 
HISTORICAL SOCIETY 



Oshkosh, Wisconsin 



RESOLUTION 

Whereas, Because of the untimely death of Huron Smith, 
Curator of Botany at the Milwaukee Public Museum, the 
state of Wisconsin, and particularly the city of Milwaukee, 
has suffered an irreparable loss ; and 

Whereas, Feeling that it is a privilege to extend sincere 
sympathy to his family and associates and to record our 
realization of the profound effect of his passing upon the 
educational, religious, civic and fraternal life of the entire 
community ; 

Therefore, he it resolved, That the Winnebago County 
Archeological & Historical Society hereby tenders sincere 
sympathy and condolences to his daughter and to other 
relatives ; to the State Archeological Society ; the State His- 
torical Society ; and to his co-workers of the Milwaukee Pub- 
lic Museum ; and 

Be it further resolved, That a copy of this resolution be 
sent to Miss Smith, the daughter of Huron Smith; to 
Charles E. Brown, Secretary of the Wisconsin State Arche- 
ological Society; to Dr. Joseph Schafer, Superintendent of 
the Wisconsin State Historical Society; and to Dr. S. A. 
Barrett, Director of the Milwaukee Public Museum; and 
that this resolution be made a part of the permanent rec- 
ords of this society. 

Winnebago County Archeological & 
Historical Society. 

By (Signed) R. J. Barnes, 
President, 
Gene Sturtevant, 
Corresponding Secretary. 

Adopted March 6, 1933. 



I 



Huron Herbert Smith, 69 

HURON HERBERT SMITH 

1883-1933 

S. A. Barrett 

Huron Herbert Smith, born at Danville, Indiana, July 26, 
1883, received his early education in the local schools, and 
finally graduated from the Winchester, Indiana, high school. 
He then attended De Pauw University, from which insti- 
tution he received the degree of Bachelor of Science in 
June 1902. From 1905 to 1907 he pursued graduate work 
in botany at Cornell University. 

From 1907 to 1917 he was Assistant Curator of Botany 
at the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, where 
he worked especially on a botanical dictionary and where 
he collected and arranged a very complete North American 
dendrographic exhibit. 

On January 2, 1917 he was called to the Milwaukee Pub- 
lic Museum to become Curator of Botany, which service he 
continued until the time of his tragic death on February 25, 
1933. 

In the World War he served in the troop transport sec- 
tion, U. S. to France, of the physical and educational section 
of the Y. M. C. A. 

As the head of the Department of Botany of Milwaukee's 
Museum, Mr. Smith found a wide field in which to exercise 
his talents as an organizer and a scholar, and an excep- 
tional opportunity to render service to the public in a multi- 
tude of ways. Ever ready to aid any individual or group 
of citizens, he was in great demand as a counsellor on botan- 
ical subjects and as a lecturer of great ability. He partici- 
pated freely in civic activities and was ever ready to serve 
his community. He was a member of many civic bodies as 
well as various scientific societies. 

His devotion to his profession is amply shown by the 
variety and excellence of the exhibits and groups of the 
Museum's department of Botany which have been created 
during the past 16 years, very largely through his personal 
knowledge and efforts. 



70 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 3 

At the same time he devoted much attention to scientific 
research. Many special problems in botany received his 
personal attention. More recently he has made a very ex- 
haustive study of the uses of plants by the aboriginal in- 
habitants of Wisconsin, for which research he was especi- 
ally fitted due to his unusual knowledge of botany and to his 
aptitude in acquiring Indian languages. In recognition of 
this service he was awarded the Lapham Medal by the Wis- 
consin Archeological Society on March 19, 1928. 

Taking up this subject tribe by tribe, several excellent 
treatises on the Ethno-botany of Wisconsin^ have come from 
his pen, and on the very day of his death he was approach- 
ing the completion of this great work. 

There was in press at the time of his death, the fourth 
number in this series, "The Ethno-botany of the Forest 
Potawatomi"-. This is just appearing and forms a fitting 
memorial number, the last completed work in the research 
to which his later days were devoted. 

Many other valuable productions of his pen have ap- 
peared in the Milwaukee Public Museum's publications and 
in various other series, as shown by the appended list of his 
publications. 

His lectures did much to enhance the Museum's courses 
of pubhc instruction, and his readiness to cheerfully assist 
with particular and detailed information all those who 
sought his advice in his specialty furnished a feature of the 
Museum's service never to be forgotten by a multitude of 
Milwaukee's citizens. 

None will so keenly miss him as his immediate associates 
and co-workers at the Milwaukee Public Museum. Jovial, 
friendly, sympathetic, cooperative, earnest, and ever ready 
to put his shoulder to the wheel of progress for his institu- 
tion, his loss to us all is irreparable. His untimely, tragic, 
and truly needless departure from our midst will always 
seem unreal, for his spirit will always linger with us and 
we shall always feel uplifted due to our long association 
with him. 



' Bull., Milw. Public Mus., Vol. 4, Nos. 1-3. 
' Bull., Milw. Publ. Mus., Vol. 7, No. 1. 



Huron Herbert Smith. 71 

In all things which he undertook he was an enthusiast 
and a leader in forward movements of the various organ- 
izations to which he belonged ; in none more so than in the 
work of the Wisconsin Archeological Society, where he was 
ever ready to serve the interests of the organization in every 
way. For many years he was a member of its Board of 
Directors and he served with distinction as its President in 
1928 and 1929. 

His research in ethno-botany brought him into close con- 
tact with many of the Indians in Wisconsin and he had an 
unusually wide acquaintance among them and counted many 
of them as warm personal friends. Perhaps nowhere will 
his loss be more keenly felt than among these real "first 
Americans" of our own state who thought so much of him 
that they adopted him into their tribes, initiated him into 
their secret societies and gave him the, to them, fitting 
appellation of 'Tlying Squirrel" in accordance with tribal 
custom. 

His tragic end forms one of the saddest chapters in that 
too-rapidly-growing history of automobile hazards which 
are apparently the inevitable result of our modern so-called 
civilization. 

At about 4 P. M. on the afternoon of Saturday, February 
25, 1933, Mr. Smith left his office in perfect health and in 
the best of spirits. About an hour later, he was started for 
his old home at Pendleton, Indiana, in answer to a call which 
had just arrived telling of the death of a relative at that 
place. With him were Mrs. Smith, and her parents, Mr. 
and Mrs. Edward J. Clark. At 6:42 the automobile was 
ghding along on the Waukegan Road just south of the town 
of Glenview, Illinois, when, apparently without warning to 
the occupants of the car, it was struck by the fast moving 
"Minneapolis Flyer" of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul 
and Pacific line. 

Catapulted through the air and in flames the vehicle 
struck a heavy cement and iron signal post which it snapped 
like a pipe stem. All four occupants of the automobile were 
instantly killed, and their mangled remains scattered along 
the railroad right of way. The automobile was but a mass 
of twisted wreckage. 

Investigation shows that this is one of the most danger- 



72 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 3 

ous, sharp-angled crossings imaginable, so dangerous in 
fact that it is shunned by those who know it and so deadly 
that it is known locally as ''death crossing". It is said that 
it has taken some forty lives in the past few years. Until 
the law compels grade separations at such dangerous cross- 
ings we must continue to pay thus dearly. 

Here was almost a complete family wiped out of exist- 
ence in the twinkling of an eye. The only survivor of Mr. 
Smith's immediate family is a daughter, Miss La Vaughn C. 
Smith. To her especially are our warmest sympathies 
extended. 

The funeral services for the victims of this quadruple 
tragedy were held at the Menden church near the old Indi- 
ana home, the four burials being in the beautifully situated 
and peaceful churchyard immediately adjacent. 

Many friends were unable to make the journey from Mil- 
waukee to attend the obsequies. On Sunday, March 5, there- 
fore, there was held in Milwaukee a Memorial Service, at the 
First Methodist Episcopal Church, where a thousand or 
more of friends and associates, assembled to do honor to the 
memory of both Mr. and Mrs. Smith whose active life in the 
community since 1917, had endeared them to a vast number. 

Organizations with which Huron H. Smith was associated : 

Wisconsin Archeological Society, past president. 

American Anthropological Association, member. 

Midwest Museums Conference, member. 

Wisconsin Academy, Sciences, Arts and Letters, mem- 
ber. 

Wisconsin Historical Society, member. 

American Association for the Advancement of Science, 
fellow. 

City Club, of Milwaukee, member. 

Kiwanis Club, past president. 

Sigma Nu, member. 

Milwaukee Chapter, Izaak Walton League, director. 

Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Florists Assn., Sec, 
Treas. 

Milwaukee County Horticultural Society, president. 

Wisconsin Florist's Association, honorary member. 

Garden Club. 

Wild Flower Preservation Society, member. 



Huron Herbert Smith. 73 

Milwaukee Florist's Club, Honorary member. 
Y. M. C. A., member. 
Parent-Teachers Association, member. 
Kenwood Lodge, F. and A. M., member. 
Acacia, member. 

Milwaukee Council, Boy Scouts of America, member. 
National Geographic Society, member. 
First Methodist Episcopal Church, member Board of 
Stewards. 

List of Publications and Contributions by 
Huron H. Smith 

In the Milwaukee Public Museum Bulletin Vol. 4. 

1923. No. 1, pp. 1-174. Ethnobotony of the Menomini 
Indians. 

1928. No. 2, pp. 175-326. Ethnobotony of the Meskwaki 
Indians. 

1932. No. 3, pp. 327-525. Ethnobotony of the Ojibwe 
Indians. 

In the Milwaukee Public Museum Yearbook. 

1921. Vol. 1, pp. 48-56. 

1. Botany Collecting in Vilas County Wisconsin. 

2. Ethno-botonical Collecting on the Menomini 

Reservation. 

1922. Vol. 2, pp. 113-133; 186-194. 

1. Botanical Collecting in Southwestern Wiscon- 

sin. 

2. Woodcraft. 

1923. Vol. 3, pp. 27-46. 

1. The Red Earth Indians. 

2. Botanizing among the Ojibwe. 

1924. Vol. 4, pp. 67-94 ; 149-186. 

1. A European Botanical Trip. 

2. Some European Botanical Gardens. 

1925. Vol. 5, 68-76; 135-161. 

1. Among the Potawatomi. 

2. European Museums. 



74 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 3 

1926. Vol. 6, pp. 153-162. 

The Fourth Botanical Congress. 

1928. Vol. 8, pp. 76-82. 

Among the Winnebago. 

1930. Vol. 10, pp. 252-266. 

Indian Place Names in Wisconsin. 

1924. Milwaukee Public Museum. Key to the Mushrooms 
of the Milwaukee Region (Mimeographed). 

1931. Milwaukee Public Museum. Field Guide No. 1, 

Botanical Series, pp. 87. 
Mushrooms of the Milwaukee Region. 

Contributed to : 

Botanical Gazette. 

F. D. T. News. 

Florists' Exchange. 

Florists' Review. 

Flower Grower. 

Kiwanis Magazine. 

Wisconsin-Upper Michigan Florists' Association 

Bulletin. 
Wisconsin Farmer. 
Wisconsin Horticultural Magazine. 
Wisconsin Magazine. 



RECENT EXCAVATIONS AT AZTALAN 

S. A. Barrett 

Like so many places of first importance which are not 
visited because they are located so near home, Aztalan, the 
most important single archeological site in the state of Wis- 
consin, is passed by most of us with only an avowal of in- 
tention to "some day, when I have more time" stop and see 
it. So it was in the author's own case. He had lived in 
Wisconsin for nearly nine years before an opportunity was 
presented to visit it. This came in 1919 when Mr. George 
A. West, invited the author to accompany him to the site. 
Mr. West's long years of keen interest in Wisconsin arche- 
ology are most familiar to members of the Wisconsin Arche- 



Recent Excavations at Aztalan. 75 

ological Society, for it was due to his activities that the 
society was organized. This interest had taken Mr. West 
many times previously to Aztalan, and he had frequently 
described to the author the features of the old site. How- 
ever, it is really difficult to convey a proper conception of 
such a spot, and the author was not prepared for what he 
saw when he arrived on a bright May morning at the ex- 
panse of this ancient earthwork lying on the gently sloping 
terrain just west of the Crawfish river. 

First the ''embankment" or "wall" was traced out, then 
various mounds were inspected, and finally many spots 
which showed evidences of house sites were viewed. The 
farther we went the higher mounted our enthusiasm. The 
magnitude, the variety of features, the uniqueness of many 
aspects of the site, all were most fascinating. 

But our greatest surprise was reserved for the immedi- 
ate river bank, for here the surface waters, coursing down 
from the west, had recently cut a deep ravine, right through 
a four-and-a-half foot layer of kitchen refuse. From its 
vertical walls protruded potsherds, stone implements, frag- 
ments of the so-called bricks and fragments of bone with- 
out number. What a wonderful opportunity for some real 
digging! Arrangements were shortly completed with the 
owners of the properties upon which the site is located, 
which permitted the Milwaukee Public Museum to conduct 
excavations during the summer of 1919. 

The results of this first season were most gratifying and 
many of the intricacies of the old site were solved during 
those first three months. However, it would be quite too 
much to expect to solve the whole of the age old riddle of 
Aztalan in so short a time, for it must be remembered that 
the ''enclosure" alone embraces more than twenty-one acres, 
to say nothing of the many mounds and other features lying 
without its confines. 

Consequently another season's work was deemed neces- 
sary and the summer of 1920 was also spent at this same 
work. With the discoveries already made during the pre- 
vious season, the work progressed this second year with the 
utmost rapidity. By the end of this second season we felt 
that we knew pretty well what the answers to most of the 



76 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 3 

questions concerning Aztalan should be, and preparations 
were made to at once publish the results of the work. 

Unavoidable delays have, however, prevented this. Re- 
grettable as this might on the surface appear, it has had 
its virtue, for considerable work has meantime been done in 
adjacent archeological fields and we are now in possession 
of much more and better data for comparison than would 
have been the case had we gone to press at once as originally 
planned. 

When early in 1932 we again took up the writing on the 
results of these excavations, we gave very special attention 
to certain features, in reviewing the previous work, where 
there appeared to be a discrepancy between our findings 
and those of Dr. I. A. Lapham, that great pioneer of Wis- 
consin archeology whose careful work has for so many years 
been a classic in this field. Our particular concern was to 
reconcile what now appears on the surface in the south- 
eastern corner of this site with the quite different surface 
findings shown by Dr. Lapham in his survey of 1850. Ex- 
cavation only would determine which was correct. 

We cannot do better than to quote verbatim from the 
paper entitled "Ancient Aztalan" which the Milwaukee Pub- 
lic Museum has just brought off the press and which con- 
stitutes Vol. 13 of its bulletins. On pages 97-99 we read : 

''Upon again taking up the final study of these details in 
1932 we were particularly struck by what appeared to be 

marked dissimilarities between our plat and that 

of Dr. Lapham made in 1850 Our embankment 

as then platted stopped well up on the brow of the second 

river terrace with a well rounded "buttment" , 

which had all the appearance of the very end of the em- 
bankment. This was a good two hundred feet west of the 
river. The terrain then sloped rather abruptly eastward 
to a first river terrace and finally rose slightly at the river 
bank itself. Along the river bank at this point there was 
a ridge one hundred and sixty feet long which had some- 
what the form of an effigy mound. This we knew to be arti- 
ficial from our former work. 

"Dr. Lapham's map on the other hand showed the enclo- 
sure embankment running down to the river and showed 
three "buttments" between our last buttment and 




Fig-. 10. View of southeastern corner of Aztalan enclosure. 




'4 t 



Fig. 11. View of excavations along one side of an Aztalan tower. 



Recent Excavations at Aztalan. 77 

the river. The easternmost of these coincided with the 
southern end of our effigy-like artificial ridge along the river 
bank. 

"Which of these two was correct? Did the stockade turn 

northward from our last buttment and run along the 

brow of the second terrace (incidentally, a most logical 
thing for it to do), or did it continue on down to the very 
edge of the river bank as indicated by Dr. Lapham? We 
were inclined to believe the latter to be the case, but deter- 
mined to, if possible, obtain definite proof. 

'*We again visited the site and, by going some distance out 
on the old marsh flat toward the south, we caught the slight- 
est indication of two rises in the low area, here referred to 
as the first river terrace, between d and the river bank. 
A careful examination of this area lead to the conclusion 
that if Lapham's plat was correct and if there had been an 
embankment with tower bases in this low area, this part of 
the earthworks had been obliterated by the water. This we 
later proved to be the case. The sources of this destruction 
were two. At times of high water the river overflows its 
banks. Just north of the northern end of the effigy-shaped 
section of the river bank above referred to there is a slight 
depression which would give the waters of the river an inlet 
into the low area behind this effigy-shaped section and thus 
permit it to scour out a channel and wear down this portion 
of the old embankment which ran transverse to the course 
of the water. In the second place we found that the lay of 
the land to the northwest was such that the surface water 
from heavy rains would drain from a considerable area of 
the land up toward the southwestern pyramid. These two 
sources of water had apparently produced enough erosion 
to account, in part at least, for the fact that the whole sec- 
tion of the aboriginal embankment , a length of 

fully one hundred and forty feet, and including two ''butt- 

ments" had been so far obliterated that it almost 

called upon the imagination to see two slight indications of 
where these ''buttments" had been in Dr. Lapham's day. 

''A second factor tending toward the obliteration of this 
section of the embankment was the fact that when orig- 
inally built the embankment was several feet higher than 
this first river terrace which it crossed. There was thus 



78 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12. N( 



created just north of it a considerable depression which was 
gradually filled in by the deposition of silt from the waters 
which were slackened in their speed as they encountered the 
embankment. Similarly there was doubtless some filling on 
the outer or southern side of the embankment. 

"It would seem probable, therefore, that it was really a 
combination of erosive and filling actions which caused the 
disappearance of this section of the embankment. 

'The owner of this property, Mr. Emil Riedeman, who 
had so kindly permitted our former excavations, was again 
consulted, with the result that we again undertook excava- 
tions here, with the specific objective of settling this ques- 
tion of the stockade system at this corner of the enclosure. 

'This work was begun on June 27, 1932, with the assist- 
ance of Mr. Theodore L. Riedeman, son of the owner, and 
three other young men residing in the vicinity. 

''Work was begun on the upper level where the outlines 
of the embankment were perfectly plain. The probable 

locations of the tower bases were laid out and 

within a very few minutes one of the workers had uncov- 
ered the first line of post holes, on the western side of the 

tower base Very soon thereafter the first of the post 

holes at d was encountered. Mention is made of this fact 
to show how uniformly these works were built by the 
ancients. Our experience of 1919 and 1920 elsewhere in 
these works enabled us to predicate to within a foot or two 
just where these post holes were located. 

"Having once located the first post holes, the lines were 
followed right along, the tower bases worked out, and the 
various other features unearthed rapidly and with relative 
ease. Thus within ten days we were able to locate three 
hundred and fifty feet of the stockade along the south wall, 
including five tower bases, and to excavate these completely. 
In addition to this we ran the line at intervals for a distance 
of three hundred feet along the eastern side of the stockade. 
All told in this short time we definitely located approxi- 
mately seven hundred post molds. 

"Furthermore, we had again demonstrated the accuracy 
and the care with which Wisconsin's pioneer archeologist 

had done his work, for in the depression we had 

found the stockade to be complete and to have the tower 



1 




Fig-. 12. Outlined molds oi" postholes at Aztalan. 




\ 



Fig. 13. Post molds marking the former walls of the Aztalan enclosure. 



I 



il 



Recent Excavations at Aztalan. 79 

bases, exactly as Dr. Lapham had indicated, even though 
almost every surface indication of these had been obliter- 
ated subsequent to his survey in 1850." 

Illustrations of part of this work are shown in figures 
10 to 13. 

In figure 10 we see a general view of this southeastern 
corner of the enclosure and, looking across the river, we see 
the rather steep embankment rising from its eastern shore. 
Here we see some of the workers excavating a portion of 
the south 'Vail" of the enclosure which crosses the first 
river terrace above referred to. 

In figure 11 we have a close up view of the western side 
of tower d showing the stakes used to mark the positions 
of the post holes as these were successively uncovered. 

In figures 12 and 13 we have two views of a group of post 
holes on the eastern side of tower b. Here are the holes 
filled with the loose earth accumulated as the posts slowly 
rotted away, and then these same holes with this loose earth 
removed and showing more perfectly the post molds. In 
two of these are remnants of the lower ends of posts, and 
in one we see slabs of stone inserted to help support the 
post in this soft, marshy ground. 

Another matter which engaged our attention in 1932 was 
the ridges shown by Lapham's survey as appearing within 
the enclosure. We had reason to believe that these did not 
represent, as stated by earlier writers, elevations placed 
here to serve as house bases, but that they were in reality 
the lesser embankments thrown up along the bases of inner 
stockades. It must be remembered that after some eighty 
years of cultivation every vestige of these embankments 
has disappeared. Our only means of locating them, there- 
fore, was by scaling up Lapham's plat and measuring off 
on the ground as accurately as might be to determine the 
former location of each ridge. Upon excavating at such 
points a transverse trench we were soon able to locate the 
line of posts, and it was then a relatively easy matter to 
follow such a line throughout its extent. In this way we 
unearthed hundreds and hundreds of lineal feet of these 
inner stockades, with occasional gates and with much more 
frequently placed tower bases, and we were thus able to 
make the story of Ancient Aztalan much more complete. 



80 WISCONSIN AHCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. n 

In fact when we had all these facts assembled and all our 
data pieced together we had a pretty perfect picture of what 
Aztalan originally was. For instance, in connection with 
the most striking feature of the site, the stockade enclosure, 
we may again quote from the above paper (pp. 77-78) : 

"There was first of all the outer stockade, 4,400 feet in 
length, completely surrounding this area of over twenty-one 
acres. This was a single line of heavy posts on the north, 
west and south and a double line along the river on the east. 
About its base was heaped, both inside and out, a heavy 
embankment of earth to further strengthen the stockade. 
The posts, each about a foot in diameter, were set so close 
together that they almost touched. They were buried to a 
depth of about seven feet in the embankment, and the stock- 
ade had a height of about twelve feet above the top of the 
embankment. At relatively regular intervals (about every 
eighty feet) along the outer side of the stockade were 
''square" watch-towers which may even have been some- 
what elevated above the top of the stockade. These towers 
were large enough to accommodate perhaps eight or ten 
fighting men each, who stood upon a floor which brought 
them up so that they could almost look over the top of the 
tower wall. Within, each tower was provided with stones 
which might be hurled against the enemy from these van- 
tage points. There were also pottery vessels filled with 
water to be used to extinguish fires which might be applied 
by a besieging force to the stockade. 

''All along inside the stockade, and thus connecting the 
successive towers, there was a runway which enabled the 
defenders to move from point to point and from tower to 
tower, the more easily to shift fighters to points where they 
were most needed and to serve missiles to those requiring 
them in battle. This runway was placed just far enough 
below the top of the stockade so that those passing along it 
could do so with complete safety. 

"Fire, always a dreaded hazard even in aboriginal war- 
fare, was especially dangerous in such a stockade as this. 
The posts of the stockade were therefore not left exposed 
to such danger. This entire wall was covered within and 
without with a plaster layer several inches in thickness. It 
was made of a mixture of clay and grass, so that this whole 



A New Method in Pottery Restoration. 81 

structure resembled much more one of masonry than one 
of wood. 

''There were loopholes which pierced the stockade and the 
walls of the towers at frequent intervals and through which 
the defenders might shoot their arrows at an approaching 
enemy with deadly effect. 

"Access to the settlement was through several narrow 
gates, so placed as to be within easy bow-shot of two or more 
towers. 

'The inner stockade walls probably differed little in gen- 
eral features of construction from this major outer wall. 
The first was a single wall, only a short distance inside the 
main stockade. The second was a double line which formed 
the last defense of the village which was located chiefly, if 
not wholly, within it. 

"The wall along the river front was again a double one, 
but apparently its location so near the river made other 
outer walls unnecessary." 

Throughout every feature of this site we find that there 
is an assembly of cultural traits : stockades, house con- 
struction, "bricks", cannibahsm, certain stone implements, 
and particularly pottery and other items which are entirely 
foreign to the usual Wisconsin types. In casting about for 
affiliations we find that our nearest similar culture connec- 
tions are with the ancient peoples of the Middle Mississippi 
region, those who occupied Cahokia and other similar sites. 
In other words we have here in Wisconsin, at Aztalan, a 
tiny island of Middle Mississippi culture, located in this 
northern land, the most northerly outpost thus far discov- 
ered of this distinctly southern type. 



A New Method in Pottery Restoration 

In speaking the several pottery restorations made from 
Aztalan sherds, reference has been made-'' to a newly de- 
vised method for restoring pottery vessels from relatively 
small fragments. In this publication the author endeavored 
to make a fairly complete study of the pottery^'' fragments 



Ancient Aztalan, Milw. Publ. Mus., Bull. Vol. 13, p. 305, 1933. 
Ibid. pp. 298-344, and plates, 73-100. 



82 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12. No. 3 

from this old site, for they unquestionably form one of the 
most striking and interesting features of this ancient cul- 
ture. 

In no case was a pottery vessel found intact and un- 
broken. In fact in only a few instances have enough sherds 
of a single vessel been found to make a fairly complete 
restoration from the original fragments themselves. In 
only a few instances have such restorations as that de- 
scribed by Mr. Wolff '^^ been possible. A great majority of 
the vessels in this collection are represented by very frag- 
mentary remains. This is hardly to be wondered at when 
we consider that most of these specimens were originally 
deposited in refuse pits or left about house sites, and what 
is perhaps even more to the point, that this site is one which 
has been under cultivation for over three-quarters of a cen- 
tury. By the very nature of things, therefore, if any fairly 
complete remains of a vessel were present it would be quite 
accidental. 

However, many fragments, showing characteristic forms 
and excellent decorative designs or coloring, were secured 
and, in the course of analyzing these to determine their 
characteristics, the author experimented with several meth- 
ods of projection to determine the diameters, height, form 
and other essential features of a given vessel. 

It was found that if there was present even a relatively 
small fragment of a vessel, but one giving certain charac- 
teristics, the whole vessel could be determined. The essen- 
tial characteristics necessary, are : (1) the vertical section 
of the lip, neck and shoulder, (2) the vertical curvature of 
the side, (3) the horizontal curvatures of 1 and 2, and (4) 
the thickness of the wall. Thus if we possess a rim sherd 
which extends down even slightly below the shoulder of the 
pot, or if we possess a series of sherds which together do 
this, we have all that is necessary to determine these sev- 
eral essential features. 

The vertical sectional features are most easily determined 
by actually setting the sherd up in position with the aid of 
plastilene or clay. Special care must be used to see that 
the lip of the pot has its proper original relation to the neck. 



Milw. Publ. Museum, Yearbook, Vol. X., pp. 309-314, 1932. 



A New Method in Pottery Restoration. 



shoulder, and side, for upon this depends all other deter- 
minations. Due account must be taken of the form of the 
mouth of the pot, as to whether it is circular, elliptical, or 
angular and as to whether it has lugs or handles. Having 
carefully and firmly set this sherd in place, then a sheet of 
plastilene, perhaps a quarter of an inch in thickness is 
raised vertically on the outer surface and worked in to con- 




Fig. 14. (a) Rimsherd in true vertical position with plastiline sheet 
in place; (b) radii erected on the arc of the rim to determine center of 
rim circumference; (c) projected cross section of pot. 



form exactly to the vertical section, as shown in figure 14 a. 
A fairly long base is left on this sheet. The sheet is then 
carefully removed from the side of the vessel. It is laid 
down and with the above mentioned base as a line from 
which to reckon, the vertical features can be drawn directly 
or can be easily projected. The thickness of the lip, neck 
and body of the pot are easily determinable with calipers, 
and with these all the vertical sectional features are in hand. 



84 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. ? 

The horizontal features are relatively easy to determine. 
These are diameters and if any one can be determined accu- 
rately, the others can be found by computation from the 
vertical section already in hand. Usually there is some par- 
ticular part of the sherd which shows a sufficiently horizon- 
tal section so that it can be placed directly on paper and 
traced. In more difficult cases shadow projection may be 
employed. In either case the result is the arc of a circle. 
By the simple expedient of erecting a series of radii on this 
arc, the center can be easily determined as shown in figure 
14 b. 

From these determinations a complete cross section of 
the pot can be projected as shown in figure 14 c. Thus all 
the dimensions are at hand and their complete tabulation is 
possible: heights and diameters of body, neck and rim; 
and so on. 

With these in hand it seemed entirely possible to recon- 
struct such a vessel, but to do this by the old "cut and try" 
method is very time consuming. There should be a short 
cut of some kind which would greatly facilitate this opera- 
tion. The old "potter's wheel" suggested itself. Why could 
not a device be made involving this principle which would 
enable us to spin up a clay core representing the interior 
of the vessel, and onto which the sherd or sherds could be 
placed and then the remainder of the pot completed in 
plaster or some other medium ? 

Such a "potter's wheel" base with a template represent- 
ing one half the cross section of the pot should serve this 
purpose. 

The matter was discussed with Mr. W. C. McKern, 
Curator of Anthropology, and with Mr. Wolff who had 
already made some very good restorations of pottery by the 
older method. Mr. Wolff immediately set about experi- 
menting with this idea and the final result is shown in 
figure 15. A wooden turntable covered with a sheet of cel- 
luloid forms the base of this device. Four dowel pins hold 
the lump of clay in place. A hardwood template is clamped 
to an upright which holds it firmly. The template is cut 
on an angle so as to have a sharp, cutting edge which, as 
the turntable spins the lump of clay around, cuts and sizes 




Fig. 15. Turntable apparatus for turning out clay form. 



1 



A New Method in Pottery Restoration. 85 

it to the exact form of the interior of the vessel, as shown 
in figure 16. 

Next the sherds are applied to this clay core and carefully 
fitted together as far as this is possible. Clay is then added 
to fill out and complete the remainder of the walls of the 
vessel, again using the template as a guide. This outer sur- 
face is finally smoothed, and the decoration, if any, is 
worked out in the soft clay. Thus when this stage of the 
process is completed, as shown in figure 17, we have the 
outer surface of the vessel complete and exactly as it was in 
reality. 

Next some lumps of wax are placed on the potsherds 
themselves. These serve somewhat the purpose of dowels 
and hold the sherds firmly in place when the clay is later 
removed from the interior. 

The next step is to cover the entire pot with a thin layer 
of plaster which is tinted in some distinctive shade as a 
safeguard in its later removal. When this has hardened 
another layer, and if necessary a third is applied, each of a 
different color. 

Finally the vessel with its clay core and its plaster cover- 
ing is removed from its base. The clay core is completely 
dug out. Thus we have a plaster mold of the outer surface 
of the complete pot, with the actual sherds firmly in place. 
The appearance of this mold with the clay removed is shown 
in figure 18. 

The interior next engages our attention. Plaster, tinted 
to approximate the color of the sherds, but sufficiently dif- 
ferent to form a suitable contrast, is then placed on the in- 
side of this mold and the missing sections of the walls of 
the pot are thus built up to the thickness of the sherds. 
Finally a layer of fabric, usually. a light scrim, is added on 
the inside and worked into the soft plaster in order to re- 
inforce these walls. 

It is sometimes even necessary to make these walls 
slightly thicker than those of the original vessel in order to 
get proper strength in the finished specimen. However, 
since it is the exterior and not the interior of the specimen 
which is to be viewed in an exhibit, this thickening is not 
noticeable. 

The final step is the chipping off of the outer layers of 



86 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 3 

plaster. This must be done with considerable care in order 
not to chip or damage the outer surface of the finished 
product. Here we see the virtue of having tinted these outer 
layers of plaster. As we chip off one after another of these 
layers we can easily tell just how far the process of removal 
has gone. Figure 19 shows this chipping process partly 
completed. 

Figure 20 shows the pot after it has emerged from its 
"matrix", so to speak, and is ready for exhibition. 

The parts which have been supplied in plaster are suffi- 
ciently different in color so that they are easily distinguish- 
able from the actual sherds themselves. The result is an 
accurate reproduction of the vessel in form, size, decoration 
and other features, and withal a very satisfactory exhibit. 

By this relatively simply mechanical device it has been 
possible to reconstruct in a few hours, from a relatively 
small sherd, a complete restoration, which would have, with 
the old "cut and try" method, required days of arduous 
labor. 

That this is a practical method is shown by the fact that 
Mr. Wolff has reconstructed in this way two dozen pottery 
vessels from our Aztalan sherds. These give the visitor to 
the Milwaukee Public Museum's pottery exhibit a very clear 
idea of the pottery used by the ancient inhabitants of 
Aztalan long before the advent of the white man. 

No other site in Wisconsin has yet produced such a vari- 
ety of forms and decorative motifs as are shown here at 
Aztalan. The wide range of forms in the Middle Missis- 
sippi ware alone is shown in plate 97 of the above-mentioned 
paper, and the typical rim and Up forms in plate 100. 



COMMENTS ON THE DISCOIDAL 

A. H. Sanford 

A fine specimen of perforated bi-concave disk came into 
possession of the La Crosse Teachers College a few years 
ago. It was a gift from an old lady in whose family it had 
served for many years as a door stop. The material is green 
stone (diorite). The circumference is not a true circle, the 
diameter varying from four and one-half to four and three- 





■ 


U 


\ 








( 

> 

^1 






■ 


B 



Fig-. 16. Clay on the turntable in process of being shaped by template. 




t 



Fig-. 17. Completed pottery form in clay with sherds set in place. 



1 



Comments on the Discoidal. 87 

quarters inches. Similarly, the width of the edge varies 
from one and one-half to one and three-sixteenths inches. 
The perforation is about three-quarters of an inch in 
diameter. The disk is well polished from use. It was orig- 
inally found a few miles north of La Crosse. 

The 24th Annual Report of the American Bureau of 
Ethnology has on pp. 5-10 cuts showing several similar 
disks. In the study of ''Games of North American Indians" 
by Stewart Culin, in this volume (p. 511) is the following 
description of a game in which such a disk as this was used. 
The quotation is taken from Henry A. Boiler, ''Travels in 
the Interior of North America", (translation by H. Evans 
Lloyd, London, 1843). 

"The favorite game appeared to be one which we called 
billiards and a space outside the pickets of the village was 
beaten as smooth and hard as a floor by those engaged in 
it. This game was played by couples; the implements are 
a round stone and two sticks 7 or 8 feet long, with bunches 
of feathers tied at regular intervals. The players start to- 
gether, each carrying his pole in a horizontal position, and 
run along until the one who has the stone throws it, giving 
it a rolling motion, when each watching his chance throws 
the stick. The one who comes nearest (which is determined 
by marks on the sticks) has the stone for the next throw. 
Horses, blankets, robes, guns, etc., are staked at this game, 
and I have frequently seen Indians play until they have lost 
everything". 

The scene is located in North Dakota and is represented 
pictorially by Plate X, opposite p. 511. 

The following quotation of Lewis and Clark is taken from 
their Journals, Vol. I, p. 143 (Biddle edition 1814) : 

". . . Notwithstanding the extreme cold, we observe 
the Indians at the village engaged out in the open air at a 
game which resembled billiards more than anything we had 
seen, and which we inclined to suspect may have been ac- 
quired by ancient intercourse with the French of Canada. 
From the first to the second chief's lodge, a distance of 
about fifty yards, was covered with timber smoothed and 
joined so as to be as level as the floor of one of our houses, 
with a battery at the end to stop the rings ; these rings were 
of clay-stone and flat like the chequers for drafts, and the 



88 WIHCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. y 

sticks were about four feet long, with two short pieces at 
one end in the form of a mace, so fixed that the whole will 
slide along the board. Two men fix themselves at one end, 
each provided with a stick, and one of them with a ring: 
they then run along the board, and about half way slide the 
sticks after the ring". 

Catlin in "The Manners, Customs and Conditions of the 
North American Indians, Vol. I, p. 132, (London 1814) de- 
scribes a game which is of interest in this connection. 

"The games and amusements of these people are in most 
respects like those of the other tribes, consisting of ball 
plays — game of the moccasin, of the platter — feats of arch- 
ery — horse racing, etc. ; and they have yet another, which 
may be said to be their favorite amusement and unknown 
to the other tribes about them. The game of Tchung-kee, 
a beautiful exercise, which they seem to be almost unceas- 
ingly practising whilst the weather is fair, and they have 
nothing else of moment to demand their attention. This 
game is decidedly their favorite amusement, and is played 
near to the village on a pavement of clay, which has been 
used for that purpose until it has become as smooth and 
hard as a floor. For this game, two champions form their 
respective parties, by choosing alternately the most famous 
players, until their requisite number is made up. Their 
bettings are then made, and the stakes are held by some of 
the chiefs or others present. The play commences (Fig. 
59) with two (one from each party), who start off upon a 
trot, abreast of each other, and one of them rolls in advance 
of them, on the pavement, a little ring of two or three inches 
in diameter, cut out of a stone ; and each one follows it up 
with his "tchung-kee" (a stick of six feet in length, with 
bits of leather projecting from its sides of an inch or more 
in length), which he throws before him as he runs, sliding 
it along the ground after the ring, endeavoring to place it 
in such a position when it stops, that the ring may fall upon 
it, and receive one of the little projections of leather 
through it, which counts for game, one, or two, or four, ac- 
cording to the position of the leather on which the ring is 
lodged. The last winner always has the rolling of the ring, 
and both start and throw the "tchung-kee" together; if 
either fails to receive the ring or to lie in a certain position. 




Fig-. 18. Plaster-covered mold with clay removed from interior. 




Fig. 19. Restored pot with plaster mold partly removed, showing 
separate layers of plaster. 



I 



An Exceptional Wisconsin Pot. 89 

it is a forfeiture of the amount of the number he was near- 
est to, and he loses his throw ; when another steps into his 
place. 

"This game is a very difficult one to describe, so as to give 
an exact idea of it, unless one can see it played — it is a game 
of great beauty and fine bodily exercise, and these people 
become excessively fascinated with it ; often gambling away 
everything they possess, and even sometimes when every- 
thing else was gone, have been known to stake their liberty 
upon the issue of these games, offering themselves as slaves 
to their opponents in case they get beaten". 



AN EXCEPTIONAL WISCONSIN POT 

Iran T. Otto 

On a sand-blow situated on the south bank of the Fox 
River, in Green Lake County, which my friends and I call 
the River Blow, we had been finding for a number of years 
very rough, stone-tempered, cord-imprinted and fingernail- 
marked potsherds. This type of sherd was found as far 
back as 1926. Never more than three or four pieces were 
found at a time and there was no evidence of a great amount 
of pottery. 

Because the blow was isolated it was seldom visited by 
anyone except our own party, but it was one of our camp 
sites that always produced something of interest. 

One Sunday afternoon, in the latter part of May, 1931, 
we drove to this blow for the purpose of getting a drink at 
the flowing spring near there. Later I was walking around 
the blow, carefully inspecting every article I could see in 
hopes of finding a perfect arrow-head or a bit of copper, 
when I noticed a few sherds of pottery lying half covered 
in the sand. As I have always done, I began to dig around 
the sherds with my fingers and I found a few more sherds 
below the surface. As I was without tools I marked the 
place and started to walk towards the car, looking carefully 
for any other signs of pottery, or other artifacts. I selected 
such tools as a wisk-broom, a grape-fruit knife and a small 
shovel. Then I went back and started to dig. About eight 
or ten inches below the original surface of the blow, I be- 



90 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12. No. 3 

gan to find larger sherds of pottery including large pieces 
of rim. The rim had the same type of designs as we had 
found on previous visits. I slowly uncovered the sherds, 
being careful not to break any of the larger pieces which 
were very soft. The last piece of pottery uncovered, about 
eighteen inches below the surface, was the bottom of the 
pot, which was flat. After brushing all the pottery with 
the utmost care, I took photographs of the pieces as they 
were laid out on the sand, and a few measurements. I left 
the pottery on the sand for about an hour to dry in the sun. 
Then carefully removing each piece, I wrapped it in news- 
papers. I took it home and with closer inspection found it 
to be at least three quarters of a tall, flat-bottomed pot, 
shaped somewhat like the ordinary flower pot, which I 
judged it to be about eighteen inches high and ten inches 
in rim diameter. I then took the pieces to the Milwaukee 
Public Museum, where the vessel was restored and is now 
on exhibition.32 



RUBBISH 

Alton K. Fisher 

Rubbish is generally considered to be the useless residue 
of our daily occupation which is fit only to be destroyed so 
that we may no longer be bothered by its presence. From 
the modern point of view such an attitude is probably cor- 
rect, but no truly scientific archeologist views the rubbish 
piles of ancient peoples in the same manner, particularly if 
those people had no written records. Rubbish heaps of both 
ancient and modern origin are essentially alike. If an ar- 
tistic decoration becomes irrepairably broken or outmoded 
it is thrown in the rubbish box. When dishes and imple- 
ments of various sorts are broken or become useless they 
receive a like fate. Food refuse also is treated in the same 
manner. All of these materials steadily accumulate in 
.heaps and if their presence causes no inconvenience they 
are forgotten and gradually they become a part of the land. 
It is fortunate for archeology that human beings all over 



I 



I 



""This is the first vessel of this character known for Wisconsin of 
which a sufficient number of parts were found to permit complete, 
accurate restoration. Editor, 




Fig-. 20. The f ni.shecl restoration of the pot. 



llubbish. 91 

the world are so much alike in their disposition of rubbish, 
for it is this very material, which, in modern science, is pro- 
viding the present day investigator of ancient peoples with 
an abundance of tell-tale data. By carefully identifying the 
constituent parts of ancient rubbish it is possible to deter- 
mine many of the implements used and some of the foods 
consumed by the folks who produced the rubbish heaps. 

This method of procedure has been put into effect in 
archeological work in Wisconsin. On the west shore of 
Lake Winnebago just north of the city of Oshkosh is an old 
campsite which was occupied by the Winnebago Indians in 
early historic times. During the summer and autumn of 
1932 parts of this campsite were excavated by Messrs. 
Arthur P. Kannenberg and Lewis J. Dartt. Many refuse 
pits or rubbish pits were encountered in the progress of 
the work and the materials found in them were preserved 
for further examination. This material was brought to the 
Milwaukee Public Museum where it was investigated, and 
although the work has not yet been completed, the results 
produced thus far are interesting. Aside from the artifacts 
which were found, the refuse consisted of great quantities 
of bones and mussel shells, with a few remnants of plant 
foods. The shells submitted for examination were identi- 
fied by Mr. W. E. Dickinson of the Department of Lower 
Zoology, Milwaukee Pubhc Museum. Although the shells 
which were examined probably do not represent all of the 
species which were utiHzed by these Indians, the identified 
materials included the following specimens : Anodonta sp., 
Unio gibbosus Barnes, Quadrula plicata Lesueur, Lampsilis 
ventricosus Barnes, Lampsilis rectus Lamarck, Lampsilis 
luteolus Lamarck, and Lampsilis ligamentinus Lamarck. 

Among the identified animal bones are those of the Vir- 
ginian deer, the common badger, and a small canine of un- 
known species. Several lower mandibles of the American 
merganser were encountered, and there were great quanti- 
ties of fish scales, sturgeon bones, and the large ear bones 
of the fresh water sheep's-head. These are only a few of 
the animals which were represented in the rubbish, and as 
this investigation is continued many more species will be 
identified. 

The reader may wonder why it is that we spend time to 



92 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12. No. :} 

investigate that which is obvious. The answer is that we 
are merely proving that which we believe to be true. We 
have always been taught that the Indians ate everything 
which was edible in their environment, and, whether it was 
true or false, we believed it without questioning. However, 
that which seems reasonable is not a fact until it has been 
substantiated by material proof. It would not be entirely 
strange if we found that the ancient Wisconsin Indians did 
not eat many of the foods which are considered dehcacies 
today, for that very condition is found in many parts of the 
world. The use of milk as a food is an example of this. In 
our own culture we find milk a very healthful food, and we 
insist upon feeding it to children and sick folks, yet there 
are millions of people in the world who would no more 
drink the milk of animals than we would eat caterpillars 
and toads. Indeed, certain tribes in Africa breed cattle for 
social reasons but their flesh is never eaten and their milk 
is never consumed. Because food habits and food taboos 
of which we are not aware may have existed among our 
ancient Indians it is well for us to investigate their food 
problems before we state definitely what they ate and what 
they did not eat. Where we have written records of the 
early explorers, traders, and pioneers of good repute, which 
contain the desired information we may be spared the task 
of investigating the problem, but unfortunately these early 
travelers left much unrecorded which would be of value to 
us at the present time. 

In view of the information which has been obtained from 
ancient rubbish in the past, it is logical to believe that with 
the development of more refined archeological technique we 
shall be able to increase the yield of rubbish heaps in the 
future. It is to be hoped that those men who are truly in- 
terested in archeological research will begin to recognize 
the value of these materials as libraries of information con- 
cerning the lives of no longer existing peoples, and that 
they will give them the sincere consideration which they 
deserve. 



Committee Reports. 93 



COMMITTEE REPORTS 

Committees for the Wisconsin Archeological Society sub- 
mitted the following annual reports at the regular monthly 
meeting on April 17. The Program Committee, of which 
Mr. Smith was chairman, did not report, it being conceded 
that the work of this committee spoke for itself. Miss 
Campbell, the new chairman, spoke for the Committee on 
Biography, outlining plans for the next year and asking for 
the full cooperation of all members of the Society towards 
completing the biographical records. Dr. Barrett, chair- 
man of the Lapham Research Medal Committee, notified the 
meeting that the committee had taken no action during the 
past year. Mr. Pierron, chairman of the Membership Com- 
mittee, presented an oral report summarizing the difficulties 
confronting the committee because of the depression. 



State Archeological Survey 

Milton F. Hulburt has continued his field work in Sauk 
County locating additional camp and village sites in that 
county. Of these locations he has prepared a blueprint map 
copies of which have been presented by him to several Wis- 
consin museums. Mr. Hulburt is a painstaking worker. He 
has also prepared a card index for keeping track of his 
work. Mr. Hulburt also located a village site at the mouth 
of Prentice creek, in Columbia county, a brief report of 
which appeared in a Milwaukee paper. This site is partly 
submerged in the Wisconsin river. 

Leland R. Cooper has continued his exploration of a rock- 
shelter, located in the same county, with interesting results. 
He exhibited several earthenware vessels, potsherds and a 
clay death mask at a recent adult hobby show held at the 
Madison Y. M. C. A. The mask was obtained from a burial 
mound excavated by him in Barron County two summers 
ago. 

Kermit R. Freckman has made surveys and prepared de- 
tail maps of several mound groups and camp sites located 
by him at Pleasant Lake in Waushara County. His work 



94 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 3 

is very well done. He intends to complete it by surveying 
and platting some other mounds in that region. 

Walter S. Dunsmoor states that he has continued his re- 
searches in Green Lake and Marquette Counties. 

In an address delivered before the Society in 1932 Theo- 
dore T. Brown presented a verbal report of field work car- 
ried on by himself and others in the Green Bay region. 

Mr. White prepared a report on mounds and other Indian 
features on the site of Kletsch Park on the upper Milwaukee 
river. This was read at a director's meeting and was sent 
to the County Park Commission to assist them in the work 
of preserving and marking them. 

None of the foregoing men have turned in any reports 
to the State archeological files except Mr. Hulburt and Mr. 
Brown. It is reported that some other members of the Wis- 
consin Archeological Society have engaged in exploration 
and location work in other counties but no reports of these 
have been filed with Secretary Brown. 

Dr. Barrett has just completed a Milwaukee Museum pub- 
lication on Ancient Aztalan. 

Secretary Brown himself excavated two mounds at Edge- 
wood at Madison. 

Late in September, your chairman was sent by the Mil- 
waukee Public Museum on a trip down the Rock River from 
Lake Koshkonong to Beloit. Thanks to the report of Mr. 
Ira M. Buell, Vol. 18 No. 4 of this series, and Messrs. C. E. 
and T. T. Brown, Vol. 9 No. 1, my work was made much 
easier. I visited where possible all of the camp sites as 
noted by them in their reports. Since then many of the 
spots that they mentioned have been built up into summer 
places and it is no longer possible to make a surface survey. 
The collection of D. W. North at Indian Ford was visited. 
He has some very interesting potsherds. Mr. W. D. Hemp- 
hill has a very interesting collection. We also visited his 
farm near Busseyville and found an Upper Mississippi camp 
site. A shell-tempered pottery pipe, of typical Siouan 
shape, is noteworthy. U. G. Miller near Edgerton has a 
fine pipe. George Sherman of Newville has a fine hematite 
plumb bob. Edward Altpeter of Fort Atkinson, G. M. 
Hausz of Fort Atkinson, Geo. Goldthorpe of Busseyville and 
Mr. Lawton of Fort Atkinson have interesting specimens. 



Committee Reports. 95 

A very fine Upper Mississippi camp site on the west end of 
Lake Koshkonong yielded in two trips a great many char- 
acteristic artifacts. The Catfish River Camp Site did not 
yield one sherd of shell-tempered ware. 

TowNE L. Miller, Chairman. 

Mound Preservation 

Through the acquirement by the University of Wisconsin 
of Lake Forest, a tract of woodland located on the south 
shore of Lake Wingra, at Madison, another fine local group 
of prehistoric Indian mounds has been permanently pre- 
served. This property is to be employed as an arboretum 
and wild life preserve and is placed in charge of a commit- 
tee of University of Wisconsin men and citizens appointed 
by President Glenn Frank. Only about one half, the west- 
ern half of this fine woodland, is now University property. 
A description of it and of the mounds located there is in- 
cluded in Charles E. Brown's report on Lake Wingra, pub- 
lished in this series. Vol. 14, No. 3, 1915. The mounds now 
preserved are to be restored and later marked with a tablet. 
It is hoped to acquire later perhaps a portion of the eastern 
half of Lake Forest and to thus preserve other mounds and 
natural beauties. 

Through the recent gift to the State of Wisconsin of a 
largely wooded tract of land located on the bank of the 
Mississippi River, just north of Fountain City, a small 
group of three round and oval Indian mounds has been pre- 
served. These have been dug into by relic hunters. A re- 
quest for their future restoration and marking with a tablet 
has been made. This newest state park has been named in 
honor of the late Mr. George Byron Merrick, of Madison, 
noted upper Mississippi River historian, and a former mem- 
ber of the Society and of the State Historical Society. 

A group of Indian mounds located near Kingsley Bend, 
a few miles south of Wisconsin Dells, has been converted 
into an archeological park ('Indian Mound Park") by its 
owner. The land has been cleared of brush, neatly fenced 
and some small buildings erected. Tourists are permitted 
to see this park and its mounds for a small charge. The 
present owner of the park is quite enthusiastic about the 



96 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12. No. 3 

mounds and will restore and protect them. These mounds 
are of round, linear and effigy forms. 

Several Indian mounds and other features have also been 
preserved in Alvin C. Kletch county park on the bank of the 
Milwaukee River just north of Milwaukee. Secretary Brown 
has requested their marking and preservation. 

Mattie C. Devine, Chairman. 

State Archeological Parks 

The only activity of the above named committee, during 
the past year, was on the part of one of its members, Robert 
P. Ferry, of Lake Mills, Wisconsin. 

Mr. Ferry reported that the Aztalan Park sign had been 
removed by the Highway Commissioner. Mr. Ferry inves- 
tigated the matter and had the sign replaced. 

Mr. Ferry also reported that the glass on the top of the 
table was broken and the inclosures removed. He had the 
glass repaired and exhibited other inclosures obtained from 
the Milwaukee Public Museum. 

Geo. a. West, Chairman, 

Fraudulent Artifacts 

Your committee has been of service to the Society as fol- 
lows: 

It has stopped a two-page write-up in Hobbies magazine 
on H. S. Johnson of Clarksville, Tennessee. All that ap- 
peared in the November issue of this magazine was a pic- 
ture of a houseboat with four or five lines stating that John- 
son and his father would travel up and down the Tennessee 
River exhibiting and collecting Indian relics. We heard of 
this contemplated story too late to stop it entirely. 

We have examined and pronounced a fake a large copper 
ax, ten inches long, which was sold to N. E. Carter of Elk- 
horn by F. E. Ellis of 30 Elm Place, Webster Grove, Mis- 
souri. We have traced the manufacture of this ax to the 
vicinity of Fond du Lac, but have been unsuccessful in pin- 
ning it on to any one man, as everybody concerned was most 
unwilling to give information; all we got was a lot of 
promises and lies to shield the maker. This ax is now in 



Committee Reports. 97 

the possession of B. Knoblock, 325 S. Edgwood Ave., La 
Grange, Illinois, to whom F. E. Ellis evidently sold it after 
N. E. Carter made him take it back. This ax is very clev- 
erly made and will deceive the average collector. 

We have also condemned a copper rat-tailed spear sup- 
posed to have come from Black River Falls, Wisconsin. 
This spear and a stone ax were sold to Mr. Miller, a second- 
hand dealer on Wells Street, Milwaukee, who has them dis- 
played in his window. 

We have been of service to a member of the Society living 
in Lake Mills to whom a ceremonial ax, which proved to be 
a fake, was offered. 

I received four copper spears from H. S. Shesmia, of 
Black River Falls, Wisconsin, who said he bought them from 
a man at Sparta, Wisconsin, but did not remember his name 
which he would try to secure for me. However, repeated 
letters have failed to freshen his memory or to bring to me 
the man's name. All four of these coppers were rank fakes. 
To tell the truth, I strongly suspect this man himself, who 
may possibly be trying out his fakes to see how good they 
are. 

Jos. RiNGEiSEN, Jr., Chairman, 

Marking Milwaukee Archeological Sites 

As Chairman of your Committee on marking Milwaukee 
Archeological sites, it becomes my duty to submit a report 
at this time. This Committee consists of Dr. Paul B. Jenk- 
ins, L. R. Whitney and me. As I am in Milwaukee only 
upon working days and being very busy during working 
hours, I know almost nothing about the unmarked mounds 
and other archeological sites in and around Milwaukee. 
Neither am I familiar with the streets. Furthermore, the 
financial situation has been such as to discourage the solici- 
tation of funds for anything not absolutely needed for help- 
ing those less fortunate than us. 

I did try to get the Committee together and confer as to 
what we could do under the circumstances. This effort 
proved to be a dud. And so I can only report as did the 
Biblical servant, "Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard 
man, reaping where thou didst not sow and gathering where 



98 WISCONSIN ABCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 3 

thou didst not scatter, and I was afraid and went and hid 
thy talent in the earth ; lo, thou hast thine own." Since then 
times have changed. Too often, in recent years, the bank- 
ers have kept, or spent as their own, all moneys left with 
them. We feel that the master's reply to us should be, not 
a rebuke, but praise. He should say, ''Well done, good and 
faithful servants. Through your efforts I still have mine 
own, and I can give the bankers the Merry Ha Ha." 
All of which is respectfully submitted. 

WiNFiELD W. Oilman, Chairman. 



Publication 

The regular four quarterly numbers were published dur- 
ing the past year, including 177 pages of printed matter, 
twenty-five articles, submitted by twenty-two different 
authors, were published. The committee's sincere thanks 
is extended to those who have contributed, and all members 
of the Society are urged to support their paper with con- 
tributions during the coming year. Good material has been 
promised, but we need more, and need it now. Short articles 
on speciaHzed subjects are welcome. Manuscript in long- 
hand is just as acceptable as in typewritten form. 

Although involving a material cut in the cost of publica- 
tion, the financing of the Archeologist is assured in spite 
of the withdrawal of state support. Its future success, how- 
ever, depends not primarily upon the efforts of this commit- 
tee, but upon the full cooperation and support of the Soci- 
ety, which means the support of its individual members. 

Ira Edwards, Chairman. 
(Submitted by H. W. Kuhm) 



Archeological Notes. 99 



ARCHEOLOGICAL NOTES 

Meetings 

A meeting of the Society was held in the auditorium of the Mil- 
waukee Public Museum on Monday evening, February 20, 1933. About 
400 members and local friends had assembled in this large hall to 
listen to an address by Prof. Fay Cooper Cole of the University of 
Chicago on the engrossing subject of "The Century of Progress Ex- 
position". President McKern introduced the speaker who is well 
known to local audiences, being also an honorary member of the Wis- 
consin society. 

Professor Cole told of the organization of the Chicago exposition, 
of the manner of its financing, of its spacious grounds on the Lake 
Michigan shore, of the unique character of its great buildings, the 
beauty of its statuary and landscaping, and of the splendid and ex- 
tensive exhibits of every kind which were being installed. As of spe- 
cial interest to his audience, he spoke particularly of the archeological, 
ethnological and historical exhibits, both outdoor and indoor, which 
were to form a prominent feature of this exposition. Indian mounds 
of various classes were being reproduced, also an ancient Maya temple 
and other Indian structures. There were to be replicas also of mounds 
excavated in Illinois. A group of Wisconsin Chippewa Indians was 
to be among others encamped on the grounds. A reproduction of the 
early American military post at Chicago, Fort Dearborn, has been 
much featured in newspaper accounts of the exposition. Dr. Cole 
illustrated his address with a fine collection of lantern slides. 

At the meeting of the Executive Board, held at the LaSalle Hotel, 
in the early part of the evening, Messrs. McKern and Brown pre- 
sented verbal reports of their appearance before the Joint Finance 
Committee of the state legislature in behalf of the Society's annual 
state appropriation. Secretary Brown reported on the recent death 
of Mr. L. J. Petitt of Milwaukee, a life member of the Society. Mr. 
Charles B. Perry, Milwaukee, was elected to annual membership. A 
report on the present membership was also made. 

The annual meeting of the Wisconsin Archeological Society was 
held in the Trustees Room of the Milwaukee Public Museum, on Mon- 
day evening, March 20, 1933. Forty members and a few visitors were 
in attendance. 

President W. C. McKern conducted the proceedings. Secretary 
Brown announced the deaths of Huron H. Smith, a member of the 
Advisory Council, of Alfred L. Korth, a member, and of General 
Charles King, U. S. A., an honorary member. The loss of these 
friends was greatly regretted. Announcement was also made of tha 
annual meeting of the Central Section American Anthropological 
Association at the University of Chicago, on April 7 and 8, and of the 
annual joint meeting of the Society with the Wisconsin Academy of 
Sciences, Arts and Letters and the Midwest Museums Conference to 
be held at the State Historical Museum and the University of Wis- 
consin, at Madison, on the same dates. Members were urged to at- 
tend and to present papers at one or the other of these meetings. 
It was unfortunate that they fell on exactly the same dates. 

Charles G. Schoewe made a motion that the president appoint a 
nominating committee to nominate officers for the ensuing year. Sec- 
onded by Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., and carried. The president appointed 
as a nominating committee the Messrs. H. W. Kuhm, C. G. Schoewe 
and W. W. Gilman. These members retired, and returning, presented 
the following nominations: 



100 ' WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 3 



President — Advisory Council — 

W. C. McKern Jos. Ringeisen, Jr. 

J. G. Gregory 
Vice-Presidents — A. P. Kannenberg 

W. W. Gilman Mrs. Theo. Koerner 

A. L. Kastner G. R. Zilisch 

R. J. Kieckhefer * T. L. Miller 

H. W. Kuhm E. J. W. Notz 

E. F. Richter Marie Kohler 

Arthur Gerth 
Directors — Paul Joers 

G. A. West F. S. Dayton 

C. G. Schoewe Louise P. Kellogg 

Louis Pierron 
Secretary — L. S. Buttles 

C. E. Brown T. T. Brown 

Ralph Linton 
Treasurer — A. T. Newman 

G. M. Thorne S. A. Barrett 

Orrin Thompson 
Marshall Cousins 

No other nominations were offered and these officers were elected. 
President-elect McKern thanked the members for their cooperation 
during the past year. He felt it an honor to be thus elected for a 
second term. The annual reports of Secretary Brown and of Treas- 
urer Thorne were read and approved. The Messrs. G. A. West and 
E. F. Richter were appointed to audit the treasurer's report. 

Mr. Murl Deusing, Assistant Lecturer at the Milwaukee Museum, 
presented an illustrated lecture on "The Trail of Marquette and 
Joliet." This was a very interesting account of a canoe trip made 
by himself and an associate over the Wisconsin waterways (the Fox 
and Wisconsin rivers) followed by these discoverers of the Mississippi 
river, in the year 1763. Mr. C. G. Schoewe exhibited the beadwork 
ribbons from a Potawatomi girls' hair-wrap. 

The annual Joint Meeting of the Wisconsin Archeological Society 
with the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters and the 
Midwest Museums Conference was held at Madison, on Friday and 
Saturday, April 7 and 8. The meetings of Section A (anthropology, 
history, sociology, etc.) were held in the auditorium of the State His- 
torical Museum on Friday, April 7. Secretary Charles E. Brown 
presided over the meetings of this section. Ten of the twenty-three 
papers presented were on archeological subjects, nine of these being 
by members of the Society. These members were Kermit Freckman, 
Theodore T. Brown, John J. Knudsen, E. Ralph Guentzel, Will F. 
Bauchle, Charles E. Brown, Dr. Lindley V. Sprague, George Overton 
and Leland R. Cooper. Marguerite F. Stiles of Madison also pre- 
sented an archeological paper. Duane H. Kipp, Albert O. Barton, 
Dr. Joseph Schafer, Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, Vivian Morgan, Dr. F. W. 
Harris, Herman Kerst, Donald O. Newton, Harold A. Engel, Alice L 
Vinje and Charles L. Emerson presented papers on historical, folk- 
lore and museum subjects. The papers were all of excellent quality 
and very interesting. Some have been promised for publication in 
The Wisconsin Archeologist. The meetings were quite well attended. 

On Saturday morning a meeting of the Midwest Museums Confer- 
ence was held in the Historical Museum, Gilbert O. Raasch presiding. 
At this meeting business connected with the work of the conference 
and the extension of its membership was discussed. It was sug- 
gested that a meeting be held at Madison in the autumn of the year. 



Archeological Notes. 101 

On the 7th and 8th of April, 1933, the Central Section of the Amer- 
ican Anthropological Association met in Judson Court, a newly com- 
pleted dormitory of the University of Chicago. Dr. Melville J. Her- 
skovits of Northwestern University presided over the meetings. 

Three papers were presented which may be of interest to members 
of the Wisconsin Archeological Society. The first was by Dr. Charles 
R. Keyes, State archeologist of Iowa, entitled "Archeology of the 
Upper Iowa Valley". Dr. Keyes described the Oneota culture which 
is found in Iowa and which is closely related to the upper Mississippi 
culture of Wisconsin. 

Dr. Earl H. Bell of the University of Nebraska, and formerly of 
the University of Wisconsin, presented an extremely interesting and 
critical paper on "An Evaluation of Recent Nebraska Finds Attri- 
buted to the Pleistocene". Dr. Bell stated that although the artifacts 
recently found in association with Pleistocene remains in Nebraska 
may be of Pleistocene age, the data available at the present time do 
not definitely prove them to be so. 

Alton K. Fisher of the Milwaukee Public Museum, and a member 
of the Wisconsin Archeological Society, gave an illustrated talk on the 
status of "Human Paleopathology in Wisconsin". The slides which 
were used in the talk illustrated a number of the pathological lesions 
which have been observed in the skeletal material recovered in arche- 
ological work in Wisconsin during the past few years. 

At the business session of the meeting Mr. W. C. McKern of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum, president of the Wisconsin Archeological 
Society, was elected president of the Central Section of the American 
Anthropological Association. George R. Fox, who has been a member 
of the Wisconsin Archeological Society for many years, was re-elected 
to the office of Secretary-Treasurer. 

Research 

Milton F. Hulburt of Reedsburg, a member of the Society, has pre- 
pared a new map of the Indian sites located by himself and other 
archelogists in Sauk County. Every year Mr. Hulburt continues to 
locate, investigate and map additional camp, workshop, village and 
other sites in his home county. If the legislators of the state could 
only know and appreciate how many more Wisconsin men like Mr. 
Hulburt are devoting and have devoted their own time and money to 
such important work for the benefit of its future citizens, it would be 
perhaps less difficult to secure small annual appropriations. 

E. Ralph Guentzel, a University senior, is engaged in a study of 
Wisconsin Indian earthenware vessels. It is interesting to note how 
greatly the number of such vessels, of all sizes and kinds, has in- 
creased through excavations and restorations since Publius V. Lawson 
of Menasha, a charter member of the Wisconsin Archeological Soci- 
ety, published his small list of such vessels in Wisconsin collections in 
The Wisconsin Archeologist, in the year 1902. 

Mr. John H. Knudsen, a Madison member of the Wisconsin Archeo- 
logical Society, has designed for his own convenience as a collector 
and student of Wisconsin archeological history a convenient system 
for the filing of his smaller flint implements — arrowpoints, spear- 
points, perforators, scrapers, knives, etc. The implements collected 
from particular sites are neatly mounted on squares of cardboard. 
These specimens are numbered and catalogued. The cardboard 
squares are inserted in stout special manila envelopes. On the sur- 
faces of these envelopes are pen and ink drawings of the specimens on 
the card within. These also bear numbers and data concerning the 
site from which they were collected. These envelopes are filed in 



102 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 3 



drawers from which they can be drawn for reference or study at any 
time. Mr. Knudsen is an artist as well as an interested archeologist. 

Publications 

A profusely illustrated account of the customs and ways of living 
of a tribe of central California Indians is given in: Miwok Material 
Culture, by S. A. Barrett and E. W. Gifford, a recent bulletin of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum, Vol. 2, No. 4, 1933. This publication is 
the result of years of extensive investigations and studies by the two 
authors. Price $3.00. 

Mr. Albert M. Fuller, Botanist of the Milwaukee Public Museum, 
is the author of an exhaustive treatment of Wisconsin orchids: 
Studies on the Flora of Wisconsin, Part I, M. P. M. Bulletin, Vol. 14, 
No. 1, 1933. The work is beautifully illustrated with photographs by 
Geo. L. Waite and many technical drawings. Price $4.00. 

A complete detailed report on Ancient Aztalan, by S. A. Barrett, 
is just off the press. This Milwaukee Public Museum Bulletin, com- 
prising an entire volume (Vol. 13), has 602 pages, 100 plates, 161 
figures and 2 maps. It is based upon extensive excavations conducted 
during three field seasons and subsequent years of study. Price $7.00. 

Religious beliefs and customs among certain Indian tribes of Cali- 
fornia are discussed by E. M. Loeb in his paper: The Eastern Kuksu 
Cult, Univ. of Calif, publ. in Amer. Archeol. and Ethnol., Vol. 33, 
No. 2, 1933. 

The March issue of The Masterkey, periodical of the Southwest 
Museum, Los Angeles, Calif., contains articles on: Archeology in 
the Making; Blackfoot Legends; other subjects of archeological in- 
terest. 

The January number of the American Anthropologist, Vol. 35, No. 
1, contains among others the following articles: The Antiquity of 
Man in Southwestern Asia, by Henry Field; A Peruvian Multicolored 
Patchwork, by Lila M. O'Neale; The Blue- Jay Dance, by Harry 
Turney-High; Aboriginal Burials in Southwestern Oregon, by L. S. 
Creesman; Tobacco Chewing on the Northwest Coast, by Roland B. 
Dixon. 

Information on the discovery of stone projectile points associated 
with the bones of prehistoric animals of the Pleistocene period in 
Nebraska is contained in, four recent bulletins of the Nebraska State 
Museum, as follows: (1) Association of an Arrow Point with Bison 
Occidentalis in Nebraska, by F. G. Meserve and E. H. Barbour, Bull. 
27; (2) The Mounted Skeleton of Bison Occidentalis and Associated 
Dart-points, by E. H. Barbour and C. B. Schultz, Bull. 32; (3) Asso- 
ciation of Artifacts and Extinct Mammals in Nebraska, by C. B. 
Schultz, Bull. 33; (4) The Scottsbluff Bison Quarry and its Arti- 
facts, by E. H. Barbour and C. B. Schultz, Bull. 34. 

An account of recent archeological investigations in Indiana, by 
Glenn A. Black, is given in: The Archeology of Green County, 
Indiana Historical Bulletin, Vol. 10, No. 5, Indianapolis, 1933. 

A new Wisconsin tourist guide book is being prepared for publi- 
cation by Charles L. Emerson of Madison. In this new travel book 
the scenic, historic and curious landmarks of the state are conveni- 
ently placed along certain well selected travel routes or trails. The 
archeological monuments and sites of Wisconsin are featured. 



Archeological Notes. 103 

The Illinois Chamber of Commerce, with an office at Chicago, has 
an "Illinois Tourist Guide", printed in 1932. This welUillustrated 
book describes some of the archeological features of the state. Among 
these are the old Indian village site and cemetery at Horseshoe Lake, 
the mound at Shawneetown, the Cahokia mounds, the Dickson mound 
at Lewistown, the Black Hawk village at Rock Island, Starved Rock, 
and the fine mounds at Quincy. Persons touring in Illinois should 
obtain a copy of this guide. 

Obituary 

On Saturday, March 18, there died at Milwaukee, General Charles 
King, Wisconsin's premier soldier, a fighter in five American wars. 
He was 88 years of age. "He was appointed to West Point at 17 on the 
order of President Abraham Lincoln. His military career began dur- 
ing the Civil War when his father. Brig. Gen. Rufus King, a pioneer 
Milwaukee journalist, was stationed at Washington. As a young 
lieutenant he took part in the western Indian campaigns. Wounds 
caused his temporary retirement from active service in 1874. At 
the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he returned to war service, 
leading a Wisconsin brigade in the Philippine Islands. When the 
World War came he helped to train Wisconsin units. After this war 
he was awarded the Victory medal." In past years General King 
was an occasional speaker at meetings of the Wisconsin Archeological 
Society. Quite a few of its members had served under this fine soldier 
in the Wisconsin National Guard. He was an honorary member of 
the Society. 

Miscellaneous 

During the past year only a very small number of additional Wis- 
consin Indian mounds have been preserved in state and municipal 
parks and on other public lands in the state. None have been marked 
with descriptive tablets. There are still in existence in diflFerent 
parts of the state many notable single mounds and groups of mounds 
which should be acquired, protected and marked. The Wisconsin 
Archeological Society requests all interested Wisconsin societies and 
other organizations to aid in this very important work during the 
year 1933. 

The museums of the state are not suffering from a lack of patron- 
age and public use during these depression years — the number of their 
visitors has very considerably increased. Most are handicapped, how- 
ever, in their educational work by curtailment of their purchasing 
and other funds. Despite the character of the times a few new his- 
torical and other museums are being organized. 

At a meeting of the University Folklore Society held at Madison 
at the Memorial Union building, on March 7, Charles E. Brown spoke 
on "The Pioneer and the Bear", presenting a series of selected Wis- 
consin stories of the black bear once so common in the state. He 
called attention to the numerous bear effigy mounds as evidence of 
the reverence in which this animal was held by the prehistoric Indian 
inhabitants of Wisconsin. Mr. Brown has just published for the 
Society a booklet, "Old Stormalong Yarns", being a collection of sto- 
ries and legends of the Yankee sailors of the old time wind-driven 
ships of America. 

The "On Wisconsin" series of broadcasts of the WHA radio station 
of the University of Wisconsin, given during the past five months, 
have been received with more than state-wide interest. In these 
weekly programs selected groups of speakers gave talks on the geol- 
ogy, zoology, history, anthropology and folklore of the state. The 



104 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 3 

director was Ralph A. Engel of the station staff. These programs 
are being continued. 

The earliest attempt to prepare a monograph of the native copper 
implements and ornaments of Wisconsin was that published by 
Charles E. Brown, secretary of the Society in The Wisconsin Arche- 
ologist in 1904. Those issues are now, twenty-nine years later, out 
of print and rare. At that time the largest collections of such im- 
plements in the state were those of Henry P. Hamilton at Two Rivers, 
William H. Ellsworth at Milwaukee, Frederick S. Perkins at Burling- 
ton, William H. Elkey at Milwaukee, Rudolph Kuehne at Sheboygan, 
J. P. Schumacher at Green Bay, the collections of the Milwaukee 
Public Museum, of the Wisconsin Historical Museum and a few others. 
But few copper implements had then been recovered from mounds 
excavated. The range of country in which such artifacts had been 
collected did not then extend very far north of the center of the state, 
comparatively few had been found west of the Wisconsin river. In 
the years since 1904 the range of these artifacts has been extended 
as far north as the shores of Lake Superior and the Wisconsin-Mich- 
igan boundary and westward to the Mississippi banks, and in consid- 
erable numbers. Through the years Mr. Brown has kept records of 
these obtained from village sites, mounds, burial places and other 
Indian locations. Twenty years ago Mr. Publius V. Lawson estimated 
that about thirty thousand copper implements had been collected. 
Mr. West has recently published a monograph on Wisconsin copper 
implements which brings the information concerning them quite up 
to date. 

In the State of Minnesota preparations for the organization of a 
future state archeological society are under way. Several meetings 
of collectors and others interested in archeological research have .al- 
ready been held and will be continued through the spring months. 
George A. Flaskerd, a former member of the Wisconsin Society, is 
among those keenly interested. * 






¥^01. 12 Sulp. 1933 ^0. 4 

NEW SERIES 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for In Sec. IIOJ 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

The Society is a state department, receiving a part of its support 
from the state. Its funds are under state control. Its work is well 
and widely known. It has received the approval of leading Ameri- 
can archeologists, who agree that it deserves the full support of all 
Wisconsin citizens interested in the state's archeological history. 

The Society's activities comprise the location, recording, investi- 
gating and preservation of Wisconsin Indian remains, folklore and 
history, all of which are rapidly disappearing and must be recorded 
and saved immediately if ever. 

Through its efforts many fine groups of Indian earthworks and 
other aboriginal monuments and remains have been permanently 
preserved to the public. Most have been marked with descriptive 
metal tablets. Others are being protected. Surveys and explorations 
have been conducted in many sections of the state. 

It is also engaged in encouraging the establishment of public 
museums and collections and in discouraging the manufacture and 
sale of fraudulent antiquities. 

Regular monthly meetings of the Society are held during the 
months September to May, inclusive, in the Trustees Room of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum. Meetings are open to the public. No 
regular meetings are held during the months June to August, inclu- 
sive. Special field meetings are occasionally held during the vacation 
months. 

The results of its research and other activities are made known 
through its regular quarterly publication, The Wisconsin Arche- 
ologist. Thirty volumes have appeared. The Society has a large 
membership distributed through every part of the state. 

It Is co-operating to the fullest extent with all of the various 
scientific and educational organizations and institutions of Wisconsin. 



I 



Stc|ieologis(t 



Vol. 12 lulp, 1933 jeto. 4 

NEW SERIES 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing: at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103. 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 



T 



Wi9iton^in ^rcteological ^ocietp 
iWiltoaufeee, Wisconsin 



Incorporated March 23, 1903, for the purpose of advancing the study 
and preservation of Wisconsin antiquities 



OFFICERS 

PRESIDENT 

W. C. McKern 



W. W. Gilman 
Dr. A. L. Kastner 



Charles E. Brown 
Rev. F. S. Dayton 
W. W. Gilman 
Dr. A. L. Kastner 



VICE-PRESIDENTS 

R. J. Kieckhefer 
Dr. H. W. Kuhm 



DIRECTORS 

R. J. Kieckhefer 
Dr. H. W. Kuhm 
W. C. McKern 



E. F. Richter 



Charles G. Schoewe 
G. M. Thorne 
George A. West 




Joseph Ringeisen, Jr. 

J. G. Gregory 

A. P. Kannenberg 

Mrs. Theo. Koerner 

G. R. Zilisch 

T. L. Miller 

Dr. E. J. W. Notz 



ADVISORY COUNCIL 

Marie Kohler 

Arthur Gerth 

Paul Joers 

Rev. F. S. Dayton 

Dr. Louise P. Kellogg 

Louis Pierron 

Dr. L. S. Buttles 



T. T. Brown 
Dr. Ralph Linton 
A. T. Newman 
Dr. S. A. Barrett 
Dr. Orrin Thompson 
Marshall Cousins 



TREASURER 

G. M. Thorne 
National Bank of Commerce, Milwaukee, Wis. 

SECRETARY 

Charles E. Brown 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wis. 



I 



COMMITTEES 



REGULAR 



STATE SURVEY— M. F. Hulburt, David A. Blencoe, Walter S. 
Dunsmoor, S. W. Faville, O. L. Hollister, Dr. A. L. Kastner, Dr. 
F. G. Logan, T. M. N. Lewis, W. M. Maier, T. L. Miller, Geo. F. 
Overton, Col. R. S. Owen, Geo. L. Pasco, J. P. Schumacher, J. J. 
Knudsen, E. R. Guentzel. 

MOUND PRESERVATION— Theodore T. Brown, Dr. E. G. Bruder, 
H. W. Cornell, Mrs. W. J. Devine, Col. Howard Greene, A. H. 
Griffith, Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, Mrs. F. R. Melcher, Rev. 0. W. 
Smith, Dr. Orrin Thompson, Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Frank Weston. 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS— Milwaukee Public Museum (Dr. S. A. 
Barrett), Wisconsin State Historical Museum (Dr. Joseph Scha- 
fer), Oshkosh Public Museum (Niles J, Behnke), Green Bay Pub- 
lic Museum (Theodore T. Brown), New London Museum (Rev. 
F. S. Dayton), Lawrence College (Prof. J. B. MacHarg), La 
Crosse State Teachers College (Prof. A. H. Sanford), Kohler 
Museum (Miss Marie Kohler), Logan Museum (Paul H. Nesbitt), 
Minnesota State Historical Museum (Willoughby M. Babcock), 
St. Francis Museum (Rev. A. J. Muench). 

MEMBERSHIP— Chas. G. Schoewe, Carl Baur, Dr. W. H. Brown, 
Dr. L. S. Buttles, K. Freckman, Arthur Gerth, Paul Joers, Mrs. 
Anna F. Johnson, Mrs. Hans A. Olson, Louis Pierron, A. R. 
Rogers, C. G. Weyl, Geo. Wright, W. F. Yahr. 

STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL PARKS— R. P. Ferry, W. W. Gilmore, 
Walter Holstein, D. S. Howland, A. P. Kannenberg, Prof. A. H. 
Sanford, Ray Van Handel. 

PUBLICITY— J. G. Gregory, A. O. Barton, R. K. Coe, E. R. Mc- 
Intyre. 

SPECIAL 

BIOGRAPHY— Miss R. T. Campbell, Paul Joers, Mrs. Theo. Koerner, 

Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Chas. G. Schoewe, Dr. A. L. Kastner, Dr. 

H. W. Kuhm. 
FRAUDULENT ARTIFACTS— Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., E. F. Richter, 

Geo. A. West. 
PROGRAM— Dr. H. W. Kuhm, W. E. Erdman, Alton K. Fisher, Dr. 

A. L. Kastner, G. M. Thorne. 
MARKING MILWAUKEE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES— R. J. Kieck- 

hefer. Dr. Paul Jenkins, Milo C. Richter, Geo. A. West, L, R. 

Whitney. 

PUBLICATION— Dr. Ira Edwards, Dr. H. W. Kuhm, Alton K. Fisher. 
LAPHAM RESEARCH MEDAL— Dr. S. A. Barrett, Dr. A. L. Kast- 
ner, Milo C. Richter, Chas. G. Schoewe, Geo. A. West. 



MEMBERSHIP FEES 

Life Members, $25.00 Endowment Members, $500.00 

Sustaining Members, $5.00 Annual Members, $2.00 

Institutional Members, $1.50 Junior Members, $ .50 

All comnuiiiications in i-cg-ard to the Wiscons n Archeolog-ical Society 
should be addressed to Chai'les K. Brown, Secretary and Curator, Office, 
State Historical Musevim. Madison, Wisconsin. Contributions to the Wis- 
consin Archeolog-ist should be addressed to Dr. Ira Edwards. Editor, 
Piibl c Museum, Milwaukee. Wisconsin or to the Secretary. Dues 
should be sent to G. M. Thorne, Treasurer, National Bank of Commerce, 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 



i 



CONTENTS 



Vol. 12, No. 4, New Series 

ARTICLES 

Page 

Mounds on Pleasant Lake, Kermit Freckmann 111 

Some Odd Indian Tools, Geo. Overton 128 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Archeological Map of Pleasant Lake Region Frontispiece 

Figure Page 

21. South Bay Mound Group, Plat I 114 

22. South Bay Mound Group, Plat II 116 

23. Schuette Mound Group 122 

24. Butler Mound Group 126 



I 



I'ublislied Quarterly by the Wisconsin Archeolo^ical Society 

VOL. 12 MADISON, WIS., JULY, 1933 NO. 4 

New Series 



MOUNDS ON PLEASANT LAKE 

Kermit Freckmann 

Pleasant Lake, located in the S 1/2 of Sec. 33, Coloma 
township, Waushara County, Wisconsin, is one of the most 
beautiful small lakes of the county. Its clear crystal waters, 
sandy beaches, and high wooded shores made this lake an 
ideal location for aboriginal habitation. 

The lake is somewhat crescent shaped and its greatest 
axis is a little less than one mile long, which has a north- 
east by southwest trend. The northeast end is the largest 
portion of the lake and is slightly divided from the south- 
west body of water, or smaller portion, by two projections 
of land extending for a certain distance out into the lake. 
These two projections are designated as Fouches point from 
the north and Lutherburg from the south. The southwest 
or smaller portion of Pleasant Lake is referred to in this 
report as South Bay. The northwest shoreline of the lake 
forms two more small bays (Frontispiece). While there is 
no inlet or outlet to the lake, there are several small springs 
along the shores. Of these springs two seep through the 
hillside on the west shore and find their way down into the 
lake. 

Pleasant Lake was, perhaps, for the aborigines, a choice 
retreat from the great Fox-Wisconsin riverway, consider- 
ing the number of earthworks found along the wooded 
shores of this beautiful lake. This retreat was made possi- 
ble by the existence of a navigable stream which has its 
source about 80 rods to the southeast of Pleasant Lake and 
its mouth at the Fox River. This stream is known as 
Bachelor's Creek, It can readily be seen that the early In- 
dian, traveling in his canoe up the creek from the Fox River, 
could, by a short portage from the source of this creek, 
reach his habitation at Pleasant Lake which was in utter 



112 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 4 

seclusion from the great river highway where all kinds of 
tribes traveled. It is this fact together with the other 
natural resources that made Pleasant Lake an outstanding 
and most desirable location for aboriginal habitation. How 
could we otherwise account for the great wealth of evi- 
dence indicating that large numbers of Indians once resided 
here, when in the surrounding vicinity, such as at Wood 
Lake, there is little or no evidence of lengthy occupation by 
any Indians? 

CAMP SITES 

HiNE Camp Site. On the west shore of Pleasant Lake, 
Ny2, SWl^ of Sec. 33, were found some evidence of 
aboriginal occupation. There were numerous chips and 
flakes of light brown quartz scattered over the wind-blown 
sand. This site does not appear very extensive and seems 
to be confined to a short area along the top of a ridge which 
borders the north shore of the small west bay of Pleasant 
Lake (Frontispiece). To the south of this site is a wooded 
ravine which extends far back from the lake. To the north 
is a large sand field that is sometimes cultivated, and to the 
west is the farm home of Mr. William Hine, who is also 
the owner of the camp site. He has found some flint points 
here in past years during which this site was under cultiva- 
tion. At the present time, however, the evidences are 
brought to light only by the constant shifting of the sand, 
and by other causes due to the elements. The writer has in 
his collection a broken but beautifully worked knife, fash- 
ioned from red chert, and also several other chert arrow- 
points taken from this site. 

South Bay Camp Site. Near the southwest corner of 
the south bay, a short distance back from the lake, are 
numerous evidences of an early camp or village site. This 
area extends over into Marquette county, NW14, NW14 of 
Sec. 4, Springfield twp. The site occupies a rectangular plot 
of ground which has been, until recently, a cultivated field. 
It is, perhaps, no larger than 250 yards in length and ap- 
proximately 150 yards wide. To the north is a small marshy 
area that just borders on a portion of the south bay. To 
the west is a wooded ravine, while on the east the site is 



Mounds on Pleasant Lake. ' 113 

bounded by an oak forest that contains the South Bay Group 
of Mounds. South of this camp site are extensive fields 
which are under cultivation. Most of the aboriginal mate- 
rial was found in the north end of this rectangular sand 
field, that is, in the part nearest the lake shore. It is also 
in this section where can be plainly seen the outlines of two 
circular refuse pits, from which numerous bone chips lie 
scattered over the sandy surface. I was able to obtain two 
flint drills and a few broken arrowpoints from these pits; 
however, these refuse pits contain mostly broken animal 
bones and flint flakes or chips. This field is in very much 
the same condition as the Hine site, for the evidences of 
aboriginal occupation are brought to the surface only by the 
constant shifting of the sand. I have found many arrow- 
heads and other implements here, but my best specimen 
from this site is a beautifully fashioned spear point made 
of light brown quartz and is 3% inches long. Very prob- 
ably the wooded section immediately adjoining this barren 
field may contain evidence that this site is more extensive 
than is revealed at the present time. 

On the east shore of the larger section of the lake, SEl^, 
SE14 of Sec. 33, there are indications of another probable 
camp site. This section includes mounds 56 and 57. There 
is a slight wash in the land leading down to the lake shore 
and revealing numerous flint flakes and chips, and I was 
able to find two broken arrow points here. 



INDIAN MOUNDS 

Hine Mound. On a high wooded point, NEi/4, SW14, 
SWi/t of Sec. 33, overlooking the west and south bays of 
Pleasant Lake, is a linear mound, the only mound on this 
shore of the lake. It has perhaps the most beautiful loca- 
tion since it is probably the highest point on the shoreline. 
From this mound can be seen almost the entire lake. The 
trend of the mound is N.8° W. and it is 57 feet long, the 
north end being 17 feet wide, and the south end 151/^ feet 
wide. The southern extremity of the mound is slightly 
higher than at the north ; the height being 32 inches. There 
are several small oak trees growing on the mound, which is 



114 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 12, No. 4 




H fe 



t 



Mounds on Pleasant Lake. 115 

in a perfect state of preservation, but there is a possibility 
of its destruction in the near future because it occupies a 
desirable location for a summer cottage. 

The Hine Camp Site lies north of this mound on the op- 
posite side of a wooded ravine that separates them. The 
land is owned entirely by Wm. Hine, a farmer, who resides 
nearby. This section of the west shore is across the south 

South Bay Mound Group (Figures 21 and 22). Along 
the south shore of the south bay of Pleasant Lake is the best 
south shore of the south bay of Pleasant Lake is the best 
preserved and most interesting group of Indian mounds on 
the lake. These tumuli lie east of the South Bay Camp Site 
and are wholly in Marquette county, NI/2, NWi/j, of Sec 4, 
Springfield twp. This group of mounds is closely associated 
with the Schuette Group, the two being connected by four 
mounds known as the Chain mounds. These Chain mounds 
are illustrated together with the South Bay Group but will 
be referred to separately. Of the South Bay Group, five are 
conical mounds, one is oval shaped, eleven are linear (of 
which one is crescent shape), and seven are erffigies (of 
which there are six "bear" mounds, and one panther ef- 
figy) — a total of twenty-four mounds. The land upon which 
these mounds rest is high and dry, approximately thirty to 
forty feet above the lake level. This is also a wooded pas- 
tureland quite densely covered with oak trees. Mounds 
number 3 to 13, with the exception of number 7, are located 
in a clearing near the lake shore, the remaining mounds 
being in the woods. 



Detailed Description of Mounds 

Linear Mound No. 1 

This mound is 16 x 37 feet and is 2V2 feet high. Its trend 
is W. 26° N. It is located at the northeast corner of the 
South Bay Camp Site and is in a densely wooded ridge that 
borders the small swampy area on its southern extremity. 
This mound is in good state of preservation. 

Linear Mound No. 2 

This is located south of No. 1, and is slightly larger in 
size, being 18 x 42 feet, and has a trend of N. 10° W. It is 



116 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 12, No. 4 



approximately 3 feet high and is also in good condition. It 
is partly covered with oak trees and a great deal of under- 
brush. 

Linear Mound No. 3 

What is left of this mound is now only 14 feet wide and 
20 feet long. It seems that both ends have been washed 




X 

A 



SOUTH BAY GROUP 

PLAT NO 2 

Tkis (jroup is an addition to tU« Seut^ B^y 
^roup in pl*4 



ttr\ 






ifr •( 



th:t plat «nd linear mounti n*.l4 (f fUt n»-\ 
»r« *«p«r«te<J by « ai»t«nc« o* BT f«tt 
which iy mc«»0r«d from the Mtt Cnd of na. 
I4 - » 3«*W- to tht t^u\A foot of t(fn,Y no. 
lb of plat no. I, 

Tko in««rt balow ik<w<> tht volition of no. 
14 «* r«Ut*d bo cratcnt (KjfcA U'ncsr no. 
13 



JLJ;- 



SCA.LE 



Figr. 22. 



away due to the erosion of the land which consists of sand 
to a sandy loam. The remains of this mound are a little 
over one foot high, and are on the edge of a clearing south 
of mounds 1 and 2. 



Mounds on Pleasant Lake. 117 

Conical Mounds Nos. 4 and 5 

These two circular mounds could be termed as bi-conical, 
for their outlines blend together at one point. Mound No. 
4 is eleven feet in diameter and is twenty inches high at 
the center, while mound No. 5 is fourteen feet in diameter 
and is two feet in height. Both are situated in the clear- 
ing overlooking the south bay of the lake. They are in a 
good state of preservation. 

Linear Mound No. 6 

This mound is just at the crest or edge of high land which 
slopes down to the lake shore. Its dimensions are 16 x 45 
feet and it is 21/2 feet high. Its axis is N. 25° W. About 
one-third of its length from the north edge of the mound, 
there is a shallow depression, evidently the trace of some 
earlier digging. This mound lies east of the two conical 
mounds 4 and 5. 

Bear Effigy Mound No. 7 

This mound lies in a wooded area directly south of mounds 
4, 5 and 6. It is covered with a great deal of leaves, brush 
and dead branches but is otherwise in good condition — no 
diggings to mar its surface. The trend of the mound is N. 
28° W. The length overall is 60 feet, while the width from 
shoulder to foot is 25 feet. At no place does it attain a 
height greater than 2 feet. 

Bear Effigy Mound No. 8 

A short distance east of effigy mound No. 7 is another 
interesting type of a "bear" mound. It is interesting be- 
cause it differs greatly in outline from mound No. 7, al- 
though both are closely associated. It is situated in the 
clearing near the edge of a woods. It is fifty-four feet over 
all and its width from shoulder to foot is seventeen feet. 
The head of this mound is enormous in comparison with its 
body. The legs, on the other hand, are extremely small. 
The entire mound is an odd structure to be sure, and it is 
in a good state of preservation. 

Linear Mound No. 9 

This mound lies northeast of the preceding effigy mound 
No. 8, and its dimensions are sixteen feet wide, fifty-three 



118 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 4 

feet long and two feet high. There is a shallow depression 
near its western extremity due to the up-rooting and the 
falling of a large oak tree that was approximately two and 
one-half feet in diameter. I would judge this tree to have 
been about 175-200 years old. This linear mound occupies 
a plot of ground immediately on the edge of the high land 
that, from this point, slopes at about a 45 degree angle down 
to the lake shore. It is also in the clearing and is in a good 
state of preservation. It may be said here that all the 
mounds mentioned so far occupy ground that is very suit- 
able for cottages or summer homes. Thus, the future 
security of the mounds is not very well assured. 

Panther Effigy Mound No. 10 

This is a fine specimen of a "panther" or ''water spirit" 
mound. The length from the head to the end of the tail is 
one hundred and forty-eight feet. The greatest width of 
the mound is thirty-three feet, which is measured from the 
shoulder to the bottom of the fore-leg. The body trend is 
fifteen degrees south of west. I have formerly erroneously 
reported this mound as a ''turtle" effigy and the mistake 
was due to the result of some very early excavation that 
someone had performed at the shoulder of this mound. The 
excavated dirt had been left to remain in such a position as 
to give a casual observer the impression that this heap of 
earth was another appendage of the mound. On the tail 
of this effigy is a stump of a large oak tree which has an- 
nular rings that indicate the mound was erected sometime 
before the year 1700, as there are 225 annular rings and the 
tree was probably cut in 1925. This mound is three feet 
ten inches high near the shoulder and is slightly lower near 
the hip. From this point the tail gradually tapers down to 
a few inches in height. There is a small washout of sand 
through the tail. This mound is in a position very similar 
to that of mound No. 9, except that the legs and tail of the 
mound lie on the slope of land leading down to the lake 
shore. 

Bear ( ?) Effigy Mound No. 11 

This peculiarly shaped mound lies just off the tail of the 
preceding "panther" mound to the south. It is thirty-six 
feet long and thirty-one feet from head to foot. Whether 



Mounds on Pleasant Lake. 119 

or not it represents an animal is difficult to ascertain from 
appearances. Its height is almost four feet at the center. 
It is in a perfect state of preservation and is located in the 
clearing. 

Linear Mound No. 12 

This mound lies to the east of mound No. 11 and is a 
rather low structure, being only one and one-half feet high. 
Its dimensions are sixteen by thirty-five feet. It is in a 
clearing and is situated near the edge of a wooded ravine 
that contains the ''chain" mounds. 

Conical Mound No. 13 

This mound is very low and is very easily overlooked. 
Upon careful observation it was found to be eighteen feet in 
diameter and about six inches high. This point is on the 
edge of the oak woods. 

Linear Mounds Nos. 14 and 15 

These mounds could almost be called "bi-linear" for a dis- 
tance of only two feet separates the west end of No. 14 
from the east end of No. 15. Both are in a perfect state of 
preservation, and are located in the oak woods directly 
south of mound No. 10. No. 14 is seventeen feet wide and 
is ninety-six feet long. The height is two and one-half feet. 
The trend is W. 15° S. Mound No. 15 is fifteen feet wide 
by one hundred and thirty-five feet long and is two feet 
three inches high. 

The Three Bears 

Mounds Nos. 16, 17 and 18 

Here is a very interesting group of three effigy mounds. 
Their outlines, I believe, are very peculiar to the more com- 
mon type of **bear" mounds, as each has a clearly defined 
head which slopes downward to about the level of the fore- 
leg. They are all located in the oak woods and are in good 
condition. 

Mound No. 16, which is the largest of the three, is one 
hundred feet in length. Its greatest width is forty-three 
feet and it is approximately three feet high. A path, worn 
by cattle, cuts diagonally across the center of the body. 



120 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 4 

Mound No. 17 is forty-four feet from shoulder to foot and 
is ninety-two feet long. It is three feet two inches high 
near the shoulder. 

Mound No. 18 is the smallest, being thirty-six feet from 
shoulder to foot, and seventy-four feet in length. The 
height is two and one-half feet. 

Oval Mound No. 19 

Just off the head of ''bear" effigy No. 18 is a low oval 
mound, approximately ten inches in height. It is twenty by 
twenty-eight feet, and is in good condition. 

Conical Mound No. 20 

This mound has several young oak trees growing upon it. 
It is twenty-five feet in diameter and is about one foot high. 

Linear Mound No. 21 

This is a fine specimen of a linear mound, being especially 
prominent in outline. It is fifty-two feet long by twenty 
feet wide and is about two and one-half feet high. These 
mounds are all in the woods close to a ravine on the east. 

Conical Mound No. 22 

This is a very low mound, being only about eight inches 
high and twenty feet in diam;3ter. 

Crescent-Shaped Linear Mound No. 23 

As far as I know, this is the only crescent shaped mound 
in this locality. It is a perfect one. There is, however, 
much underbrush and dead timber upon its surface. It is 
twenty-one feet wide throughout and is ninety feet long, the 
height being just over three feet. 

Linear Mound No. 24 

This mound is three feet high and is twenty-two feet 
wide by sixty-five feet long. These sections lie quite a dis- 
tance back from the lake. 



CHAIN MOUNDS 

Just east of mound No. 13 of the South Bay Group is the 
first of a group of four mounds, Nos. 25 to 28, inclusive. 
These mounds link those of the South Bay Group with the 
Schuette Group. They are very low with the exception of 



Mounds on Pleasant Lake. 121 

No. 28 which is about two feet high. They rest upon a 
more or less level lowland that is the mouth of a ravine 
which extends back from the lake southward, almost as far 
as Mound 24 of the South Bay Group. 

Mound No. 26 was partially dug away by some early ex- 
cavator (see Fig. 21). he dimensions of the mounds 
are as follows: conical mound No. 25 is 20 feet in diam- 
eter by 1 foot high; conical mound No. 26 is 15 feet in diam- 
eter and about 8 inches in height; oval mound No. 27 is 
twenty-one by thirty-four feet and just short of two feet 
high; conical mound No. 28 is twenty -two feet in diameter 
and about two feet high. All of these mounds are located 
in dense underbrush near the lake shore. 



SCHUETTE MOUND GROUP 

These mounds, Nos. 29 to 48, inclusive (Fig. 23), are 
all located on the southeast and east shores of the south bay 
of Pleasant Lake, NEVi, NWl^ of Sec. 4, Springfield twp., 
Marinette County. Mounds 47 and 48 extend over into the 
SE14, SE14, SWiA of Sec. 33, Coloma twp., Waushara 
County. This group of Indian mounds is so named after a 
Mr. Schuette who owns a cottage that was built upon short 
poles over and on top of linear mound No. 36. This mound 
was formerly ten feet wide by one hundred feet long, but 
since Mr. Schuette decided to build a basement under his 
cottage, only about four feet of the northeast end of the 
mound still remains. The rest of the mound was destroyed 
in 1930. Mr. Schuette stated that no remains or imple- 
ments were found in its destruction. When I last visited 
this group in 1931, all of the remaining mounds were still 
intact. Of the schuette Group of Indian mounds, ten are 
linear, five are conical, four are oval and one is an effigy 
mound of xhe *'bear" type, making a total of twenty mounds. 
A brief detailed description of each will follow. The land 
upon which they rest is fairly level and is quite low when 
compared with the other shores of the lake. Many of these 
mounds have been dug into during the past years. They 
average higher than the South Bay Group, and are very 
prominent. 



122 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 12, No. 4 




SCHUETTE MOUND GPOUP 



M<und MO iS b*lon<),» t» Md i» rtfraMnUd 
Put No 3 ,'Choin Group" wkuk consUU e< 4 

not i»tO &• intlulivc 



Tk.'t Plot indi'cottv * ^etr of meundt on th( CiSt 
SKoro o< iWe South boY of PlMsant loko . 



iZ 



Ci 



-.raicuniAmH /«M 



Fig. 23. 



Mounds on IMeasant I^ake. 123 

Linear Mound No. 29 

This mound lies back in the woods, quite a distance from 
the lake shore. It is eighteen feet wide by thirty-five feet 
long and is about two feet in height. It is in a good state 
of preservation. 

Oval Mound No. 30 

This mound is nineteen by twenty-seven feet and is two 
and one-half feet high. It also is in good condition. 

Linear Mound No. 31 

The dimensions of this mound are eighteen by thirty- 
eight feet. It is one and one-half feet high, and is in a good 
state of preservation. 

Linear Mound No. 32 

This mound is about two feet high, forty feet long and 
seventeen feet wide, and is in fair condition. 

Conical Mound No. 33 

This mound is tw^enty-four feet in diameter and is two 
and one-half feet high. There is a circular pit in the center 
of the mound. 

Linear Mound No. 34 

This mound is seventy feet in length by sixteen feet in 
width, and is approximately three feet high. The mound is 
located in a clearing and is in a good state of preservation. 

Linear Mound No. 35 

This is a very prominent mound, being three and one- 
half feet high. It is fifty feet long and twenty-five feet 
in width, and it also is located in a cleared plot of land. 

Linear Mound No. 36 

This mound is eighteen by seventy-five feet and is slightly 
over three feet high. It is situated in a clearing and is in 
a good state of preservation. 

Linear Mound No. 37 

This mound was formerly (before 1930) one hundred feet 
long by only ten feet wide. All but four feet of it has since 
been obliterated. It was two feet six inches high. The 
Schuette cottage now occupies the plot upon which this 
mound was built. 



124 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. ♦ Vol. 12, No. 4 

Conical Mound No. 38 

This mound is sixteen feet in diameter and is three feet 
high. It reveals evidence of former diggings. 

Oval Mound No. 39 

This mound is seventeen by twenty feet and is two and 
one-half feet high. It is in a clearing and is in a good state 
of preservation. 

Conical Mound No. 40 

This mound is three and one-half feet high and is twenty- 
seven feet in diameter. It has a circular pit near its center. 

Linear Mound No. 41 

This mound is seventeen feet wide by thirty feet long and 
is almost three feet high. It is in a wooded section. 

Conical Mound No. 42 

This mound, which has a circular pit near the center, is 
twenty-five feet in diameter and is one and one-half feet in 
height. 

Conical Mound No. 43 

This mound also is twenty-five feet in diameter, but it is 
three feet high. It is in a good state of preservation and it 
has several oak trees on it. 

Bear Effigy Mound No. 44 

This is another of the so-called "bear" types and is very 
much after the pattern of the south bay bears, with the ex- 
ception that it represents the right side of the animal while 
the left side is illustrated in the 'Three Bears". It is in a 
good state of preservation and is situated about forty feet 
from the shore line. 

Linear Mound No. 45 

This mound is eighteen by sixty feet and is two and one- 
half feet high. A narrow road cuts through its western 
portion leaving about five feet on that side of the mound and 
thirty-eight feet on the east portion. Careful examination 
of the "cut" revealed no evidence of any kind. 



Mounds on Pleasant Lake. 125 

Oval Mound No. 46 

This mound is twenty feet wide and thirty feet long and 
is two feet high. It has a circular pit ten feet from its 
southern extremity. It is situated close to the lake shore. 

Oval Mound No. 47 

This mound is nineteen feet long by fifteen feet wide, and 
is one and one-half feet high. It also has a circular pit near 
the center. 

Linear Mound No. 48 

This mound is ninety-two feet long, nineteen feet wide 
and three feet high. It is situated near the point of this 
plot of land known as Lutherburg. These sections lie just 
across the south bay from the Hine linear mound on the 
west shore. 



BUTLER MOUND GROUP 

On the southeast shore of the largest portion of Pleasant 
Lake is a group of nine mounds, SEl^ of SEl^ of SEl^ of 
Sec. 33, Coloma twp., Waushara County. Of this group, 
three are linear, five are conical, and one is a ''panther" 
effigy mound (Fig. 24). This section of the lake shore is 
high and wooded and the soil is of sand. Mounds 49 to 55, 
inclusive, are in this wooded area ,while mounds 56 and 57 
are in a clearing to the east of this minor group. 

Linear Mound No. 49 

This mound is twenty-five feet long (that is, the remain- 
ing portion of the mound) and is sixteen feet in width. The 
height is about two and one-half feet. The Butler cottage 
cuts off about one-third of the east end of the mound. 

Conical Mound No. 50 

This is a small mound that is sixteen feet in diameter 
and two feet in height. It is in a good state of preserva- 
tion. 

Linear Mound No. 51 

This mound is three feet high, and is eighty -four feet long 
by seventeen feet wide. It is also in good condition. 



126 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. 



Vol. 12, No. 4 




Mounds on Pleasant Lake. 127 

Linear Mound No. 52 

This mound is only thirty-two feet long by fifteen feet 
wide, and is approximately three feet high. 

Conical Mound No. 53 

This is the most beautiful conical mound as well as the 
most perfect mound of this type on the lake. It is twenty- 
seven feet in diameter, four and one-half feet high, and is 
in a perfect state of preservation. 

Conical Mound No. 54 

This mound is somewhat smaller than the preceding 
mound as it is nineteen feet in diameter and three feet two 
inches in height. 

Panther Effigy Mound No. 55 

This effigy mound is extremely interesting because it ap- 
pears that the entire mound was not built at one time. On 
the contrary, it was constructed at two different periods. 
I am convinced that the original mound was an oval-shaped 
mound but later it was improved upon and an effigy was the 
ultimate result. The oval part of the mound is four feet 
in height while the legs and tail are only about one foot 
high. It is in exceptionally good condition and is burdened 
with a few oak trees on its body and tail. 

Conical Mound No. 56 

This mound is twenty-seven feet in diameter and is ap- 
proximately two feet in height. It is in a fair state of 
preservation and is located between the lake shore and the 
section road. 

Conical Mound No. 57 

This mound is twenty-four feet in diameter and is about 
one and one-half feet high. It has a pit near the center. 

This entire report is only of the mounds of which I have 
so far obtained accurate dimensions. As the Archeological 
map will show, there are still several small groups of In- 
dian mounds in this locality of which I have no detailed 
record, except that I know that the groups are in such posi- 
tions as are designated upon the map. I might mention 
here that there is a group of large conical mounds, about 
fourteen or fifteen in number, at a place designated on the 



128 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 4 

map as the Muske Group. From one of these mounds I 
was able to obtain some of the burial remains of four indi- 
viduals. However, I did not excavate the mound. 

There is also a small group of conical mounds on the north 
shore of Pleasant Lake, as well as one lone panther effigy 
near this group. These, I shall enter as additions to this 
record as soon as' possible. 

SOME ODD INDIAN TOOLS 

Geo. Overton 

The implements used by prehistoric people constitute the 
major part of the evidence we have which enables us to 
reconstruct a history of their activities. An implement 
which is common on village sites over a large area will in- 
dicate by its scarcity or abundance whether the articles it 
was designed to make were in general or occasional use. I 
believe we should make a closer classification of our artifacts 
under the guidance of our able leaders and file a census of 
them so that future students may have abundant data avail- 
able. Too much stress has been placed on the unusual or 
the spectacular, such as weapons, pipes, ornaments and 
ceremonials. The common everyday tools have not had 
their proper share of studious attention by the amateur 
archeologist. So long as we fail to supply definite informa- 
tion of our activities our leaders will be handicapped in 
forming definite conclusions. 

A tool which we often find is similar in outline and size 
to a common arrow head. One side is flat or may be 
slightly concave so the end has a distinct downward turn. 
Chipping is done largely from the flat side, making the other 
side rounded. Locally we refer to these artifacts as "turtle 
backs". They are made of several kinds of stone. I have 
one formed out of a chip of common field 'hard head", sev- 
eral of grey chert, one of white quartzite, two of a brown 
flint from an ancient beach, and a beautifully made speci- 
men of chalcedony. This latter piece was found on the old 
Clark's Beach Campsite back in 1893. Practically all of 
these pieces have a well-formed tang. How this tool was 
hafted or what use was made of it is yet problematical. 

A small triangular scraper is quite common on the old 



Some Odd Indian Tools. 129 

sites along our part of the Fox river. This little artifact is 
from % inch to 1 inch long and is made of all our common 
flints and of quartzite. Seen from one side it closely resem- 
bles the small triangular bird points. Some are very deli- 
cately chipped while others are more crudely formed, but 
about them all there is a sameness that permits a definite 
classification. They are made of quite thin flakes worked 
from one side only, but do not have the pronounced hump 
of the 'turtle backs'. This little tool must not be confused 
with small specimens of the 'snub nosed' tanning scraper, 
common to most village sites, which has a blunt semicircular 
working edge. 

A crudely formed tool quite often found in our locality, we 
call, for want of a better name, a round nosed spud. This 
is also a flat sided tool. The flat side may curve slightly 
toward the edges. There is always a distinct upward turn 
of the flat side toward the cutting end. The cutting edge 
is chipped from the flat side only at the time the final shape 
is given the tool. The point is generally rounded, measur- 
ing from y2-inch to 1-inch in diameter. While the working 
end is well and often nicely formed there appears little and 
sometimes no attempt to form a tang. These spuds may 
be almost any shape as though an irregular piece of flint 
were taken from workshop debris and a projection worked 
to form the desired tool. The specimens we have found 
are from 11/2 inch to 2l^ inches long and are grey chert. 

We also flnd a few spuds which have the cutting end 
brought to a point like an arrow head, but with the dis- 
tinguishing characteristics of the upturned point. What 
might be called the lower side is flat or slightly convex. 
While some of this variety are crudely formed with little 
or no attempt to shape a tang, others are reworked over 
the major portion of their surfaces. Several are similar in 
outline to a leaf-shaped arrow point. Two in particular, one 
of a fine grained grey flint and one of yellow quartzite, are 
among the finest examples of concoidal flaking in our collec- 
tion. The artizans who made these artifacts possessed the 
ability to shape stone exactly to their will. The outstand- 
ing characteristics of these and similar pieces show with- 
out question that these artifacts had a deflnite place among 
the tools with which those people of old carved out a living. 



130 WTSCONStN ARCHR<lLOGIST. Vol. 12, No. 4 



ARCHEOLOGICAL NOTES 

Announcement 

This is the last number of this periodical to be published with state 
funds. Its brevity is accounted for by the fact that the amount re- 
maining available from the state's appropriation would not permit 
a more expensive edition. This in no way establishes a precedent in 
the size of our publication, in spite of the fact that it must be financed 
from now on out of the general fund accruing from dues. To be sure 
we must economize, but substantial economies are possible without a 
material reduction in the size or quality of the Archeologist. In the 
first place, a marked reduction in the cost of publishing has been ac- 
complished through engaging the services of a different printing con- 
cern. Second, the size of each issue will be held close to a maximum 
of thirty-two pages. Third, all illustrative cuts over a maximum of 
two pages per issue must be financed by the contributors. As a re- 
sult, the Publication Committee pledges a continuance of established 
standards in interest and quality for your paper, depending, of course, 
upon the extent to which members of the Society contribute articles; 
naturally, the committee should not and does not propose to write 
the paper themselves. We solicit your continued and augmented 
support. 

— The Publication Committee. 

Field Work 

Continued research of an anthropological nature is planned in Wis- 
consin by the State Historical Museum under the direction of Chas. 
E. Brown. It is hoped that the Green Bay Public Museum can be 
active in the field with Theodore T. Brown in command. Aside from 
analytical laboratory work, the Milwaukee Public Museum will not 
be able to engage in any research. Many members of the Society have 
expressed their expectations to engage in archeological survey work 
in various parts of the state. 

Midwest archeologists outside of Wisconsin plan to enter the re- 
search field to a promising extent. Dr. Earl H. Bell will excavate old 
Siouan sites in Nebraska. Students of the University of Minnesota, 
under the direction of Dr. A. E. Jenks, plan archeological research 
in that state. Glenn Black, for the Indiana Historical Society, will 
examine Adena and Fort Ancient cultural sites in Dearborn County, 
Indiana. Archeologists of the University of Chicago, headed by 
Thome Deuel under the direction of Dr. Fay-Cooper Cole, are now at 
work near Joliet and will engage in other research projects in Illinois. 
Dr. Charles R. Keyes will continue his study of Iowa Woodland and 
Oneota cultures augmented by field survey work. James Griffin, at 
the National Research Council Ceramic Repository, University of 
Michigan, has started on an intensive study of pottery for the east- 
ern half of the United States. 

Miscellaneous 

The famous old fortress of Louisburg, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, 
is being restored by government engineers. The fort was built by 
the French in 1700, and at that time was one of the strongest fort- 
resses in North America. Its capture by an expeditionary force 
from New England in 1745 was one of the major military exploits 
of the 18th century. 



Archeolog-ical Notes. 131 



New Publications 

The Department of Indian Art, Denver Art Museum, has issued the 
following leaflets: No. 55, Tribes of the Southwest, March, 1933; 
No. 56, Colors in Indian Arts — Their Sources and uses, March, 1933; 
No. 57, The Virginia Indian Tribes— 17th century, April, 1933; No. 3 
(2nd Edition), Navaho Spinning, Dyeing and Weaving, April, 1933. 

The 3rd report on the Archeological Survey of Eastern Colorado, by 
E. B. Renaud, University of Denver, Dept. of Anthropology, has been 
released. March, 1933, 

A recent issue of the American Anthropologist, Vol. 35, No. 2, 1933, 
contains interesting articles as follows: The Plains Culture in the 
Light of Archaeology, by W. D. Strong; Has the X-Ray a Place in the 
Archaeological Laboratory? by P. F. Titterington. There are other 
articles by Ellen S. Spinden, Robt. H. Lowie, Eugene Golomshtok and 
Hartley B. Alexander. 



f:- 






lf0L 13 ®rt0tor, X933 No. X 

NEW SERIES 



PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



The Society is a state department, receiving a part of its support 
from the state. Its funds are under state control. Its work is well 
and widely known. It has received the approval of leading American 
archeologists, who agree that it deserves the full support of all Wis- 
consin citizens interested in the state's archeological history. 

The Society's activities comprise the location, recording, investi- 
gating and preservation of Wisconsin Indian remains, folklore and 
history, all of which are rapidly disappearing and must be recorded 
and saved immediately if ever. 

Through its efforts many fine groups of Indian earthworks and 
other aboriginal monuments and remains have been permanently pre- 
served to the public. Most have been marked with descriptive metal 
tablets. Others are being protected. Surveys and explorations have 
been conducted in many sections of the state. 

It is also engaged in encouraging the establishment of public mu- 
seums and collections and in discouraging the manufacture and sale 
of fraudulent antiquities. 

Regular monthly meetings of the Society are held during the 
months September to May, inclusive, in the Trustees' Room of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum. Meetings are open to the public. No 
regular meetings are held during the months June to August, inclu- 
sive. Special field meetings are occasionally held during the vacation 
months. 

The results of its research and other activities are made known 
through its regular quarterly publication. The Wisconsin Archeologist. 
Thirty volumes have appeared. The Society has a large membership 
distributed through every part of the state. 

It is co-operating to the fullest extent with all of the various 
scientific and educational organizations and institutions of Wisconsin. 






IffoL U (©rtob^r, 1933 No- 1 

NEW SERIES 



PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 






rncorporated March 23, 1903, for the purpose of advancing the study 
and preservation of Wisconsin antiquities 



OFFICERS 

PRESIDENT 

W. C. McKern 



W. W. Gilman 
Dr. A. L. Kastner 



VICE-PRESIDENTS 

R. J. Kieckhefer E. F. Richter 

Dr. H. W. Kuhm 



Charles E. Brown 
Rev. F. S. Dayton 
W. W. Gilman 
Dr. A. L. Kastner 



Joseph Ringeisen, Jr. 

J. G. Gregory 

A. P. Kannenberg 

Mrs. Theo. Koerner 

G. R. Zilisch 

T. L. Miller 

Dr. E. J. W. Notz 



DIRECTORS 

R. J. Kieckhefer 
Dr. H. W. Kuhm 
W. C. McKern 

ADVISORY COUNCIL 

Marie Kohler 

Arthur Gerth 

Paul Joers 

Rev. F. S. Dayton 

Dr. Louise P. Kellogg 

Louis Pierron 

Dr. L. S. Buttles 



Charles G. Schoewe 
G. M. Thorne 
George A. West 



T. T. Brown 
Dr. Ralph Linton 
A. T. Newman 
Dr. S. A. Barrett 
Dr. Orrin Thompson 
Marshall Cousins 



TREASURER 

G. M. Thorne 
National Bank of Commerce, Milwaukee, Wis. 



SECRETARY 

Charles E. Brown 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wis. 



COMMITTEES 

REGULAR 

STATE SURVEY— M. F. Hulburt, David A. Blencoe, Walter S. Duns- 
moor, S. W. Faville, 0. L. Hollister, Dr. A. L. Kastner, Dr. F. G. 
Logan, T. M. N. Lewis, W. M. Maier, T. L. Miller, Geo. F. Overton, 
Col. R. S. Owen, Geo. L. Pasco, J. P. Schumacher, J. J. Knudsen, 

E. R. Guentzel. 

MOUND PRESERVATION— Theodore T. Brown, Dr. E. G. Bruder, 
H. W. Cornell, Mrs. W. J. Devine, Col. Howard Greene, A. H. 
Griffith, Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, Mrs. F. R. Melcher, Rev. 0. W. 
Smith, Dr. Orrin Thompson, Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Frank Weston. 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS— Milwaukee Public Museum (Dr. S. A. 
Barrett), Wisconsin State Historical Museum (Dr. Joseph Scha- 
fer), Oshkosh Public Museum (Niles J. Behnke), Green Bay Pub- 
lic Museum (Theodore T. Brown), New London Museum (Rev. 

F. S. Dayton), Lawrence College (Prof. J. B. MacHarg), La 
Crosse State Teachers College (Prof. A. H. Sanford), Kohler 
Museum (Miss Marie Kohler), Logan Museum (Paul H. Nesbitt), 
Minnesota State Historical Museum (Willoughby M. Babcock), 
St. Francis Museum (Rev. A. J. Muench). 

MEMBERSHIP— Chas. G. Schoewe, Carl Baur, Dr. W. H. Brown, 
Dr. L. S. Buttles, K. Freckman, Arthur Gerth, Paul Joers, Mrs. 
Anna F. Johnson, Mrs. Hans A. Olson, Louis Pierron, A. R. 
Rogers, C. G. Weyl, Geo. Wright, W. F. Yahr. 

STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL PARKS— R. P. Ferry, W. W. Gilmore, 
Walter Holstein, D. S. Howland, A. P. Kannenberg, Prof. A. H. 
Sanford, Ray Van Handel. 

PUBLICITY— J. G. Gregory, A. 0. Barton, R. K. Coe, E. R. Mclntyre. 

SPECIAL 

BIOGRAPHY— Miss R. T. Campbell, Paul Joers, Mrs. Theo. Koerner, 
Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Chas. G. Schoewe, Dr. A. L. Kastner, Dr. 
H. W. Kuhm. 

FRAUDULENT ARTIFACTS— Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., E. F. Richter, 
Geo. A. West. 

PROGRAM— Dr. H. W. Kuhm, W. E. Erdman, Alton K. Fisher, Dr. 
A. L. Kastner, G. M. Thorne. 

MARKING MILWAUKEE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES— R. J. Kieck- 
hefer, Dr. Paul Jenkins, Milo C. Richter, Geo. A. West, L. R. 
Whitney. 

PUBLICATION— Dr. Ira Edwards, Dr. H. W. Kuhm, Alton K. Fisher. 

LAPHAM RESEARCH MEDAL— Dr. S. A. Barrett, Dr. A. L. Kast- 
ner, Milo C. Richter, Chas. G. Schoewe, Geo. A. West. 



MEMBERSHIP FEES 

Life Members, $25.00 Endowment Members, $500.00 

Sustaining Members, $5.00 Annual Members, $2.00 

Institutional Members, $1.50 Junior Members, $ .50 

All communications in regard to the Wisconsin Archeological Society should 
be addressed to Charles E. Brown, Secretary and Curator, Office, State Historical 
Museum, Madison, Wisconsin. Contributions to the Wisconsin Archeologist should 
be addressed to Dr. Ira Edwards, Editor, Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 
or to the Secretary. Dues should be sent to G. M. Thorne, Treasurer, National 
Bank of Commerce, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 



CONTENTS 



Vol. 13, No. 1, New Series 

ARTICLES 

Page 

Nebraska Archaeology, Earl H. Bell 1 

The Cahokia Mound Group and Its Surface Material, P. F. Titterington_ 7 

Copper Spearpoints from Reedsburg and Wisconsin Dells, Milton F. 

Hulburt... 15 

An Unusual Spirit Stone, M. S. Thomson 18 

Archeological Notes __ _ 20 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Copper spearpoints from Reedsburg and Wisconsin Dells Frontispiece 

Figure Page 

1. Types of Cahokia points ._ _._ Opposite 9 

2. Types of large stone implements from Cahokia Opposite 11 

3. Artificially carved stone from the Rock River 19 



i 



Publislied Quarterly by the Wisconsin Archeologrical Society 

VOL. 13 MILWAUKEE, WIS., OCTOBER, 1933 NO. I 

New Series 



NEBRASKA ARCHAEOLOGY 

Earl H. Bell 

History 

In this paper it is my desire to outline briefly the archae- 
ological cultures of Nebraska as we now know them. 
Archaeology in Nebraska is yet in its infancy and most of 
what is known has not yet been published. The earliest 
work was done in the early nineteen hundreds by amateurs 
living in the eastern part of the state. Chief among these 
was Dr. R. F. Gilder of Omaha, who discovered the so-called 
''Nebraska Loess Man", and Dr. Edwin H. Barbour of the 
Department of Geology. The first systematic work was done 
by F. H. Sterns, who wrote a doctorate thesis on the archae- 
ology of Nebraska. This thesis is in storage at the Ameri- 
can Museum, but a portion of it was published in the Ameri- 
can Anthropologist'. 

Later on Mr. A. T. Hill moved to Hastings, Nebraska. 
Mr. Hill is a most careful worker. He is best known for his 
location of the Pawnee site near Red Cloud, Nebraska, 
which was visited by Zebulon Pike in 1806'. Mr. Hill con- 
tinued work and through his influence the Hastings Museum 
was organized. This museum contains the largest and best 
collection of Nebraska archaeological specimens, all carefully 
catalogued. Besides this Mr. Hill has a complete record of 
all the information which goes with the material. His work 
is of the highest caliber, equal to that of any trained archae- 
ologist. Since the establishment of the University of Ne- 
braska Archaeological Survey he has co-operated with it. 



' Sterns, F. H., "Stratification of Cultures in Eastern Nebraska", 
American Anthropologist, 17, 121. 

"" Nebraska History Magazine, July-Sept., 1927. The entire issue 
is devoted to this site. 



2 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 1 

In 1929 Dr. William Duncan Strong came to the Univer- 
sity and organized the survey which has had a party in the 
field each summer since that time. The first publication 
resulting from their work will appear in the next annual 
report of the Bureau of American Ethnology. 

Nature 

Unlike the eastern areas of the United States, there are 
few if, indeed, any artificial mounds. The campsites re- 
semble those of other areas except for the nature of the 
artifacts. I would say that they are on the average about 
as rich in artifacts as those of Wisconsin. It must be re- 
membered, however, that Nebraska does not have such an 
intensive network of rivers as the woodland areas, and sites 
are correspondingly far apart. 

Our most outstanding surface features are house depres- 
sions and circles. Before the advent of the horse, and after 
the introduction of agriculture, most Nebraska Indians ap- 
pear to have been settled in contrast to the modern plains 
Indians of the historic period. Some tribes, notably the 
Pawnee, retained this characteristic well into historic times. 
These settled tribes built semi-subterranean earth covered 
houses which are in some cases yet discernable as depres- 
sions, sometimes encircled by a low embankment formed by 
the roof covering which was washed to the margins of the 
houses. 

Unfortunately erosion in this state is rapid and, since 
the villages were often on the terraces, in many cases all 
surface indications have been covered with several feet of 
earth. To find these villages one must search for a likely 
place. Visualize a plain without a scrap of pottery, a piece 
of flint, or a mound. Then test-pits must be dug in search 
for traces of burnt earth, charcoal, artifacts or other indica- 
tions of the floor of a house. The technique of excavation 
is to uncover the floor, discover the center and outer post 
holes, and trace the outline of the house and entrance by 
the post holes. This technique was developed by Mr. A. T. 
Hill. 

When the houses were destroyed by fire we are exceed- 
ingly fortunate as such houses contain many more artifacts 
than those which were vacated. In many of the houses as 



II 



I 



Nebraska Archaeology 3 

well as in the area outside of them, there are often cache 
pits which are sometimes rich in artifacts stored there. But 
more often they are barren. 

The burials are usually on high ground, most often on 
hilltops, and are frequently of the ossuary type, that is, the 
bodies are first exposed and then, at more or less regular 
intervals, the bones are placed in the hilltop ossuaries, after 
the pattern of the Iroquois. In most cases the individuals 
do not appear to have been bundled and few artifacts except 
shell beads are buried with them. 

Cultures and Culture Sequences 

We shall now turn to the established cultures and their 
stratigraphic sequence in so far as we know this. However, 
it is necessary to keep in mind that what is written here is 
only a tentative outline. Much must be filled in and many 
changes will be made as more information is obtained. 
Nebraska is a large state and only a small portion of it has 
been worked to date. 

At the lowest level we find a very old non-pottery culture. 
This was first discovered in association with extinct species 
of bison (usually Bison occidentalis) , The first discovery 
should be credited to Mr. F. G. Meserve of the Grand Island 
College, who found a dart point in a bison quarry near Grand 
Island'. Later Mr. C. Bertrand Schultz found similar points 
at two other sites* and my attention was called to a fourth 
site'. The points, although they have only a vague resem- 
blance to the Folsom type found in Folsom, New Mexico, are 
clearly too large for arrow points and were probably used 
to tip spears. 

On Signal Butte near Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Dr. Strong 
of the Bureau of American Ethnology excavated a stratified 
site, the bottom two layers of which represented a non-pot- 
tery culture. While it cannot be established definitely as 



Meserve, F. G., and Barbour, Erwin H., "Association of an Arrow- 
point with Bison Occidentalis", Nebraska State Museum Bulletin 27, 
1932, Vol. 1, pp. 239-243. 

* Schultz, Bertrand, "Association of Artifacts and Extinct Mammals 
in Nebraska", Nebraska State Museum Bulletin 33, 1932, Vol. 1, pp. 
271-282. 

^ Bell, Earl H., and Van Royen, W., "Investigation of a site in 
western Nebraska yielding- artifacts embedded in a sand cliff". Science 
Service Research Aid Announcement, No. 181. 



4 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 1 

yet, there are certain physiographic resemblances between 
the formation of the culture-bearing portion of Signal Butte 
and some of the deep sites. Moreover, there are also a few 
resemblances between the artifacts of the Butte and the 
other sites. Hence they may very likely be contemporary. 

Although there is a possibility of these sites being of 
Pre- Wisconsin age, such antiquity is as yet far from proved. 
So far as we are concerned, it is necessary only to say that 
they as yet represent the earliest known Nebraska culture. 

The next established culture is thus far known in 
Nebraska by only one site located in the eastern part of 
the state, near Murray, Nebraska", but also occurs across 
the river in Iowa. In both states it is buried from 20 to 22 
feet beneath the surface. This is our oldest known pottery 
site in Nebraska. We have one complete and one restored 
pot and many sherds from this site. The paste is grit tem- 
pered and granular. The pots have a pointed base and a 
slightly constricted neck with no handle or lugs. Some are 
perfectly plain, while others are cord marked, and still 
others have the imprint of reeds upon the surface. 

The pottery of this culture bears a marked resemblance 
to the "Lake Michigan" ware of Wisconsin and probably rep- 
resents the Western aspect of the Lake Michigan phase of 
the Woodland basic culture. 

We are exceedingly fortunate in Nebraska to have yet 
another clue to culture sequences. This time it is the re- 
ports of early travelers which aids us in establishing a cul- 
tural stratigraphy. In the records of the early explorers 
frequent mention is made of round, semi-subterranean 
houses. Rectangular houses of this type are typical of many 
archaeological sites, but not once are these mentioned by 
the travelers. Hence we may judge the square house people 
to have preceded the builders of the round houses. 

High on the bluffs of the Missouri Valley we have a 
square house group who made a grit tempered pottery which 
tends to be flaky rather than granular. The body is ellip- 
soidal or globular with a rounded base, the rim flaring, and 
the lip scalloped or notched. Both loop handles and lugs, 
either pierced and unpierced, are common. Many of the 



"Sterns, F. H., "Stratification of Cultures in Eastern Nebraska' 
American Anthropologist, 17, 121. 



Nebraska Archaeology 



pots are smooth and undecorated but cord marking is also 
frequent. At some sites incised designs are the rule. 

It will be noted that this appears to be a varient of the 
well known Upper Mississippi phase of the Mississippi basic 
culture. We now know several Nebraska components of this 
culture. 

There seems to have been another square house people 
centering in the central portion of the state. While the 
houses bear a close resemblance to those of the Missouri 
Valley, there are certain marked differences in cultural de- 
terminants. For instance, the villages of the Missouri were 
built on the bluffs, while those to the west are located on 
the river terraces. The pottery is also markedly different. 
While the Missouri type in the main has a neck which is 
little more than the line of juncture between the flaring rim 
and the contracting upper walls of the body, those of the 
central part of the state have an angular neck and a well 
developed collar, usually wedge shaped. Cord marking is 
highly developed and designs are often applied by that tech- 
nique. The bases are not conoidal nor yet rounded. This 
pottery, though apparently not the houses, reached the west- 
ern margin of Nebraska where it is known to occur in rock 
shelters and the upper level of Signal Butte. 

If these people do not represent the early Pawnee, they 
certainly exerted an important influence upon their culture. 
From one site we have evidence that they changed from the 
square to the round house which was the pattern of the 
Pawnee lodge. 

The Pawnee who built round houses are the next people 
with whom we deal. Their culture is similar to that of the 
square house people of central Nebraska with two notable 
exceptions, pipes and pottery. The square house people had 
pottery pipes with the bowls frequently in human effigy, 
while the Pawnee preferred stone pipes. The pottery of the 
Pawnee is characterized by a highly developed high collar 
and a globular bowl. 

The following table represents the known cultures. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 1 







1 


LOUse people 
nd Pawnee 


►Square house 
ottery of Upper 


a; 
aj 




0) 


Michigan 
hase 


1 






< 


3 


3 


C6 

o 








fl 
P 






S 


^ 


m 


A d, 














Ob 










73 


>» 

3 


8 






1 




^ 
g 












'm 


1 
1 






§ 




g 










! 




§ 






2; 




o> 




h 


0) 




1 




o 










feq 


P^ 




'o 




y 














&2 


PQ 


-M 






^ 


















a 

1 


Q) 




O 










b 
^ 






< 


§ 


02 

o 


C 
^ 


0) 










a 






P4 






P-i 


P-4 

3 










§ 




O 
^ 


w 


3 

w 


3 
O 




c^ 










;z; 




^ 


o 


s 


P^ 




> k 














OQ 
























^ 
§ 










1 










-2 

-4-2 

o 


o 

s 


s^ 


p^ 
P5 


1 






2J5 


-2 








1 








4-> 

a„ 






Sg 










n3 




p^ 


1 






«-2 
= 1 


a 










.2 




H 


.Si g 

O 






<u 








fl 


o 




CO 






•13 ^ 


1 








1 


i 




H 








as 


cc 










03 




^ 


s 






.2? > 

m as 












1 












Q 


































0) 
























a 
























& 



The Cahokia Mound Group and Its Surface Material 



THE CAHOKIA MOUND GROUP AND ITS 
SURFACE MATERIAL 

P. F. Titterington 

The Cahokia Mound group Ues in southeastern Madison 
and northeastern St. Clair counties, IlUnois, near the Mis- 
sissippi River; the boundary Hne between the two counties 
passes through the center of the group. According to Moore- 
head, there are at least eighty-five mounds scattered over an 
area of approximately three thousand acres. At the present 
time there are only fifteen or twenty of the larger mounds 
that are not under cultivation and in shape they are either 
conical or truncated rectangular pyramids. All the other 
mounds have become so defaced by the plow that their type 
cannot be determined. 

The largest mound, and incidentally the largest mound 
in North America, lies in the north central portion of the 
group. It is known locally as Monks' Mound on account of 
the Trappist Monks who lived on its summit from 1808 to 
1818. It is a truncated rectangular pyramid, 1,080 feet long, 
710 feet wide, and 100 feet high, the base covering almost 
seventeen acres. It is composed of four distinct terraces 
and a ramp that leads from the lowest terrace which is on 
the south to the original ground level. At one time there 
was a small conical mound in the center of the third terrace 
which is at the ninety-seven foot level or just three feet 
below the top or fourth terrace. 

This and several of the surrounding mounds are now 
included in a State Park^ and will be preserved for the 
proper scientific study. 

About ten miles to the north, there is a small group of 
mounds very much like the smaller Cahokia mounds. There 
is a similar group about fifteen miles to the east and another 
small group about eighteen miles to the south. In the devel- 
opment of downtown St. Louis, which lies to the west and 
across the Mississippi River, twenty-six mounds were de- 
stroyed, the largest (Big Mound) covering a square block 
at the base and rising to a height of fifty feet. Some are 
of the opinion that these outlying mounds should be included 



8 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No, 1 

in the group. In favor of this is the fact that it has not 
been uncommon in plowing and excavating to unearth arti- 
facts of the Cahokia types. 

• Moorehead states that the village site is six miles long 
and varies from several hundred yards to a mile in width, 
the heaviest occupation occurring in about five hundred 
acres south and east of Monks' Mound. In his test pits he 
found the camp refuse to vary from twenty inches to four 
or five feet in depth, and also found refuse under several 
feet of new land formed by overflow. 

The material to be reported is from the above mentioned 
village site. It is all from the surface and represents the 
efforts of one man over a period of twenty years, another 
over a period of fifteen years, and my own over a period of 
twelve years, plus material secured from the local farmers. 
Fortunately, all of it could be brought together and is now 
in my collection as a single unit. 

Dr. Cyrus Thomas states in the Twelfth Annual Report 
of the Bureau of Ethnology that nearly all relics found at 
Cahokia come from the low ground between the mounds. 
This is a well recognized fact today, it being rare to find 
an artifact on a mound, and then it is usually found on the 
lower portion, in all probability having been carried up by 
the plow. 

The greater part of the land is plowed in the fall, and 
the hunting begins after there has been a good rain. We 
know the location of the more productive areas and can usu- 
ally make ten or twelve trips before the spring planting. 
All worked flint and a large number of potsherds are picked 
up, brought in, cleaned and sorted. An average trip will 
yield eight or ten arrowheads, fifteen to twenty desirable 
sherds and an occasional piece of one of the other types. 
We have made trips in which nothing worth keeping was 
found and our best trip, after an early spring cloudburst, 
netted forty-seven arrowheads, one spade, and about one 
hundred sherds. The sherds have been saved only during 
the past six years at the suggestion of W. C. McKern of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum. Those obtained during the first 
four years were given to McKem for comparison with those 
of the Aztalan group, so that at the present time our study 
collection is not representative, especially in regard to deco- 








iUUti U( illH 



'^^^^^^^^^M 




Fig. 1. Types of Cahokia points. 



1st Row: Triangular points. The first three groups have convex, straight, 
and concave sides — in the order named. All are straight based. The last group 
is concave based, 

2nd Row. Side-notched points. The first group is straight based and the 
second is concave based. The last two points are four and six notched re- 
spectively. 

3rd Row: Base notched and multiple notched points. The first point is of 
the triangular type with a base notch. The second group is three notched; the 
third, five notched; the fourth, seven notched; the fifth, nine notched; and the 
sixth, serrated. 

4th Row: The first group, corner-notched points. 



I 



The last three groups represent the drills, the first of which has more or 
less definite bases, the second is partially worked spicules, and the third — 
completely worked spicules. 



The Cahokia Mound Group and Its Surface Material 9 

rations. In the University of Illinois Bulletin, volume thir- 
ty-six, number four, there are very good illustrations of the 
pottery types as well as other artifacts from Cahokia. 

Of 253 sherds on hand. 111 are shell-tempered, 99 are 
hole-tempered, and 43 are grit-tempered. Upon close study 
of the hole-tempered, a small amount of shell is quite often 
found, suggesting that the holes are due to the disintegra- 
tion of the shell. Sherds have been found that, from ex- 
ternal appearances, would have to be classed as hole-tem- 
pered, but, upon breaking them, the unweathered portion is 
seen to be heavily shell-tempered. 

We also find lumps of hard, light brown, burnt clay in 
which there are imprints of grass and reeds. These may 
be fragments of walls or fire-places. 

In the collection there are 2,523 arrowheads that can be 
classified; they range from five-eighths to two and three- 
eighths inches in length. 1,020, or 40.4%, are triangular. 
1,503, or 59.6%, are notched. Of the 1,020 triangular 
points 672, or 65.8%, have slightly convex sides, 252, or 
24.7%, have straight sides, and 96, or 9.5%, have slightly 
concave sides. Classifying them according to the bases, 
958, or 93.9%, are straight and 62, or 6%, are concave (fig- 
ure 1). 

The 1,503 notched points are divided into two groups: 
1,284, or 85.4%, side-notched and 219, or 14.5%, corner- 
notched. Classifying them according to the bases, 1,217, or 
94.7%, are straight and 67, or 5.2%, are concave. In the 
side-notched, the notch is sufficiently far down from the 
base to make the head rather wide. The group of the cor- 
ner-notched includes all the points that do not have the wide 
heads. There is no doubt that some of these should be 
classed as side-notched, but since the heads are not rect- 
angular, they are not included in the predominating group. 

Of the total number of arrowheads, 211, or 8.3%, have 
a notch at the center of the base. Three are of the triangu- 
lar type and 208 are side-notched. They are worthy of spe- 
cial note on account of the selection of materials and excep- 
tional workmanship. The materials are of the finest. Fifty- 
one are translucent, a few of which are made of a highly 
colored, almost transparent agate. Only a very small per 
cent of the other types is made of translucent material. The 



10 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 1 

chipping is also of the finest, the arrowheads being thin, 
well made and regular, most of them being completely 
chipped on both sides and only a few being made from flakes. 

Most of the base-notched points (177) have one pair of 
side notches and are known locally as the three-notched 
points. A few of them have more than one pair of notches 
and are known as the multiple notched. In this latter group, 
one pair of notches is considerably deeper than the others 
and is referred to as the primary notches, while those that 
are more shallow are called secondary notches. 

There are seventeen with one pair of the primary and 
one pair of the secondary notches or five-notched points; 
there are five with one pair of primary and two pair of sec- 
ondary notches or seven-notched points ; there are two with 
one pair of primary and three pair of secondary or nine- 
notched points ; and there are seven with one pair of primary 
notches in which the secondary notches are so close together 
that they lose their identity and the points are classed as 
serrated. 

The secondary notching is occasionally seen in those in 
which there is no base notch. There are twenty-one in which 
there is one pair of primary and one pair of secondary 
notches or four-notched points ; and there are four in which 
there are one pair of primary and two pair of secondary 
notches or six notched points. 

In all the multiple notched points, the secondary notches 
may be above or below or above and below the primary 
notches. 

Fifty-five of the triangular and twenty-five of the 
notched, or 3.1% of the total, are serrated. There are ten 
points upon one side of which there is a highly polished 
strip down the center. This polish is the same as that seen 
on the bits of agricultural implements, and suggests that 
they might have been made from chips from the bits of 
these" implements. 

There are 126 drills, twenty-eight of which have distinct 
bases. The others have been made from spicules of flint, 
some of which are chipped only along one edge, some on two 
edges, and others on all edges. 

There are four of the larger knives that are perfect, one 
six inches long and three seven inches long. They are very 




Fig. 2. Types of large stone implements from Cahokia. 



1st row: Pick, large knife, and chisel. 

2nd Row: Oval spade, flared spade, straight sided hoe, and notched hoe. 



The Cahokia Mound Group and Its Surface Material 11 

thin, of very good workmanship, and are usually made of the 
same material as the agricultural implements. Occasionally, 
one is found that is made of a translucent material. There 
were no doubt a large number of these knives in use because 
of the quantity of fragments found (figure 2). 

The agricultural implements are arbitrarily divided into 
two groups: the hoes under eight inches in length and the 
spades over eight inches. The hoes are of two types; the 
notched and the unnotched. The spades are also of two 
types : those with oval bits and those with flare bits (figure 
2). It has been noted that in oval spades the width is less 
than half the length, while in the flared type it is equal to 
half or more than half the length. Some of the smaller hoes 
appear to have been made from the bits of broken spades. 
For instance, there is one hoe that has an unpolished bit and 
a highly polished base with islands of polish on the faces 
that were not flaked off in revamping the piece. There are 
two notched and ten unnotched hoes and twenty-one oval 
and five flare bitted spades. 

There are other types of flint pieces that are not classed 
as agricultural implements. The chisels are rectangular 
oval pieces ranging from eight to twelve inches in length 
and about a third as wide. They are usually rather thin 
with the bits showing evidence of use, but no polish as seen 
on the bits of the hoes and spades. The picks range from 
four to seven inches in length and about one and a half 
inches wide, being roughly semi-circular in cross section. 
One end tapers to a rounded point which has been ground 
until all evidence of chipping has been effaced, leaving a 
very smooth surface (figure 2). There are three chisels 
and four picks in the collection. 

A large number of granite axes and celts are found, but 
nearly all of them are too badly broken for classification. 
There are one eight-pound perfect grooved ax and five per- 
fect small celts. There is a small low mound about a quarter 
of a mile north of Monks' Mound from which a large number 
of unfinished celts have been taken. Several of these are in 
the Missouri Historical Society collection, the largest of 
which weighs a little over twenty-five pounds. There are 
two gouges — celt shaped pieces with one side flattened and 
the bit somewhat curved with the convexity of the curve 



12 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 1 

away from the flat side. The discoidals are from two to 
four inches in diameter and one inch or a Uttle more in 
thickness, the concavities extending all the way to the outer 
edge. Occasionally, one is perforated at the center. 

A few pipes have been found, mostly made of pottery. 
Some are "L" shaped, and a few are in the effigy of a tree 
stump with four or five of the larger roots represented 
around the edge of the base. The stem-hole is near the 
base between two of the roots. Of four or five of these seen, 
none has been perfect and we have only one fragment. 

Shell was in quite common usage at Cahokia, both the 
fresh water and the marine. The fresh water shells were 
used as spoons and as hoes and for the making of disc beads 
and other ornaments. The larger marine shells were used 
as dippers after the spirals had been removed and for the 
making of gorgets and disc beads. The spirals were made 
into cylindrical beads and awls. The smaller marine shells, 
without any alteration except a hole or a groove at the tip, 
were used as pendants and ornaments. Various types of 
snail shells were used as beads. According to Dr. F. C. 
Baker of the University of Illinois, twenty-six species of the 
fresh water shells and ten species of the marine shells have 
been found at Cahokia. The amount of shell in the collec- 
tion is not complete but fairly representative. 

Bone is found primarily in the form of awls and needles. 
Most of them are made of slivers from the long bones of 
animals, a few from the leg and wing bones of the larger 
birds, and several from the heel of the deer. A few bone 
beads and a few arrowpoints made of antler tips are found. 
There are fourteen awls and one bead of bone and three 
points of antler in the collection. Grooved sandstone pieces 
up to the size of a fist are numerous. They are irregular 
and the grooves are irregularly placed and vary in depth. 
They are thought to be sharpening stones for the bone 
implements. 

Artifacts of hematite and copper are quite rare but have 
been reported. No banner stones or plumb bobs have been 
found to my knowledge, but we have found one boatstone 
from the group and one birdstone and half of another were 
found together near the small group of mounds to the north 
and are owned by Mr. Wm. L. Waters of Godfrey, Illinois. 



The Cahokia Mound Group and Its Surface Material 13 

There is one ornament in the collection that is quite in- 
teresting. It is in the form of a small, pot-bellied owl made 
of pottery, one and one-eighth inches high with incised lines 
to represent the wings on each side of the body and with 
a hole drilled completely through the head, the openings of 
the hole representing the eyes. It is in all probability a 
bead. Three other pieces of this type are on record : one of 
pottery and two of stone. The one of pottery is consider- 
ably larger and the two of stone are about the same size, 
the chief difference being that the wings of all three are 
in relief. 

Except for the arrowheads, the number of pieces in the 
different groups is not sufficiently large to determine any 
reliable percentage of occurrence. The arrowhead group is 
fairly large and the percentages of the different types are 
probably more or less dependable. 

Similar type artifacts, especially those of flint, are found 
as far south in the Mississippi Valley as the southern states 
and as far north as the Aztalan Mound Group in Wisconsin. 
The origin of the people who manufactured these objects 
is yet to be determined but, from all the evidence at Cahokia, 
they were no doubt in this one place for a long time. 

The burial ground has not as yet been located. Some 
of the mounds contain burials and others do not. Since the 
site is on low ground and the Mississippi River has no doubt 
shifted from the south to the north of it, the main burial 
grounds may be covered over by several feet of new land 
formed by the overflow. The total number of skeletons 
that has been found by all parties and expeditions to date 
is nowhere near proportionate to the number of people that 
must have inhabited the area. Occasionally, where the plow- 
ing has been extra deep, a portion of a skeleton has been 
brought to the surface. Upon excavating the remaining 
portion, the bones are found to be soft, badly decayed and 
broken. Practically all the skeletons are extended on the 
back with no definite relation to the points of the compass. 
A few sherds, all from the same pot, are sometimes found 
and on one occasion a seven-inch knife was found. Some of 
the expeditions have been more successful in finding com- 
plete pots or sufficient sherds from one pot to make a 
restoration. 



14 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 1 

The most striking feature to any one interested is the 
large amount of broken material, the large number of flint 
chips, and the large area over which they are scattered. 
Naturally, there are smaller areas throughout the large area 
in which the material is more profuse, but numerous arti- 
facts are found between these smaller areas. The land has 
been under cultivation for eighty years or more and the 
number of broken pieces is no doubt due to the plowing and 
to breakage while still in use by the original owners. 

The gathering of this material has been very interesting, 
and it is hoped that the collection will prove of some value 
to the science of archeology. The University of Illinois 
spent portions of the seasons of 1930 and 1931 in excavating 
two of the mounds and obtained some interesting artifacts 
and valuable information. May they soon be able to resume 
their work and solve the problems of Cahokia on a scientific 
basis. 



Copper Spearpoints from Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells 15 



COPPER SPEARPOINTS FROM REEDSBURG, 
WISCONSIN DELLS 

Milton F. Hulburt 

Distribution of copper artifacts in Sauk County, Wiscon- 
sin, and adjacent lands, has been widespread. Previous 
archeological reports record no concentrated areas, but a few 
scattered finds throughout the county. With special atten- 
tion given to copper, I find that there are a number of un- 
recorded specimens, while others have drifted away into the 
hands of unknown collectors. Five of the coppers described 
herein were found within a radius of ten miles of Reedsburg, 
and the other three coppers north of Wisconsin Dells (Kil- 
bourn) near the Wisconsin River. 

While plowing his field (S E % of N E lA, Sec. 22, T12N 
R4E, Reedsburg Twp., Sauk County) in 1925, Mr. Harris 
Thome brought to the surface, about a foot apart, two cop- 
per spearpoints (frontispiece, a-b). Coincident with this, 
a skull resembling that of a dog was found nearby. Flint 
arrowpoints are found on the field from time to time but are 
not numerous. The site is located at the head of a shallow 
ravine (possible springhead) on the upland separating the 
Baraboo River and Narrows Creek basins. Topography sug- 
gests a hunting site, rather than that of a permanent 
residence. Descriptions: (a) Over-all, 51/2 inches. Blade, 
3i/2xlV^ inches. Taper Socket, 2 inches, perforated, curved 
back, (b) Over-all, 5 inches. Blade, 314x114 inches. Taper 
Socket, 1% inches, perforated, curved back. 

The second site is located on the "Old Pinery" Indian 
Trail, which was much used by the early white settlers and 
lead to the Big Creek country, the scene of early white pine 
lumber activities. On a small rise of ground, west of Twin 
Creek and south of the road (N E 14 of S W 14, Sec. 29, 
T13N R4E, Winfield Twp., Sauk County) some years ago, 
Mr. August Menchoff plowed ud a copper spearpoint (front- 
ispiece, c) . This field has yielded a large number of perfect 
flint and quartzite artifacts and some workshop material. 
Across the road to the north and on the south side of the 
hill (S E % N W 14, Sec. 29) are several depressions, the 



16 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 1 

remains of earth lodges which, according to Mr. Menchoff, 
were used by the Winnebago in pioneer days. A copper 
spearpoint and celt were found about a mile east on the same 
trail, but their whereabouts are now unknown. Description : 
Over-all, 41^ inches. Blade, 2i/2X% inches, ridged back. 
Taper Socket, 1% inches, ridged back, slant sides. 

In 1932 the writer purchased a copper (frontispiece, d) 
from Mr. Herman Knippel, Wisconsin Dells (member of the 
Society) who in turn had acquired the copper from a local 
resident. It was found seven or eight miles north of Wis- 
consin Dells (Kilbourn) in the region of Stand Rock (Juneau 
County) near the Wisconsin River. Description: Over-all, 
6 inches. Blade, 4x% inches, ridged back. Straight socket, 
2 inches, curved ridged back, slant sides. 

All of the above described coppers are in the collection 
of the writer, who is indebted to each of the owners of the 
following described copper spearpoints and knife. The cop- 
pers were loaned for photography, and the pictures, together 
with descriptive information and the site of discovery, now 
become a matter of permanent record. 

In the fall of 1931, Arthur E. Kelley, Reedsburg, Wiscon- 
sin, found a spearpoint exposed in a cornfield on the west 
bank of the Wisconsin River, in Lyndon Twp., Juneau Coun- 
ty, seven or eight miles north of Wisconsin Dells in the Re- 
gion of Stand Rock (frontispiece, f). A section descrip- 
tion is not obtainable. According to Mr. Herman Knippel 
of Wisconsin Dells, a number of coppers have been found in 
this area and these are now in his private collection. De- 
scription: Over-all, 6V^ inches. Blade ridged, 4y2xll^ 
inches. Socketed 2 inches, flat back. 

On the east bank of the Wisconsin River in the vicinity 
of Plainville, Dells Prairie Twp., Adams County, Mr. Merri- 
well Huebing of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, in 1932, found a 
copper knife exposed in a cultivated field. The knife has a 
curved blade, sharpened on one edge only (frontispiece, e). 
Flint and stone implements are frequently found on this 
field. Description: Over-all, 6l^ inches. Blade curved, 
4i/2X% inches. Tang, flat rat-tailed, 1% inches. 

About thirty years ago, Mr. Fred Maske, now a resident 
of Reedsburg, picked up a copper spearpoint (frontispiece, 
g) on his farm, W 1/2 of N E 14, Sec. 7, T13N R5E, Dellona 



Copper Spearpoints from Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells 17 

Twp., Sauk County. The copper shows either great age or 
else unfavorable soil conditions for its preservation. Mr. 
Maske states that stone implements, arrowheads and spear- 
points were frequently picked up on this field. Dell Creek 
drains this region and joins the Wisconsin River at the 
Lower Dells. In the Wisconsin Archeologist, Vol. 1, No. 3, 
August, 1922, "Western Sauk County", are described inter- 
esting mound groups in Dellona Township in this immediate 
vicinity. Description: Over-all, 5% inches. Blade, 4x% 
inches. Taper Socket, 1% inches, flat back, straight sides. 
A copper spearpoint, picked up on his farm by Mr. Geo. 
Seamans of Reedsburg, Wisconsin,* Sec. 28, T12N R3E, Iron- 
ton Twp., Sauk County, is very interesting (frontispiece, h). 
Either in the original making or the repair, an additional 
piece was welded or bonded to make the blade complete. The 
site lies in the western uplands of Sauk County where deer, 
bear and small game were plentiful. The trail leading to 
the south to the Shot Tower at Helena (Spring Green) 
crosses near here. Description : Over-all, 41/4 inches. Blade 
(Weld or Bond) 21/2x1% inches, triangular and ridged. Ta- 
per socket, 1% inches, flat back, ridged. 



18 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 1 

AN UNUSUAL SPIRIT STONE 

M. S. Thomson 

One day, in August, 1931, my father and I were looking 
for relics along the east bank of Rock River a short distance 
above Indian Ford. To be more exact, it was about half a 
mile upstream from the Southworth Farm village site as de- 
scribed by Charles E. Brown in the report of the Logan 
Survey of 1928. 

As the main camp site^was in pasture, it was decided that 
it was useless looking for anything there, so we followed the 
edge of the river for there we had often found implements 
washed out of the banks. Although there are no plowed 
fields close to the river at this point, relics are often washed 
out of the banks or turned up by pigs rooting in the edge 
of the woods. Two such places in that vicinity show con- 
siderable indications of aboriginal occupation. The soil to 
a depth of about a foot is filled with flint chips, arrows, and 
workshop debris, and after a hard rain a few arrows or other 
artifacts can usually be found. Oftentimes we have found 
them at the edge of the river. 

It happened that my father was walking near the place 
just mentioned while I was searching the bank higher up. 
He called me to come and look at something he had picked 
up in the water. As I walked down the bank I stepped over 
a large stone lying partly buried in the mud and nearly 
overgrown with weeds. A deep groove in the stone attracted 
my attention, although at first glance it appeared to be just 
a weathered granite boulder. Pushing aside the weeds that 
partly covered it, I immediately saw that such was not the 
case. The groove was too regular and the material of which 
the boulder was composed too uniform for it to be the result 
of natural weathering. We turned the stone over and were 
surprised to find that the grooving was almost identical on 
the opposite side (figure 3). 

We rolled it up the bank and left it on the flat until we 
finished searching the bank where we picked up three more 
arrows. I managed to maneuver my car down through the 
fields and woods to the spot where we were able to get the 
stone in and thus we transported it home. 



An Unusual Spirit Stone 



19 



It is a gray granite boulder about 22 by 14 by 18 inches 
and weighs approximately 250 pounds. It is perfectly flat 
on the bottom, and rounded or dome-shaped on top. It has 
been carved out to a depth of two to three inches in such 
a way that the original surface is left in a raised band run- 
ning over the top and joining the base on both sides, while 
another band goes around the center horizontally and inter- 
sects the vertical one. All parts which stand out are in 
their natural condition, showing the effect of glacial polish- 
ing on the original boulder. 

What the exact purpose of such a piece was, of course, 
no one can say. About the only logical classification would 
be a ceremonial stone or perhaps a spirit stone. Whatever 
its purpose was, it is a very unusual specimen. I have been 
unable so far to find a record of a spirit stone which has 
been artificially carved out. Ordinarily they are peculiarly 
weathered rocks known to have been used as such by the 
Indians, through legends connected with them. Here then 
is something with a different sort of a pedigree. 

I recently brought the stone to Sheboygan from Janes- 
ville, where it has been since it was found. It occupies a 
spot on the lawn near the front door which Mr. McKem con- 
tends is a poor place, since I shall have to make a tobacco 
offering every time I pass it. 






^;?ir«a« 




Fig. 3. Artificially carved stone from the Rock River. 



20 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 1 



ARCHEOLOGICAL NOTES 

Meetings 

A meeting of the Wisconsin Archeological Society was held in the 
Trustees' Room of the Milwaukee Public Museum on the evening of 
May 15, 1933. There was a good attendance of members and visitors. 
Secretary Charles E. Brown presented a brief report of the meeting 
of the Executive Board held at Hotel Aberdeen earlier in the evening. 
He stated that a State Committee had been appointed by the Legis- 
lature to consider plans for an appropriate celebration of the three 
hundredth anniversary in 1934 of the landfall of the first white man 
on the shores of Green Bay in Wisconsin. Organizations of every 
kind were requested to assist in the celebration. 

President W. C. McKem requested that all members of the Society 
assist in field work in the state during the summer months. Miss 
Rachel Mary Campbell announced the organization of the Society for 
the Preservation of Wisconsin Indian Life and presented a report of 
the business transacted at its first meeting. 

Eldon G. Wolff, a member of the staff of the local museum, gave 
a lecture on the subject of "North American Weapons", which he 
illustrated with typical specimens drawn from the museum's extensive 
collection of these. Among these were Indian and Eskimo bows, 
matchlocks, wheelocks, flintlocks, the blunderbuss, Highland pistol. 
Brown Bess musket, Kentucky rifle, Indian rifle and the Winchester. 
This lecture was greatly appreciated and many questions were replied 
to by the speaker after its close. 

At the close of the meeting William K. Andrew, a Milwaukee 
member, exhibited an Indian trade axe, a tomahawk pipe and four 
native copper points. 



During the six weeks of the summer session of the University of 
Wisconsin, extending from the first week in July to the second week 
in August, folklore programs were presented at sunset on the lake 
shore terrace of the University Memorial Union by members of the 
Wisconsin Folklore Society. The folklore tales and legends presented 
on these occasions consisted this summer of "Lake Mendota Indian 
Legends", "Paul Bunyan Tales", "Gypsy Tales", "Museum Lore", 
"Ridgeway Ghost Tales" and "Wisconsin Lost Treasure Tales". Quite 
large audiences were present at every meeting. Lantern slides illus- 
trating the various subjects were shown after dark and folklore litera- 
ture was distributed. Charles H. Hocking, Miss Alice Vinje, Jas. 
J. McDonald, Charles E. Brown and other members of the Society 
assisted in the story-tellings. With the opening of the fall semester 
of the University the Society will again hold regular indoor meetings. 



Publications 

Owen Lattimore gives an interesting account of a short stay 
amongst the Gold tribe, a Tungusic group of north Manchuria, in a 
recent paper published as Memoir 40, Amer. Anthrop. Assoc, 1933. 
Price, 80 cents. 

Another discovery of a Folsom type of projectile point associated 
with the bones of extinct fauna, in this instance a mammoth, at a 



Archeological Notes 21 

site near Dent, Colorado, is described and discussed by J. D. Figgins 
in: A Further Contribution to the Antiquity of Man in America, Pro- 
ceedings of the Colorado Museum of Natural History, v. 12, No. 2, 
August, 1933. 

A well illustrated account of the discovery of a Hopewell type of 
pottery in Louisiana is given by Frank M. Setzler in: Pottery of the 
Hopewell Type in Louisiana, publ. No. 2963, from Proceedings U. S. 
Natl. Mus., V. 82, Art. 22, Washington, 1933. 

A recent paper by Benjamin L. Whorf: The Phonetic Value of 
Certain Characters in Maya Writing, Peabody Museum of American 
Archeol. and Ethnol., Harvard Univ. Papers, v. 13, No. 2, 1933, dis- 
cusses a possible key for solving the secrets of Maya writing. 

Woldemar Jochelsen is the author of a recently published bulletin 
covering the Yakut of eastern Siberia and their culture. This detailed, 
well illustrated contribution to a little known subject is entitled: The 
Yakut, Anthrop. Papers, Amer. Mus. Natl. Hist., v. 33, Pt. 2, New 
York, 1933. 



Miscellaneous 

A number of anthropological exhibits at the Century of Progress 
Exposition will prove of interest to those visiting the fair. Perhaps 
the most interesting of these, located in one car of the Mexican Presi- 
dential Train, is a display of archeological materials secured from 
recent excavations conducted at the Monte Alban ruins in southern 
Mexico, under the capable direction of Dr. Alfonso Caso, Director of 
the National Museum of Archaeology of Mexico. The exhibit, includ- 
ing a great variety of artifacts in shell, pearls, bone, obsidian, jade 
crystal, jet, turquoise, amber, copper and gold, illustrating a complex 
artistic and material-culture development, provides an insight into the 
highly advanced cultures of the prehistoric Mixtecs and the more an- 
cient Zapotecs. Other exhibits at the fair include a Maya building 
containing displays illustrating various American Indian groups, and 
village groups of Winnebago, Sioux, Navaho, Hopi and Nootka Indians 
who engage in dancing performances in an adjacent arena. 



Dr. E. L. Miloslavich, Milwaukee, formerly Associate Professor 
of Pathological Anatomy at the University of Vienna, Austria, and 
later Professor of Pathology at Marquette University, Milwaukee, and 
Director of the Department of Pathology and Bacteriology at said 
University, was nominated by His Majesty King Alexander I of Jugo- 
slavia as Professor of Legal Medicine and Director of the Medico- 
legal Institute at the Royal University, Zagreb, for which position he 
is soon departing from America. 



22 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 1 



Nocturnal Archeological Studies 
Wilton E. Erdman 

Spring had come and fields were ripe, 
For a jaunt looking for artifacts. 

So I started my car, lit up my pipe. 
And grabbed some boxes and sacks. 

I went out on a turned-up field; 

Scanned the surface bit by bit. 
Many arrowpoints did it yield; 

I wondered whom they had hit. 

I found a wonderful hammerstone. 
With its edges battered and pitted. 

Had its maker fashioned it alone; 
And into what hands had it fitted ? 

I found an excellent knife. 

With a very fine cutting edge. 
For scalping the wily White, 

Indians didn't use any sledge. 

I found a very beautiful drill. 

And a gorget with a nice round hole. 

What patience it took to sit still, 
Revolving a shaft for some goal. 

I discovered an ancient celt, 
With a blade as keen as steel. 

I wondered how an enemy felt. 
If it lodged in his head or keel. 

I found some potsherds lying loose, 

Which once had made a pot. 
I wondered if it had cooked a goose, 

And all such tommy-rot. 

I found handfuls of shell and bone. 
Showing where there was a refuse pit. 

What wild feasts they could bemoan, 
If they only had tongues to remit. 

A copper spear now came to light, 

Revealing a close battle here. 
It probably was lost in the fight; 

I began to tremble with fear. 

A fluted ax next lay exposed; 

My heart went thumpety thump. 
How long had it here reposed? 

It had seen many a slump. 

I found a remarkable birdstone, 
Which is considered quite rare. 

Mr. Ringeisen* would surely telephone, 
A "silver crowbar"t would be my share. 

I dreamed and rambled on and on, 

As these thoughts flitted into my mind. 

What struggles were hidden here and yon; 
Was nature harsh or kind? 



Archeological Notes 23 

I met a farmer with a gun, 

He asked what I was doing there. 
I told him I was out for fun; 

He told me to vanish in the air. 

I picked up each and every relic, 

And threw them fast into the car. 
I stepped on the accelerator quick, 

And shot hither, thither, and afar. 

After so many hallucinations, 

I sat straight up in bed. 
Shaking off these imaginations, 

I knew I had been out of my head. 

Yet with all this hectic dreaming, 

I realized that some of it was true. 
It takes one from worldly scheming, 

To a place where life begins anew. 

Archeology grips you much like a disease, 
When its mystery once gets into your veins. 

You may travel far o'er land and seas, 
But you can't get loose from its reins. 



• Mr. Jos. Ringeisen has the largest collection of Wisconsin birdstones exist- 
ing in either public or private collections, possessing 27 out of 69 specimens so 
far found in this state. Wis. Arch. Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 35-40, 

t Mr. Ringeisen "prys them loose with a silver crowbar". Wis. Arch. Vol. 11, 
No. 2, p. 37. 



t 



Wmanmn 



IflL 13 



ifanuarQ. 1934 

NEW SERIES 



No. a 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103 
Act, Oct. 3. 1917. Authorlaed Jan. 28, 1921. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



The Society is a state department, receiving a part of its support 
from the state. Its funds are under state control. Its work is well 
and widely known. It has received the approval of leading American 
archeologists, who agree that it deserves the full support of all Wis- 
consin citizens interested in the state's archeological history. 

The Society's activities comprise the location, recording, investi- 
gating and preservation of Wisconsin Indian remains, folklore and 
history, all of which are rapidly disappearing and must be recorded 
and saved immediately if ever. 

Through its efforts many fine groups of Indian earthworks and 
other aboriginal monuments and remains have been permanently pre- 
served to the public. Most have been marked with descriptive metal 
tablets. Others are being protected. Surveys and explorations have 
been conducted in many sections of the state. 

It is also engaged in encouraging the establishment of public mu- 
seums and collections and in discouraging the manufacture and sale 
of fraudulent antiquities. 

Regular monthly meetings of the Society are held during the 
months September to May, inclusive, in the Trustees' Room of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum. Meetings are open to the public. No 
regular meetings are held during the months June to August, inclu- 
sive. Special field meetings are occasionally held during the vacation 
months. 

The results of its research and other activities are made knoT 
through its regular quarterly publication. The Wisconsin Archeologist. 
Thirty volumes have appeared. The Society has a large membership 
distributed through every part of the state. 

It is co-operating to the fullest extent with all of the various 
scientific and educational organizations and institutions of Wisconsin. 



I 






Hol. 13 



Sattuartf, 1034 

NEW SERIES 



5fo.2 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28, 1921. 



5it0r0ttatn ArrljMlngtral S^orirtg 



Incorporated March 23, 1903, for the purpose of advancing the study 
and preservation of Wisconsin antiquities 



OFFICERS 

PRESIDENT 

W. C. McKern 



W. W. Oilman 
Dr. A. L. Kastner 



VICE-PRESIDENTS 

R. J. Kieckhefer E. F. Richter 

Dr. H. W. Kuhm 



Charles E. Brown 
Rev. F. S. Dayton 
W. W. Oilman 
Dr. A. L. Kastner 



Joseph Ringeisen, Jr. 

J. O. Gregory 

A. P. Kannenberg 

Mrs. Theo. Koerner 

O. R. Zilisch 

T. L. Miller 

Dr. E. J. W. Notz 



DIRECTORS 

R. J. Kieckhefer 
Dr. H. W. Kuhm 
W. C. McKem 

ADVISORY COUNCIL 



Charles G. Schoewe 
G. M. Thorne 
George A. West 



I 



Marie Kohler 

Arthur Gerth 

Paul Joers 

Rev. F. S. Dayton 

Dr. Louise P. Kellogg 

Louis Pierron 

Dr. L. S. Buttles 



T. T. Brown 
Dr. Ralph Linton 
A. T. Newman 
Dr. S. A. Barrett 
Dr. Orrin Thompson 
Marshall Cousins 



TREASURER 

G. M. Thorne 
1631 N. Fifty-second Street, Milwaukee, Wis. 

SECRETARY 

Charles E. Brown 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wis. 



COMMITTEES 

REGULAR 

STATE SURVEY— M. F. Hulburt, David A. Blencoe, Walter S. Duns- 
moor, S. W. Faville, 0. L. Hollister, Dr. A. L. Kastner, Dr. F. G. 
Logan, T. M. N. Lewis, W. M. Maier, T. L. Miller, Geo. F. Overton, 
Col. R. S. Owen, Geo. L. Pasco, J. P. Schumacher, J. J. Knudsen, 

E. R. Guentzel. 

MOUND PRESERVATION— Theodore T. Brown, Dr. E. G. Bruder, 
H. W. Cornell, Mrs. W. J. Devine, Col. Howard Greene, A. H. 
Griffith, Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, Mrs. F. R. Melcher, Rev. O. W. 
Smith, Dr. Orrin Thompson, Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Frank Weston. 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS— Milwaukee Public Museum (Dr. S. A. 
Barrett), Wisconsin State Historical Museum (Dr. Joseph Scha- 
fer), Oshkosh Public Museum (Niles J. Behnke), Green Bay Pub- 
lic Museum (Theodore T. Brown), New London Museum (Rev. 

F. S. Dayton), Lawrence College (Prof. J. B. MacHarg), La 
Crosse State Teachers College (Prof. A. H. Sanford), Kohler 
Museum (Miss Marie Kohler), Logan Museum (Paul H. Nesbitt), 
Minnesota State Historical Museum (Willoughby M. Babcock), 
St. Francis Museum (Rev. A. J. Muench). 

MEMBERSHIP— Chas. G. Schoewe, Carl Baur, Dr. W. H. Brown, 
Dr. L. S. Buttles, K. Freckman, Arthur Gerth, Paul Joers, Mrs. 
Anna F. Johnson, Mrs. Hans A. Olson, Louis Pierron, A. R. 
Rogers, C. G. Weyl, Geo. Wright, W. F. Yahr. 

STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL PARKS— R. P. Ferry, W. W. Gilmore, 
Walter Holstein, D. S. Howland, A. P. Kannenberg, Prof. A. H. 
Sanford, Ray Van Handel. 

PUBLICITY— J. G. Gregory, A. O. Barton, R. K. Coe, E. R. Mclntyre. 

SPECIAL 

BIOGRAPHY— Miss R. T. Campbell, Paul Joers, Mrs. Theo. Koerner, 
Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Chas. G. Schoewe, Dr. A. L. Kastner, Dr. 
H. W. Kuhm. 

FRAUDULENT ARTIFACTS— Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., E. F. Richter, 
Geo. A. West. 

PROGRAM— Dr. H. W. Kuhm, W. E. Erdman, Alton K. Fisher, Dr. 
A. L. Kastner, G. M. Thorne. 

MARKING MILWAUKEE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES— R. J. Kieck- 
hefer. Dr. Paul Jenkins, Milo C. Richter, Geo. A. West, L. R. 
Whitney. 

PUBLICATION— Dr. Ira Edwards, Dr. H. W. Kuhm, Alton K. Fisher. 

LAPHAM RESEARCH MEDAL— Dr. S. A. Barrett, Dr. A. L. Kast- 
ner, Milo C. Richter, Chas. G. Schoewe, Geo. A. West. 



MEMBERSHIP FEES 

Life Members, $25.00 Endowment Members, $500.00 

Sustaining Members, $5.00 Annual Members, $2.00 

Institutional Members, $1.50 Junior Members, $ .50 

All communications in regard to the Wisconsin Archeological Society should 
be addressed to Charles E. Brown, Secretary and Curator, Office, State Historical 
Museum, Madison, Wisconsin. Contributions to the Wisconsin Archeologist should 
be addressed to Dr. Ira Edwards, Editor, Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 
or to the Secretary. Dues should be sent to G. M. Thorne, Treasurer, 1631 N. 
52nd Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 



CONTENTS 



Vol. 13, No. 2, N«w Series 



ARTICLES 



Page 
Kentucky's "Ancient Buried City", T. M. N. Lewis 25 

Large Native Copper Knives, Ralph Guentzel 32 

The Society of Dreamers and the 0-ge-che-dah, or Head-men Dance of 
the Bois Fort (O jib we) Indians of Nett Lake, Minnesota, Albert 
B. Reagan 35 

Archeological Notes 44 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



Copper knives in the State Historical Museum Frontispiece 



®l|p UtarottHtn ArrljenlngtBt 

Published Quarterly by the Wisconsin Archeolog-ical Society 

VOL. 13 MILWAUKEE, WIS., JANUARY, 1934 NO. 2 

New Series 



KENTUCKY'S "ANCIENT BURIED CITY" 

T. M. N. Lewis 

Situated at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio 
Rivers is the Httle village of Wickliffe, Ky. Here, in the late 
summer and fall of 1932, a staff of archeologists excavated 
portions of a prehistoric village site which has since become 
known to the public as the * 'Ancient Buried City". Obvi- 
ously the term "city" is a misnomer insofar as modern 
standards are concerned. Comparatively speaking, however, 
this aboriginal village probably maintained as influential a 
role in those prehistoric days as do any of our modern cities 
of 100,000 population. That the site was not merely a tem- 
porary abiding place for some nomadic tribe is assumed from 
the fact that the camp refuse extends to a depth of from 
three to five feet over the entire site. The abnormally high 
bluff at this location afforded a point of vantage from which 
it was possible to survey a great expanse of land and water. 
This was a topographical feature seldom overlooked by the 
ancients in their quest of permanent sites for habitation. 

In the summer of 1932, Fain W. King of Paducah, Ky., 
an amateur archeologist, investigated the site. The inter- 
esting nature of the earthworks and the apparent long pe- 
riod during which the site had been occupied, as determined 
by numerous test pits which were made, prompted him, as 
a member of the Board of Regents of the Alabama Museum 
of Natural History, to solicit the aid of Dr. Walter B. Jones 
and his staff. To shelter the excavators from the weather a 
circus tent was pitched over that portion of the site which 
was staked out for excavation. The work continued inces- 
santly seven days a week until the approach of winter. All 
remains were left in situ with the exception of that portion 



26 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 2 

of the pottery which was encountered in a broken condition 
and which was later replaced in original positions after 
restoration. In all, excavations were made in three mounds. 
The work was so intelligently performed and the remains of 
such an interesting character that Mr. King decided to have 
substantial buildings constructed over each one of the three 
excavations, withdraw from his several Paducah business 
connections and devote his entire time toward making this 
an educational project for the public. To recover his in- 
vestment in land and buildings a nominal admission charge 
has been asked of all visitors. Obviously the overhead ex- 
penses have been small and it is expected that sufficient 
funds will have been accumulated by the summer of 1934 
to further the excavations. A description of the evidence 
thus far uncovered follows. 

Topographically speaking the earthwork which covers 
the burial grounds is not a prominent one. From its great- 
est elevation to the original ground surface the depth is not 
more than four feet. This conforms with other burial sites 
we have investigated in the Middle Mississippi Valley region. 
Our own observations and those of other investigators would 
seem to point out that the monumental mounds were erected 
over important structures just prior to evacuation of the 
site. This entire region abounds in enormous truncated and 
conical mounds forty and fifty feet in height and as much 
as two hundred feet in diameter. In close proximity to these 
mound groups, which contain anywhere from one to four 
mounds as far as our observations have extended, burial 
grounds can generally be located. 

In that portion of the burial grounds which has thus far 
been excavated at Wickliffe, one hundred and fifty-three 
burials have been exposed. Here one observes that on the 
average these people were rather short in stature as com- 
pared to our present racial standards. Furthermore, longev- 
ity seems to be the exception, there being but one individual 
present who might have exceeded the age of seventy. Small 
mastoid processes, well-rounded angles of the mandible and 
an almost complete absence of supraorbital ridges designate 
the remains to be those of a woman. All of her teeth had 
been lost for sometime prior to death as is apparent from 
the condition of the alveoli or teeth sockets which had filled 



Kentucky's "Ancient Buried City" 27 

entirely with bone. Still another age indication is the par- 
tial eradication of the cranial sutures. 

Further observations disclose that the bodies were placed 
on the ground rather than in it. The black burial pits, so 
frequently encountered in Wisconsin mounds, were entirely 
lacking. Only the surface soil was scraped away for the 
body which was then covered with soil to a depth of a foot 
or two. Layers of charcoal are to be seen under some of 
the burials and in such close association as to cause one to 
wonder if the corpse had not been placed directly upon a 
fire or bed of hot coals. All the soil in the burial grounds is 
intermixed with charcoal which is a fortunate circumstance 
in that it has served to neutralize the acid condition of the 
soil, resulting in a remarkable preservation of the skeletal 
material. In one section of the excavation may be seen as 
many as five superimposed burials, the nethermost being in 
a better state of preservation than the uppermost. Greater 
exposure to moisture and freezing temperatures and the 
shallow burrowing of rodents in the case of the uppermost 
burials offers a satisfactory explanation for this phe- 
nomenon. 

Noteworthy are the three distinct modes of interment 
of which the most common is the fully extended, natural 
flesh burial. There are also present several good examples 
of bundle and crematory burials. To encounter all three 
types of interment in one burial site is, in our experience, a 
rather uncommon circumstance, at least in that region. 

Centrally located, with respect to the mound, lie the re- 
mains of a male with what is apparently a skull trophy at 
his feet. In life he wore two large ear-rings carved from 
wood and plated with beaten copper — perhaps insignia de- 
noting his elevated rank. These rings encircle seven-pointed 
stars and the whole has been nicely preserved by the metal- 
lic salts resulting from the carbonization of the copper. 

In another section lie the remains of a potter with her 
tools at her head. These consist of five mushroom shaped 
trowels made of pottery clay and two polished rubbing 
stones. Inasmuch as no other tools were found it is assumed 
that these comprised the equipment used by the aboriginal 
potters of that region. A noteworthy fact is the abnormally 
large percentage of the effigy type of vessels in contrast to 



28 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 2 

the customary greater percentage of inferior utilitarian type 
of earthenware generally encountered in burial sites of this 
region. There is Httle repetition of design and no specimen 
which could be classified as asymmetrical in shape. One of 
the most artistic pieces is a painted water bottle formed in 
the shape of an owl. It rests on the two feet and the tip 
of the tail. An illustration of this specimen accompanies 
this article. Two other noteworthy pieces are a bowl with 
a plumed eagle head projecting from the rim and a vessel 
wrought in the manner of a seated human female. 

Numerous artifacts of mica, hematite, fluorite, lead, cop- 
per, cannel coal, marine shells, bone and stone were found 
in close association with the burials. This is indicative of 
the far-flung contacts which these people had. It has been 
pretty well established that the aborigines obtained their 
mica from the mines of North Carolina and their copper 
from the Lake Superior district. In all probability the lead 
originated in the Joplin, Mo., district and, of course, 
the marine shells had their origin in the Gulf of Mexico. 
Fluorite mines are to be found a short distance up the Ohio 
River and hematite in southern Missouri. 

In another mound located at the edge of the bluff a large, 
rectangular excavation was made. Five feet below the top 
a hard clay floor was encountered. This was covered with 
the charred remains of a burnt structure. These remains 
consisted of portions of the thatched roof with its support- 
ing timbers and the fallen timbers which once formed the 
walls. When the charred material was removed, three rect- 
angular, convex ceremonial altars were exposed, indicating 
that in all probability this burnt structure had served as a 
temple building. These altars are of burnt clay and are all 
three in juxtaposition. Between two of the altars are seen 
two post molds. A charred post lying on the floor adjacent 
to one of these molds had secured to it a braided rope about 
a half inch in diameter. Parallel to these altars, at a dis- 
tance of four feet, is a row of post molds indicating what 
may have been the front wall of the building. Another row 
of molds may be seen immediately in front of the altars and 
parallel to the wall. These molds may have held the upright 
supports for a rail before which the suppliants knelt and 
offered their sacrifices as they filed into the temple. 



Kentucky's ''Ancient Buried City" 29 

Inasmuch as the number three was not held to be of any 
particular significance by primitive American peoples, we 
are inclined to believe that further excavation will reveal a 
fourth altar inasmuch as the number four is known to have 
had some mysterious interpretation. Perhaps each one of 
these altars was dedicated to the worship of some one deity ; 
on them burnt offerings were made according to the re- 
ligious custom of many ancient peoples. These offerings may 
have consisted of food, tobacco, clothing, articles of adorn- 
ment and even living animal sacrifices bound to the altar 
by means of the above mentioned rope. These rituals may 
have been conducted by a priest or shaman. The objects for 
which offerings were made were as manifold as the desires 
of the supplicants. 

Since this floor was encountered at a depth of but five 
feet below the top of the mound, the excavators reasoned 
that additional remains would be found beneath. Accord- 
ingly a section of this floor of hard clay was removed and 
the excavation continued to a depth of five more feet. Here 
again a hard clay floor was encountered completely covered 
with the charred remains of another burnt structure. As 
in the case of the superimposed structure, the excavators 
encountered an uneven layer of burnt clay resting upon the 
charred timbers. This burnt clay does not appear to have 
been wattling which had been applied to the walls of the 
structure, but rather appears to have been loose clay which 
was dumped upon the collapsed timbers while they were 
still aflame. The fact that sections of the thatched roofs of 
both structures were found in a good state of preservation 
would seem to indicate that the roof had been reinforced 
with wattling at the time it was constructed. The presence 
of this clay wattling prevented the thatching from being 
entirely consumed before the building collapsed. Further 
evidence in support of this latter deduction was the discov- 
ery of some of this wattle work in close association to the 
thatching. The heaping on of clay immediately following 
the collapse of the structure smothered the burning timbers 
and converted the mass into charcoal, thus making it pos- 
sible to offer these interpretations. 

It seems probable that the lower structure was burnt 
intentionally. Had it been an accidental burning, one would 



30 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 2 

assume that they would have removed the ashes and rebuilt 
the structure. On the contrary, a mound of clay five feet 
in height was thrown up over the remains. Now if we have 
read the evidence correctly, we are obliged to assume that 
the burning was premeditated. Just exactly what the mo- 
tive was is impossible to say. A fire pit, which may have 
contained a perpetual fire, was found just beyond the wall 
of both structures. In Central America perpetual fires were 
renewed every fifty-two years. Some similar rite may have 
been practiced here accompanied by the burning of their 
temple. Other Indian tribes had the custom of burning the 
dwelling of the deceased. Perhaps here this was done to 
destroy the evil spirit which had caused the death of their 
priest or shaman. Still another motive may have been their 
eagerness to placate an angered god who had invoked some 
catastrophe upon them. 

When every remnant of the lower structure had been 
covered to a depth of five feet, these people again recon- 
structed their temple immediately, or nearly so, over their 
former one. Here again is mute evidence of a deliberate 
burning, and again the remains were covered to a depth of 
five feet. No evidence was found on the top of this mound 
in the nature of post molds that a third temple was erected. 
Possibly upon completing this earthwork the populace de- 
cided to erect mounds over their more important structures 
and evacuate the site in order to flee from some curse which 
they believed hung over them. 

It is to be understood, of course, that such deductions as 
herein rendered are purely imaginative, but at the same 
time they are offered in the light of recordings made by 
early historians who observed the odd religious fantasies 
practiced by the descendants of these earlier people. We do 
not wish to appear to have been bred in the school of exag- 
geration. Our imagination has been employed in an effort 
to fill in the gaps of what might be otherwise regarded by 
some as a rather meaningless record of prehistoric evidence. 

The third earthwork to be uncovered brought to light the 
post mold outlines of another structure. This was encoun- 
tered eight feet below the top of the mound. Since this 
structure was not burnt, no carbonized remains were pres- 
ent. Nothing whatsoever remained but the void post molds 



Kentucky's "Ancient Buried City" 31 

that once contained the vertical posts which supported the 
roof and formed the walls. These molds are from four to 
ten inches apart and the posts that fitted in them varied 
from three to six or eight inches in diameter. The structure 
was rectangular in shape, measuring twenty-one by twenty- 
five feet. Other post molds are present within the area of 
the structure and probably contained supports for furniture 
and additional supports for the roof. Also within the area 
are three fireplaces still containing white ashes. A gap in 
the wall is indicative of a doorway. A number of earthen- 
ware vessels, several of which are painted red on the inside, 
were found on the floor adjacent to a quarter of a bushel 
of charred maize cobs and a turkey call made from the leg 
of the wild turkey. The whole arrangement suggests the 
possibility that this may have served as the chief's dwelling. 
The remains of a meal of maize, the presence of both orna- 
mental and utilitarian earthenware vessels, the turkey call 
and several bone implements offer grounds for this assump- 
tion. 

The extent of the excavations thus far completed present 
a fascinating picture of prehistoric culture. We have every 
confidence that Mr. King will continue to conduct this 
project along ethical lines and that it will continue to awaken 
an interest in America's early inhabitants on the part of the 
many visitors who inspect these remains. The importance 
of scientific procedure performed by trained men is force- 
fully presented at the close of each lecture. Visitors are 
urged to exert every possible pressure to discourage the 
depredations of prehistoric sites by the untrained relic-hunt- 
er. And finally here is a profusely illustrated and verbally 
described record of prehistoric civilization from which the 
average layman is enabled to absorb more information than 
he would from several volumes which he probably would not 
read anyway! 



32 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 2 



LARGE NATIVE COPPER KNIVES 

Ralph Guentzel 

The purpose of this paper is to call attention to ten or 
twelve of the very largest knives in the state collection and 
to any other specimens worthy of note in other collections, 
and to consider the possible manner of their use. Wisconsin 
can justly be proud of, and is indeed fortunate in having the 
recognized largest collection of Indian native copper imple- 
ments in the United States. There are in the collection of 
the Wisconsin Historical Museum one hundred and twenty- 
five knives made of native Lake Superior copper. One hun- 
dred of these are in the Henry P. Hamilton collection; the 
other twenty-five are largely included in the Frederick S. 
Perkins collection acquired by the State Historical Society 
in about 1870 through purchase from its owner, then the 
leading Wisconsin collector of Indian artifacts of all kinds 
of materials such as clay, stone, bone, antler, steel, horn, 
copper, hematite, and lead. 

These native copper knives of Wisconsin are separated 
by archaeologists into four classes, all well marked and 
classified by certain characteristics: 

1. Knives with straight blades and a more or less 
pointed tang (frontispiece, 1-4, 8). 

2. Knives provided with a handle (frontispiece, 7) . 

3. Knives with curved blades (frontispiece, 5). 

4. Knives provided with a socket (frontispiece, 6). 

The knives with straight blades and pointed tangs are 
by far the most common class of native copper knives. Of 
knives provided with a handle, formed by an extension of 
the blade, there are but two examples in the state collection 
and not more than one or two in several other Wisconsin 
collections. They are very rare. Of knives with distinct 
curved blades there are but three in the state collection. 
These also are of rare occurrence. The state collection con- 
tains thirteen examples of knives furnished with a socket. 
Twelve of these have a rivet-hole in the socket by means of 
which they could be fastened to a wooden handle with a 
copper rivet. 



Large Native Copper Knives 33 

The knives in the state collection are of all sizes, from 
very small to quite large. The smallest is exactly 1 inch 
long and the largest 12% inches in length, the average 
length being from 5 to 6 inches. They weigh from less than 
a quarter of an ounce up to 6, 7 and 10 ounces. 

Regarding the larger knives, we find that eight of these 
specimens are from lOyg inches to 12% inches in length. 
All are really fine examples of aboriginal coppersmithing. 
All are, so far as can be determined, implements used by the 
prehistoric Indians of Wisconsin and all were collected from 
old Indian village and camp sites in our state. No larger 
specimens are known to be in any collection, public or 
private. 

Of the straight-back blade knives there are in the col- 
lections of the Milwaukee Public Museum but two very large 
specimens. One comes from Fond du Lac County and meas- 
ures 121/4 inches in length ; the other, from Manitowoc Coun- 
ty, is 9% inches long. A single large handled knife which 
comes from Washington County is 10 inches long. A single 
large socketed knife 9 inches long was obtained in Trempea- 
leau County. 

Other records of large native copper knives show six 
straight back knives measuring from 8I/2 to 10 inches in 
length. These were found in Door, Ozaukee, Waukesha, 
Manitowoc and Price Counties. The blade of the Manitowoc 
County specimen is ornamented with transverse cuts. 

Five large curved-blade knives measuring from 9% to 
11 fV inches were collected in Winnebago, Shawano, Adams, 
Burnett and Sawyer Counties. 

One socketed knife was obtained at Three Lakes, Wis- 
consin, and is 9 inches long. One handled knife 8 inches 
long was found at Kewaunee, Kewaunee County. Its blade 
is ornamented with punch marks, eight on one surface and 
four on the other. 

The largest copper knife ever found was in Fulton Town- 
ship, Gratiot County, Southern Michigan. This superb speci- 
men of the straight-back type of copper knife is 13% inches 
long. 

These very large prehistoric native copper knives were 
manufactured by the native Indian processes of hammering, 



34 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 2 

annealing, cutting and grinding pieces of the Lake Superior 
copper obtained from the ancient copper workings on the 
Kewaunee Peninsula, near Ontonagon and on Isle Royale in 
Northern Michigan. Copper was also obtained in Douglas 
County and from the glacial drift elsewhere in Wisconsin. 
It is an interesting fact, but one to be expected, that very 
few copper implements are found in the Driftless Area ex- 
cept in the graves of the Wisconsin varient of the Hopewell 
culture, and most of these are in the form of head and breast 
plates and ear spools. 

As to the uses of these large copper knives, those having 
straight-back blades and equipped with handles of wood, 
bone, and sinew would make excellent weapons in hand to 
hand fighting, in killing large animals in hunting and in 
cutting up meats and perhaps vegetables. They would also 
be useful tools for cutting or smoothing in wood working 
for the metal can be ground to a surprisingly sharp cutting 
edge. The curved-blade knives would be more useful for 
domestic purposes in and about the camp and wigwam, and 
undoubtedly had handles of similar materials. 

The socketed knives with rivet holes were evidently once 
fitted with wooden handles. In the case of the handled 
knives the handles were very probably wrapped with cloth, 
cord or sinew, or enclosed with pieces of wood, horn, antler 
or bone to protect the hand when they were in use. These 
knives could be employed for many uses and were undoubt- 
edly used for fighting, hunting and domestic purposes. 



The Society of Dreamers 35 



THE SOCIETY OF DREAMERS AND THE 

O-GECHE-DAH, OR HEAD-MEN DANCE 

OF THE BOIS FORT (OJIBWE) INDIANS 

OF NETT LAKE, MINNESOTA 

Albert B. Reagan 

The Society of Dreamers 

Members of the Society of Dreamers were earnest re- 
ligious enthusiasts. The writer is told that, many years 
ago, in conjunction with other religious societies of the 
band, they worked up quite a religious frenzy. At this time 
they killed all their dogs and prepared for the world to come 
to an end, which they believed would establish the Indian 
in his rights. They asserted that a big storm and whirlwind 
were to come upon the earth, out of which fire was to en- 
velope and consume all but the Indians, who were to gather 
in certain designated places for protection. Then, in accord- 
ance with this belief, they gathered in the sacred spots as 
ordered by the chief men, and the most terrible storm came 
as predicted. The tops of the trees were whipped to the 
very ground, the rain fell in torrents and the "thunder 
birds" from the four quarters of the earth opened and shut 
their fiery angry eyes in the lightning flashes and flapped 
their powerful wings in the "thunder-noise" until the very 
earth trembled. But the end of time came not, and since 
then the society has waned. 

The ceremony of this society is a form of dance, held in 
a circular inclosure of some fifty feet in diameter. The 
structure consists of a birch bark fence about three feet 
in height, around the interior of which are arranged barks 
and boards which are placed on the ground against the wall 
to serve as seats. At its western and eastern sides are 
spaces for entrance and exit. A center pole carries a flag 
at its top to show that the members are friends of the Great 
Father. 

The day before the ceremony is to be held, the Chief of 
Ceremonies sends out four braves to carry the intelligence to 
all the members. On the day of the ceremonies all the par- 
ticipants march in at the western door, pass around on the 



36 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13. No. 2 

left hand and continue to their seats which are occupied 
according to their respective part in the ceremony. The 
peace pipe is Hghted by the ''pipe-man" and passed around 
four times. Guards are then stationed at the exits, after 
which no one is permitted to leave without permission of 
the chief of ceremonies, except the usher who is seated to 
the left of the braves. He may leave at any time, as he 
looks to supplying food and fuel and runs errands as re- 
quested. The "pipe-man" also has permission to leave when- 
ever necessary. If an undesirable person enters, the drum- 
mer carries the drum out at the eastern entrance as a signal 
that the meeting has adjourned. After the completion of 
the ceremony, all depart from the western exit. 

After the ceremonial smoke, one song or more is chanted, 
as a selected musician beats a large drum. The four braves 
then call upon the chief of ceremonies for a speech which 
he delivers in form of a prayer to the Great Spirit. This is 
followed by a circular dance to the left, which is kept up for 
several hours, some participants dancing and acting as 
though they were firing off guns, hunting, canoeing, and 
running hard. They also perform over the sick in the hyp- 
notic way. As they thus perform and dance they lift their 
hands to the sky in prayer, holding their palms upward to 
receive the answers to their prayers which they "scatter" 
from their hands to the ground to show that they give what 
they receive. They then give presents to one another to 
show that they are all brothers and that brothers must help 
brothers. 

They allege that the Che Manito (Kisha Manito) became 
displeased with the corrupt ceremonies of the Grand Medi- 
cine Lodge and gave this ceremony as a purer ritual. But 
facts seem to indicate that it was likely borrowed from the 
Sioux or some other tribe living to the south or westward of 
the confines of the Bois Fort Indians. 

They have peculiar beliefs about the origin of this cult. 
One is that a virgin, who belonged to a tribe whose name 
could not be ascertained, was dead more than a week and, 
then, coming to life again, she brought a message direct to 
the Indians from the Great Spirit. She said that the Che 
Manito commanded the Indians to cease fighting each other, 
saying: "You must be honest and truthful. You must live 



The Society of Dreamers 37 

in peace with one another, stop your wars, and be friends 
of all mankind. Furthermore, I here command you to build 
me a religious house on sacred ground just like the round 
horizon-sky-line. Go there then, with a big drum, and sing, 
dance, and pray to me, as I command you. You are all my 
children and are brothers. Do these things and peace and 
happiness will be your lot." 



The 0-Ge-Che-Dah, Or Head-Men Dance 

Occasionally the Bois Fort Indians, of Nett Lake, Minne- 
sota, have a Head-man dance, called by them O-ge-che-dah. 
On October 5, 1912, the writer was advised that such a dance 
was in preparation in a thicket east of the village. Later 
the Indians gave him a special invitation to attend it, and 
as their Indian Agent, he accepted. 

The inclosure in which the dance was held was about 
forty feet in diameter and had an open space at the south- 
east side for entrance and exit. It consisted of part canvas 
and part birch bark structure raised to about four feet in 
height, around the interior of which were placed boughs 
against the wall to serve as seats for the populace which 
was permitted to partake in the ceremony. A pole was also 
erected in the center of the inclosure on which was a crude 
carving of a bird. A flag, having the mass blue but having 
in its upper corner, near the pole, a red square in the center 
of which was an eight-cornered, white star, was also sus- 
pended from this pole. Then when all was ready, four spe- 
cial persons were informed by the chiefs of the coming 
dance and these carried the information to all the members, 
who are not many in number at this place. (The writer was 
told by the Indians that there had been only one other dance 
like this in twenty years and that was on a terrible stormy 
day the previous year and that but few attended it.) Thus 
was the whole of the 5th spent in preparation and in "send- 
ing out invitations". The dance began in the early morning 
of the 6th. 

On this date, all the participants entered the circular in- 
closure and passed around on the left hand within the danc- 
ing area. After a moment's prayer they marched out again, 
still moving to the left. A sham battle was then fought, 



38 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 2 

apparently between the Sioux and jib we, Head-man Andy 
Fields and other Indians representing the Sioux ; Mr. Fields 
was wearing the full headdress of a Sioux warrior. The war 
whoop was given, guns were fired, and there was much 
shrieking and hallooing and a general mixture of terrible 
noises and a mixture of men (the women did not join in 
this ceremony), in all, indicating a bloody and horrible 
conflict. 

Closing the war scene, the braves, joined by the women, 
marched back to the dance inclosure and entered it as before. 
A prayer was said, after which all seated themselves in the 
places designated for them, according to the part they were 
to play in the ceremonies. The leading medicine man then 
buried the ceremonial war hatchet. Next the "pipe man" 
arose and carefully lighted the ceremonial peace pipe, a huge 
pipe with stem three feet in length, all made of serpentine 
slate. After he had lighted it he turned it around in a 
pivotal motion as he held it horizontally to the earth, bal- 
anced over his left thumb and forefinger. As he thus turned 
it around slowly, he paused with it each time as the extended 
stem would swing to an inter-cardinal direction, beginning 
with the ''northeast corner of the earth". As he thus paused 
each time he said a word of prayer. Four times he swung 
it to the entire ''corners" of the earth. Then he passed it 
around to each Indian within the inclosure and each one, 
men, women, and children (and even the babies) took a 
whiff of the smoke. And thereafter at lull times in the 
dance it was performed with and passed around in the man- 
ner here mentioned. 

After the first ceremonial smoke the dance began. It 
consisted of a crow-hop ceremony to a vigorous stamping 
dance, usually of the stationary type, though occasionally 
the actors danced to the left around the entire circular 
dancing space. For the most part, however, it seemed to 
be more of a jig dance of special members. Head Man Andy 
Fields, with his war bonnet, however, danced almost con- 
tinuously. At intervals as the dance progressed speeches 
and prayers were made and the peace pipe was smoked as 
before. 

The dance resembles the Dreamer dance of these Indians 
very much; but differs from it (1) in the fact that if any 



The Society of Dreamers 39 

one not a member of the order of Dreamers should enter the 
dancing arena, the dance ceremonies would at once terminate 
and the drummers would leave the dance area; while with 
the 0-ge-che-dah all usually entered who wished and should 
an undesirable person enter who was not a member, the 
dance would only stop till that person was put out of the 
inclosure. (2) It is asserted that the Che Manito became en- 
raged and angered because the practice of the medicine men 
of the Grand Medicine Lodge became corrupted and a purer 
service was organized in the Dreamer Society. With the 
0-ge-che-dah the chief medicine men of the Grand Medicine 
Lodge are the chief actors in it and the songs sung in it and 
in the Grand Medicine Lodge are the same or similar. (3) In 
the Dreamer Society a large drum is used; in. the 0-ge-che- 
dah several small tamborine-like drums, similar to those used 
in the moccasin game ceremonies, are used. (4) The 
Dreamers possess some very degenerate Christian theo- 
logical "notions" and Christian ethics with a strange admix- 
ture of pagan ritual tending toward monolatry ; the 0-ge-che- 
dah is wholly pagan. (5) The Dreamers pray over the sick 
and dance around them to heal them; the writer has not 
learned that the 0-ge-che-dah doctor the sick in any way. 
(6) One purpose of the Dreamer dance was to break up the 
old medicine dance and all such things ; the 0-ge-che-dah has 
no such purpose. (7) In the Dreamer dance the actors give 
presents to one another to show that they are all brothers 
and must help one another; in the 0-ge-che-dah ceremony 
presents are given to the head men of the order because 
they stand between men and the manito and intercede for 
them. 

And again the two dances are very similar in other re- 
spects. (1) The members of each are religious enthusiasts 
of the extreme fanatic type. (2) The actors in each dance 
lift their hands skyward in prayer as they wave trophies 
and medicine bags as gifts to the manito. Each group also 
hold their hands palms upward when receiving answers to 
their prayers. Furthermore, in each dance the actors scat- 
ter from their hands toward the ground to show that in 
answer to their prayers they give as they have received. 
(3) The ground in each place where the dance is held is 
considered holy ground. (4) Each ceremony teaches that 
all men are the children of the Great Father and each 



40 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 2 

teaches that one must be faithful to the teachings of the 
Manito. (5) Both dances begin with a sham battle (war 
dance) and each ends in a smoke of the pipe of peace. (6) 
Each has a flag, the purpose of which is to show that its 
members are friends of the Great Manito. (7) The purpose 
of the Dreamer Society is to make people prosperous and 
happy and at peace with the whole world; the 0-ge-che-dah 
is a head man ceremony, also a peace and good will dance. 

These were the special head men and head women of 
the occasion: Tenclaws, 0. M. Benner, Jim Smith, Charles 
Strong, William Johnson, William Boney, Joe Canada, John 
Nett Lake, Mrs. Charles Farmer, Mrs. Stephen Benner, All 
Day, and 0. M. Johnson ; and these all received outing flannel 
and calico as presents from the other members of the so- 
ciety, except the last two mentioned, these receiving 
blankets instead of the outing flannel. 

Below are appended notes on the dance of October 6th, 
taken as the dance progressed : Head Man Andy Fields, the 
chief singer, carried a tomahawk. Chief Moses Day held the 
stem of his pipe of peace in his right hand which he con- 
tinued to wave as he danced. He also held a fox skin in 
his left hand, waving it skyward to the manito at every 
jesture point in the ceremony, as he yelled: ''Hay, yay, hi, 
Jio." Tenclaws and wife each carried a pipe of peace. 
Stephen Benner, Jim Smith, and some others wore sleigh 
bells. All Day, who had his cheeks painted, danced a part 
of the time with a red *'cane", with ''scalloped" (rayed) 
feathers attached to the unlooped end. He also danced with 
an initiation arrow which was three feet in length and two 
inches in width which ended on its dart end with four taper- 
ing notches. Besides having a tassel of hair at its top end, 
this arrow also had a suspended tassel of feathers in its 
middle. 0. M. Johnson, who had a martin skin lapel sus- 
pended from his arm, flashed a dirk knife with his right 
hand and brandished a war club with his left. Mrs. John 
Nett Lake danced with a gun. Charles Day wore a blue 
Canadian blanket; Charles Farmer and William Boney had 
green blankets; while Andy Fields, Jim Martin, and Susie 
Red Sack Nett Lake had red blankets. Andy Fields and 
Chief Moses Day had medicine headwear, Mr. Fields' being 
strictly a Sioux war bonnet. Andy Fields passed the 



The Society of Dreamers 41 

''konahpamik" shells around to the ''pipe man" and to each 
medicine person. Then, in company with his wife, he pre- 
pared the large peace pipe and took it around the ring by 
the south to the "pipe man". The latter then took it around 
the whole dance circle to each person within the inclosure. 
Then there were "two sings", which were followed by the 
dog feast. 

Following is the 0-ge-che-dah song: 

Stanza 1 

W(h)ay-yah-ay-hah w (h) ay -ay -w on-day wChjayW w(h)ay\\ o 
N en-go-shay kah-hay-mway-n\\ \\-dah-mahn 

W(h)ay-yah-(h)-ay w(h)ay-yah-e-ho w(h)\\ay-yah-ah ho e hay o' 
The meaning of the words that have an English 
equivalent are : 

Nen go shay kah-hay-mivay-n-dah-ynahn 
To me calls thunder-bird. 

Stanza 2 

Yah-e-yah-hay w(h)ay-yah-hay w(h)yah-hay yah-o-hay hay\\ o 
Way-nah-day-me-go ooo o-ge-mah-wah-djiw (nearly chii'wh) 

waaa 
Way-eo-hay w(h)ay-o-ho iv(h)ay o-he-hay-o^ 



^ The- words, given to me by Mr. Farmer when he gave me the 
song, were written in the "French pronunciation" characters. Fur- 
thermore, he did not differentiate in the variation of the sound of the 
word he gave which the writer has rendered w(h)ay-yah-ay-hah. He 
gave it as "We-ia-a." His writing is: "Weiaa — weiaa weiaa-weiaa 
nin ska ka-bem-wida-man weiaa weia o." Some of the modifications 
are as follows: The "w(h)ay\\" is prolonged here to an equivalent in 
time to the whole word, ''w(h)ay-yay-ay-hah," and the "n\\ \\" is a 
diminishing sound which approaches the sound of "d". 

^ Mr. Farmer gave the words to this stanza in his Chippewa way 
of writing, as follows: "Aiae eae eae aoe me-nade-mego ooo oke- 
mawad-jiw iveoe iveoe iveoieo weoo iveoieo," which he pronounced ac- 
cording to the "French pronunciation". However, there were some 
slight variations which he did not have. These the writer has indi- 
cated in his rendering of the spelling as follows: The "h" in paren- 
thesis (h) means that the "h" is slightly pronounced. The "ooo" is a 
shortened connective "o" sound between the two words. They are 
distinct but uttered very quickly so as to make an almost continuous 
sound, but not quite. Several of the sounds are of the vanishing 
character. In addition, the sound of "hay" as the ultimate or prac- 
tically the ultimate syllable (the "o" following it having a vanishing 
sound) is much prolonged. Especially is this true with the first line 
of the song. The " 1 1 " means a short rest ; while a thus marked is 
short a. 



42 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 2 

The only part of the stanza with an Enghsh equiva- 
lent is: 

Wenademego ooo ogemah wahdjiw 

(it) to me coming from chief hill. 

This stanza follows the previous one and means that the 
thunder bird is coming from the chief high point in the re- 
gion to sing (to give him [the person for whom the song is 
sung] supernatural powers and ''chieftain" ability). 

Below is the chief medicine man's explanation of the 
dance: "The dance inclosure you saw had only one exit. 
This was due to the fact that the day was stormy and only 
one entrance was allowed for the purpose of keeping out the 
wind. Customarily, however, there are four entrances (and 
exits). The outer concentric circle of the dance inclosure 
represents the horizon. The bird on the pole in the center 
of the inclosure was blue, as was the pole on which it was 
sitting. The bird represents the thunderer, the thunder bird 
himself. When the wind gods cause it to cloud up, this bird 
causes it to rain. The flag on this center pole is the flag 
of the Great Spirit. It has an eight-pointed star in a red 
fleld which is an oblong in a blue field. It represents good 
and good will to men. The pipes are the pipes of the gods 
of the four winds. Sometimes all of the dancers smoke while 
dancing to appease the gods of the four winds. The staffs 
on which to hang drums, called waganagebecheganan, have 
four medicine bags suspended from each one. The pole with 
the many ribbons on it represents the medicine tree of the 
Great Spirit. Any one who wishes puts calico and other 
goods on this pole ; they are placed on it as an offering to the 
gods for the healing of the sick. 

"Usually when we have the dance we have the inclosure 
as you saw it. At other times brush is piled outside the 
inclosure. Only men are then allowed to enter, as are 
women occasionally, but the girls and women generally must 
sit outside the brush pile and look on from there. When 
we danced the other day you saw clothes and eatables given 
away. You also saw that one dog was eaten. These were 
offerings to the manito. 

"The (imaginary) overseers of the dance and of the 
society itself are Wahhong, Shawanong, Negaheanong, Keivate- 
nong, and Bagamagan. The first four represent the semi- 



The Society of Dreamers 43 

cardinal directions and the four winds, and the last is the 
Great Spirit. Wahhong (wahiin) is the morning god. He has 
a drum called Tmj-way-y-gan. He lives in the eastern sky 
and is the sky spirit there. He is also the East Wind. 
Shawanong is the south manito, the god of the warm south 
wind. Negaheanong is the west manito. He is the god of 
the sunset sky and the west wind, the god of the good rains. 
Keivatenong is the god of the northern skies and the north 
wind, bringing the cold stormy weather of winter. Bagama- 
gan, the Great Spirit, has horns and his head is red like the 
sun. He gave the Indians the war club to defend themselves. 
"The dance is a head man dance and is held to give pres- 
ents to the head men and head women of the tribe, as these 
represent the people to the manito. When we begin the 
dance we fire off guns and pretend to be fighting. The dance, 
therefore, is also held to celebrate the old fight time and the 
establishment of peace, the no fight time, for we smoke the 
pipe of peace." 



44 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 2 



ARCHEOLOGICAL NOTES 

Field Work 

In the latter part of August, 1933, Jack Heibler and Tom Spence 
brought to the Milwaukee Public Museum parts of a cranium found in 
a mound in Jefferson County. They were advised to go back and see 
if they could find additional materials and also make a survey of the 
mounds. On September 2 they came back with the remains of the 
upper half of the skeleton of a child, five shell beads and a rough 
survey of the group of mounds. The beads were like those of the 
Aztalan type of culture. 

On September 5, Earl Loyster, Jack Heibler and T. L. Miller vis- 
ited the site and made a survey of the group of eleven mounds with 
tape line and prismatic compass. The mound from which the skeleton 
was obtained has been completely carried away and the gravel hill 
upon which it was situated is now used as a gravel pit. As nearly as 
could be determined, the burial was in the flesh, extended and dis- 
posed on the undisturbed gravel surface. The mound was then built 
over the burial. 

The beads are barrel-shaped, of native clam shell and perforated 
from both ends. They are very similar to beads found at Aztalan and 
at Cahokia, Illinois. 

This group of eleven mounds is situated on a high gravel hill on 
the Joe Heger and John Schwab farms, the SW corner of the SW M: of 
the NW 1/4 and the NW corner of the NW V* of the SW ^4 of Sec. 23, 
Aztalan Twp., Jefferson County. All of them have been dug into by 
unknown parties. The lay of the land is very similar to that at the 
Aztalan site. To the east is the Rock River and nearby is a fine 
spring. Time was too limited for a prolonged search, but undoubtedly 
a prehistoric village site was located in the vicinity. 

Miscellaneous 

To a past president of the Wisconsin Archeological Society, Mr. 
Charles G. Schoewe of Milwaukee has come the award of an honorary 
curatorship in the Oshkosh Public Museum. This award is a dis- 
tinction which has fallen to only three other individuals. 

The award is in recognition of Mr. Schoewe's untiring efforts in 
the field of archeology. Mr. Schoewe has donated many splendid 
specimens to the Oshkosh collection, and it is in appreciation of his 
unselfishness in sharing his finds that the award was made. 

Not only is Mr. Schoewe to be congratulated, but the Oshkosh 
museum as well for having so generous and faithful a friend. 

Following is the text of the award: 

Certificate of Honorary Curator 

The Board of Directors of the Oshkosh Public Museum, at a 
meeting duly held on the 22nd of August, 1933, by unanimous vote 
thereof, in accordance with the rules, conferred on Charles G. 
Schoewe the title of Honorary Curator of the Oshkosh Public Museum. 

Charles G. Schoewe's constancy of purpose to the high ideals of 
the founders of the Oshkosh Public Museum has been, in a very large 
measure, responsible for its sound and rapid growth. 

It is with deep appreciation of his untiring efforts and unselfish 
devotion that the title of Honorary Curator is conferred on Charles G. 
Schoewe. 



Archeological Notes 46 

It is little enough that we can do to recompense him for his fine 
sense of loyalty and fidelity toward this institution. 

Given under our hands at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, this 22nd day of 
August, 1933. 

Museum Board — 

A. P. Kannenberg, Pres. 
R. N. BuCKSTAFF, Sec. 
R. J. Barnes 
Herrman Hollub 
Aaron J. Mose 
Carlton H. Foster 
Lloyd Mitchell 



Milton F. Hulburt, chairman of our archeological survey commit- 
tee, recently addressed the Sauk County Historical Society on the 
subject of early Indian villages and settlements in Sauk County. The 
talk was illustrated by means of maps and charts showing the occur- 
rence of prehistoric trails and occupation sites, which as a rule follow 
the natural drainage of the region. Much of the information used is 
available as the result of Mr. Hulburt's own intensive research during 
the last several years. 

Publications 

The present status of archeological information in one of our 
newly archeologically minded neighbor states is clearly defined by 
George Will in: A Resume of North Dakota Archaeology, N. D. Hist. 
Quart., Vol. 7, Nos. 2-3, pp. 150-61, 1933. Price $0.75. Apply to 
Russel Reid, Superintendent, State Historical Society of North Da- 
kota, Bismarck, N. D. 

A digest of evidence collected from 1607 to 1933, relating to the 
aborigines of Virginia, is contributed by David I. Bushnell, Jr., in: 
Evidence of Indian Occupancy in Albermarle County, Virginia, 
Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Vol. 89, No. 7, 12 pages with 
11 plates, Washington, October, 1933. 

The last issue of The Masterkey, Vol. 7, No. 6, published by the 
Southwest Museum, Highland Park, Los Angeles, California, contains 
among others the following articles: A Man's Way (regarding Pima 
Indian warfare), by Arthur Woodward; A Mysterious Bracelet (of 
silver, gold and turquoise, found in the Grand Canyon), by M. R. 
Harrington; Scorpion Hill (archeological research in Nevada), by 
Bertha Parker Thurston; A Choctow Throwing Club, by Frank 
Bryan. 

Elsie Clews Parsons is the author of a new publication on South- 
west Indian customs: Hopi and Zuni Ceremonialism, Memoirs of the 
American Anthrop. Assoc, No. 39, 108 pages, 1933. Price $1.10. Ad- 
dress Dr. Robt. H. Lowie, Dept. of Anthropology, Univ. of Calif., 
Berkeley, Calif. 

Dr. and Mrs. Melville J. Herskovits share the authorship of a new 
contribution to that little known subject, African Negro ethnology: 
An Outline of Dahomean Religious Belief, Memoirs of the American 
Anthrop. Assoc, No. 41, 77 pages, 6 plates, 1933. Price $0.85. Ad- 
dress as above. 

Among others, the following articles are contained in the last issue 
of the American Anthropologist, Vol. 35, No. 4, October-December, 
1933: Ethical Attributes of the Labrador Indians, by Frank G. 



46 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 2 



Speck; Narrative of an Arapaho Woman, by Truman Michelson; 
Some Aztec and Pueblo Parallels, by Elsie Clews Parsons; Carrier 
Onomatology, by A. G. Morice; A Discussion of the Gates Classifica- 
tion of Maya Hieroglyphs, by Hermann Beyer; Tanaina Culture, by 
Cornelius Osgood; Archaeological Site of Hato, Venezuela, by Gladys 
Ayer Nomland; Mummified Heads from Alaska, by Frederica de 
Laguna; Making Cantaros at San Jose Tateposco, Mexico, by Paul 
Taylor. Address as above. 

To those interested in physical anthropology, H. L. Shapiro's 
paper: The Physical Characteristics of the Ontong Javanese, is rec- 
ommended. Anthropological Papers, American Mus. Natur. Hist., 
Vol. 33, No. 3, 52 pages, 7 figures, New York, 1933. Price $0.50. 

Tales of the Navajo fill 179 pages in Pliny Earle Goddard's report 
on: Navajo Texts, Anthropological Papers, American Mus. Natur. 
Hist., Vol. 34, No. 1, New York, 1933. Price $1.75. 

A large collection of most interesting California Indian myths are 
contained in: Pomo Myths, by S. A. Barrett, Milwaukee Public Mu- 
seum Bulletin, Vol. 15 (entire volume), 608 pages, November, 1933. 
Price $5.00. 

Two booklets recently issued as additions to the "Enjoy Your 
Museum" series, edited by Carl Thurston, are: No. Ilia, Hopi Pot- 
tery, by Frederic H. Douglas; No. IVa, Navajo Rugs, by Dane Cool- 
idge and Mary Roberts Coolidge. Price $0.10 each with two addi- 
tional cents for postage. Address Esto Publishing Co., P. 0. Box 46, 
Pasadena, Calif. 



Attention 

As a result of CWA activities throughout the state, archeological 
remains are being encountered with considerable frequency. It is 
important that as many of these materials and as much of the asso- 
ciated data as possible be saved for scientific study. It therefore be- 
comes the specific duty of all members of the Society to get in contact 
with those in charge of local CWA projects and to make arrange- 
ments to be notified by these officials when human bones or Indian 
objects are encountered by the workmen. Upon receiving such infor- 
mation, the individual should notify the nearest museum, or if there 
is no interested institution reasonably available, an attempt should be 
made to save as much as possible of the remains and associated infor- 
mation. These data should be carefully recorded and a copy sent to 
our secretary, Chas. E. Brown, State Historical Museum, Madison. 

W. C. McKern, President 






Bnl. 13 



April, 1934 

NEW SERIES 



No. 3 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARGHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103 
Act. Oct. 3. 1917. Authorised Jan. 28. 1921. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



The Society is a state department, receiving a part of its support 
from the state. Its funds are under state control. Its work is well 
and widely known. It has received the approval of leading American 
archeologists, who agree that it deserves the full support of all Wis- 
consin citizens interested in the state's archeological history. 

The Society's activities comprise the location, recording, investi- 
gating and preservation of Wisconsin Indian remains, folklore and 
history, all of which are rapidly disappearing and must be recorded 
and saved immediately if ever. 

Through its efforts many fine groups of Indian earthworks and 
other aboriginal monuments and remains have been permanently pre- 
served to the public. Most have been marked with descriptive metal 
tablets. Others are being protected. Surveys and explorations have 
been conducted in many sections of the state. 

It is also engaged in encouraging the establishment of public mu- 
seums and collections and in discouraging the manufacture and sale 
of fraudulent antiquities. 

Regular monthly meetings of the Society are held during the 
months September to May, inclusive, in the Trustees* Room of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum. Meetings are open to the public. No 
regular meetings are held during the months June to August, inclu- 
sive. Special field meetings are occasionally held during the vacation 
months. 

The results of its research and other activities are made known 
through its regular quarterly publication, The Wisconsin Archeologist. 
Thirty volumes have appeared. The Society has a large membership 
distributed through every part of the state. 

It is co-operating to the fullest extent with all of the various 
scientific and educational organizations and institutions of Wisconsin. 



Wmanmn 



IBnl. 13 



April, 1934 

NEW SERIES 



No. 3 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1103 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28. 1921. 






Incorporated March 23, 1903, for the purpose of advancing the study 
and preservation of Wisconsin antiquities 



OFFICERS 

PRESIDENT 

Dr. A. L. Kastner 



VICE-PRESIDENTS 

Dr. H. W. Kuhm T. M. N. Lewis R. J. Kieckhefer 

Dr. L. S. Buttles T. L. Miller 



Charles E. Brown 
Dr. L. S. Buttles 
Dr. A. L. Kastner 
Dr. H. W. Kuhm 

W. K. Andrews 
Dr. S. A. Barrett 
Rudolph Boettger 
Dr. E. G. Bruder 
H. W. Cornell 
Col. Marshall Cousins 
Rev. F. S. Dayton 
W. E. Erdman 
Kermit Freckman 
Arthur Gerth 



DIRECTORS 

R. J. Kieckhefer 
T. M. N. Lewis 
W. C. McKern 

ADVISORY COUNCIL 

John G. Gregory 
Richard Hallstrom 
Otto J. Halvorson 
Paul Joers 
A. P. Kannenberg 
Dr. Louise P. Kellogg 
Mrs. Theo. Koerner 
Marie G. Kohler 
Dr. Ralph Linton 
A. T. Newman 



T. L. Miller 
G. M. Thorne 
Geo. A. West 



Dr. E. J. W. Notz 
Louis P. Pierron 
E. F. Richter 
Jos. Ringeisen, Jr. 
Chas. G. Schoewe 
Paul Scholz 
Rev. O. W. Smith 
Dr. Orrin Thompson 
Arthur Wenz 
G. R. Zilisch 



TREASURER 

G. M. Thorne 
1631 N. Fifty-second Street, Milwaukee, Wis. 

SECRETARY 

Charles E. Brown 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wis. 



COMMITTEES 

REGULAR 

STATE SURVEY— M. F. Hulburt, David A. Blencoe, Walter S. Duns- 
moor, S. W. Faville, 0. L. Hollister, Dr. A. L. Kastner, Dr. F. G. 
Logan, T. M. N. Lewis, W. M. Maier, T. L. Miller, Geo. F. Overton, 
Col. R. S. Owen, Geo. L. Pasco, J. P. Schumacher, J. J. Knudsen, 

E. R. Guentzel. 

MOUND PRESERVATION— Theodore T. Brown, Dr. E. G. Bruder, 
H. W. Cornell, Mrs. W. J. Devine, Col. Howard Greene, A. H. 
Griffith, Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, Mrs. F. R. Melcher, Rev. O. W. 
Smith, Dr. Orrin Thompson, Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Frank Weston. 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS— Milwaukee Public Museum (Dr. S. A. 
Barrett), Wisconsin State Historical Museum (Dr. Joseph Scha- 
fer), Oshkosh Public Museum (Niles J. Behnke), Green Bay Pub- 
lic Museum (Henry L. Ward), New London Musfum (Rev. 

F. S. Dayton), Lawrence College (Prof. J. B. MacHarg), La 
Crosse State Teachers College (Prof. A. H. Sanford), Kohler 
Museum (Miss Marie Kohler), Logan Museum (Paul H. Nesbitt), 
Minnesota State Historical Museum (Willoughby M. Babcock), 
St. Francis Museum (Rev. A. J. Muench). 

MEMBERSHIP— Chas. G. Schoewe, Carl Baur, Dr. W. H. Brown, 
Dr. L. S. Buttles, K. Freckman, Arthur Gerth, Paul Joers, Mrs. 
Anna F. Johnson, Mrs. Hans A. Olson, Louis Pierron, A. R. 
Rogers, C. G. Weyl, Geo. Wright, W. F. Yahr. 

STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL PARKS— R. P. Ferry, W. W. Gilmore, 
Walter Holstein, D. S. Howland, A. P. Kannenberg, Prof. A. H. 
Sanford, Ray Van Handel. 

PUBLICITY— J. G. Gregory, A. 0. Barton, R. K. Coe, E. R. Mclntyre. 

SPECIAL 

BIOGRAPHY— Miss R. T. Campbell, Paul Joers, Mrs. Theo. Koerner, 
Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Chas. G. Schoewe, Dr. A. L. Kastner, Dr. 
H. W. Kuhm. 

FRAUDULENT ARTIFACTS— Joseph Ringeisen, Jr., E. F. Richter, 
Geo. A. West. 

PROGRAM— Dr. H. W. Kuhm, W. E. Erdman, Alton K. Fisher, Dr. 
A. L. Kastner, G. M. Thorne. 

MARKING MILWAUKEE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES— R. J. Kieck- 
hefer. Dr. Paul Jenkins, Milo C. Richter, Geo. A. West, L. R. 
Whitney. 

PUBLICATION— Dr. Ira Edwards, Dr. H. W. Kuhm, Alton K. Fisher. 

LAPHAM RESEARCH MEDAL— Dr. S. A. Barrett, Dr. A. L. Kast- 
ner, Milo C. Richter, Chas. G. Schoewe, Geo. A. West. 



MEMBERSHIP FEES 

Life Members, $25.00 Endowment Members, $500.00 

Sustaining Members, $5.00 Annual Members, $2.00 

Institutional Members, $1.50 Junior Members, $ .50 

All communications in regard to the Wisconsin Archeological Society should 
be addressed to Charles E. Brown, Secretary and Curator, Office, State Historical 
Museum, Madison, Wisconsin. Contributions to the Wisconsin Archeologist should 
be addressed to Dr. Ira Edwards, Editor, Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 
or to the Secretary. Dues should be sent to G. M. Thorne, Treasurer, 1G31 N. 
52nd Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 



CONTENTS 



Vol. 13, No. 3, New Series 
ARTICLES 

Page 

An Evaluation of Recent Nebraska Finds Sometimes Attributed to the 

Pleistocene, Earl H. Bell and William Van Royen 47 

Identification of Some Outagami Villages, H. R. Holand 71 

Archeological Notes 76 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Artifacts from the Scottsbluff Bison Quarry, Nebraska Frontispiece 

Figure Page 

4. Artifacts from Custer and Hall Counties, Nebraska 54 

5. Cape Site Artifacts, Nebraska 64 




Artifacts from the Soottsbluff Bison Quarry, Nebraska. 



(IIl|p HiBronain Arrl|rnlogtBt 

Published Quarterly by the Wisconsm Archeolog:ical Society 

vol.. 13 MILWAl'KEK, WIS., APRIL, 1934 NO. 3 

New Series 



INTRODUCTION 

W. C. McKern 

An increasing number of reports on comparatively re- 
cent discoveries indicating the presence of man in the West- 
ern Hemisphere in near-Pleistocene times have appeared in 
scientific .and popular publications during the last few years. 
These have served to arouse in the minds of both the laity 
and specialists in American archaeology a renewed interest 
in the subject of man's antiquity in America. One result 
of this renewed interest has been a sharp division of opinion, 
with many interested scholars joining one or the other of 
opposite camps of partisans, one whole-heartedly supporting 
the hypothesis of pre-recent Americans, the other definitely 
and uncompromisingly opposing such an hypothesis. 
Although many, perhaps a majority of interested students, 
have not enlisted in this conflict, the number represented in 
the ranks of the opposing groups is, unfortunately, large. 

A careful analysis of the essential causes of this rather 
violent partisanship will demonstrate, I believe, that an out- 
standingly active factor is the emotional factor. One stu- 
dent, primarily as the result of early training and acquired 
habits of thought, is affected by an arbitrary, intolerant con- 
servatism regarding this subject, which acts as an emotion- 
al brake upon the wheels of his intellectual reaction to new 
stimuli; he finds it difficult to render an unbiased judgment 
on the authenticity of data tending to discredit his cherished 
and too-rigidly established preconceptions. Another student 
permits unharnessed enthusiasm, motivated by a romantic 
urge, and possibly stimulated by a desire to establish, in 
self-defense, an original statement of position, to subdue any 
element of purely logical criticism that might otherwise 
serve as a check on emotional propensities. Both types of 
students select their evidence and, on occasion, yield to emo- 
tional heat and personal recriminations. Such attitudes and 
actions are very human, but most unscientific. 

Science is, and must be, essentially critical. It can not 
yield allegiance to a newly conceived hypothesis, nor con- 



48 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 3 

tinue to support a previously accepted hypothesis, in the 
face of available new evidence, until that evidence has been 
mercilessly subjected to the purifying fires of criticism. The 
student of science is activated by one fundamental principle : 
to determine the truth at any price ; at the price of discard- 
ing the most important plank in one's existing platform of 
tenets; at the price of demonstrating the falsity of one's 
own pet theory. The student of science has no logical right 
to arbitrarily accept or reject an hypothesis on a basis of 
superficial indications, without the most critical, but fair 
and unprejudiced, examination of the data offered in its 
support. On the other hand, he has no logical right to ex- 
pect the open acceptance of his own hypothesis prior to the 
establishing of adequate supporting evidence beyond a rea- 
sonable question of doubt. His field and laboratory methods 
must be such as to forestall the accusation of inaccuracy. 
His findings should be recorded in a manner to offer un- 
questionable proof of their authenticity. Such methods of 
research have not characterized, in all instances, the work 
of those who have discovered and reported data employed 
to establish the pre-recent occupation of America by man. 
The field investigators involved not infrequently have failed 
to realize that the means for proving the accuracy of a find 
are as important as its discovery. 

The authors of the following thesis, which treats of the 
case for and against pre-recent man in Nebraska, are to be 
congratulated upon their strictly scientific attitude towards 
the subject. They are qualified scholars in a position to 
know the data, and the facts involved in the securing of 
them, engaged in an earnest effort to separate the chaff of 
unfounded assumption from the grains of fact. They start 
out with no preconceived theory to warp their conclusions. 
Consequently, their findings comprise a most valuable con- 
tribution apropos to one of America's most important 
archaeological problems. 



Evaluation Nebraska Pleistocene Finds 



AN EVALUATION OF RECENT NEBRASKA FINDS 

SOMETIMES ATTRIBUTED TO 

THE PLEISTOCENE 

Earl H. Bell and William Van Royen 

I 

In the past few years the question of possible Pleistocene 
habitation of America has again become a subject of dis- 
cussion among scientists, and various new sites suggesting 
such antiquity of man in this continent have been reported. 
In Nebraska, recent finds of this nature have attracted so 
much attention that it was considered worth while to inves- 
tigate them and prepare a somewhat detailed and critical 
report. 

In connection with discussions relative to the antiquity 
of man in America it is to be regretted that the terms 
''Pleistocene" and 'Tost-Pleistocene", as generally used, do 
not and can not have a sharply defined chronological mean- 
ing. In the regions near the outer margin of the Wisconsin 
glaciation the true Post-Pleistocene naturally began earlier 
than farther to the north. In Sweden the Pleistocene pe- 
riod is, somewhat arbitrarily, considered to end with the 
retreat of the ice to the western and northern sections of 
the Scandinavian peninsula and the breaking up of the ice 
cap into two parts. This took place, according to G. de Geer, 
from nine to ten thousand years ago. As long as no definite 
evidence to the contrary is offered, we may assume that the 
final disappearance of the Wisconsin was approximately 
coeval with that of the Eurasian Wiirm ice sheet. If man 
entered this continent during the latter part of the retreat 
of the Wisconsin, say ten thousand to fifteen thousand years 
ago, he would in reality need to be classed as Post-Pleisto- 
cene, although the remains of his existence, either artifacts 
or bones might often appear to be of Pleistocene age. Only 
if man entered America before the Wisconsin reached its 
greatest extension, according to recent estimates consider- 
ably more than forty thousand years ago, we might, in 
truth, speak of Pleistocene man. 



50 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No 3 

II 
In 1906 and 1907 the papers and scientific journals car- 
ried news and articles describing the so-called ''Nebraska 
Loess Man" and considered the pros and cons for its Pleis- 
tocene age. After careful study of the skeletal material 
itself, of the conditions of the find and of any evidence of 
intrusion, however, the general conclusion was that the lo- 
cation of the remains did not constitute definite proof of 
human occupation of America during the Pleistocene, if, in- 
deed, the remains were not of comparative recent origin. 

With the exception of the discovery in 1922 of a peccary 
tooth, for a while referred to as a tooth of Hesperipithicus 
Harold-Cookii (so named after the finder), all remained 
quiet on the Nebraskan front until 1929. During that sum- 
mer a paleontological party of the University of Nebraska, 
under the field management of Mr. C. Bertrand Schultz, at 
the time an undergraduate student of paleontology, discov- 
ered a peculiar dart point reminiscent of those discovered 
in the Folsom quarries of New Mexico, in association with 
fossil bones of a bison", thought to bear resemblance to those 
of Bison occidentalis, an extinct type. 

In 1931 Mr. Schultz's party reinvestigated an old quarry 
from which eight years previously Mr. F. G. Meserve had 
removed two skulls of Bison occidentalis with which a dart 
point was found associated'". The Schultz party removed 
more bison bones and found still another point". 

During this same year, Mr. A. M. Brookings, Director of 
the Hastings Museum, reported the finding of a Folsom type 
point in association with a fossil mammoth''. 

In the course of the field season of 1932 Mr. Schultz 
worked a third bison quarry near Scottsbluff, Nebraska, a 
few hundred yards from the foot of Signal Butte. In this 



® Schultz, Bertrand: Association of Artifacts and Extinct Mammals 
in Nebraska. Nebraska State Museum, Vol. I, Bulletin 33, pp. 271-273. 

'"Meserve, F. G., and Barbour, Erwin H. : Association of an 
Arrow Point with Bison Occidentalis in Nebraska. Nebraska State 
Museum, Vol. I, Bulletin 27. 

" Schultz, Bertrand : op. cit., p. 273 f f . 

" Figgins, J. D.: An Additional Discovery of the Association of a 
"Folsom" Artifact and Fossil Mammal Remains. Proceedings of the 
Colorado Museum of Natural History, Vol. X, No. 4, pp. 23-24. 



Evaluation Nebraska Pleistocene Finds 51 

quarry he found four points and a scraper in association 
with many bison bones". 

Early in September, 1932, Mr. Robert Cape, of Dalton, 
Nebraska, discovered an implement in what he termed a 
''soft sandstone" about eight feet below the surface". With 
the assistance of Mr. F. Denton, graduate student of paleon- 
tology, who happened to be in that neighborhood, the im- 
plement was removed in a block of matrix and sent to the 
University of Nebraska. Through the co-operation of 
Science Service, the Departments of Geography and An- 
thropology, and Colonel G. L. Waters, we shortly afterwards 
were able to investigate this find and at the same time to 
make further observations at and in the neighborhood of 
Signal Butte. In the meantime Mr. Cape found two more 
scrapers at a lower level, and while at Dalton our party re- 
moved in matrix a fourth implement. 

In order to gain a broader perspective of the latter finds 
we deteiTnined to investigate personally the other recent 
Nebraska discoveries. 

Ill 
The detailed study of the Pleistocene and Post-Pleisto- 
cene of the state of Nebraska is still in its first stages. To 
date a considerable stock of valuable information regarding 
these youngest formations has been assembled in connection 
with the work on the soils and the water resources of the 
state''. Thus far, however, very little pertaining directly 
to the Pleistocene of Nebraska is available in printed form. 
In connection with a survey of the water resources, a de- 
tailed study of the Pleistocene of south central Nebraska 
has been made during the last few years by Messrs. Condra 
and Lugn. The results of this study will be available some 
time in the near future. 

The Nebraskan and Kansas glaciations covered in the 
eastern part of the state a strip parallel to the Missouri 



'^Barbour, Erwin H., and Schultz, C. Bertrand: The Scottsbluff 
Bison Quarry and Its Artifacts. Nebraska State Museum, Vol. I, Bul- 
letin 34, pp. 283-286. 

" Bell, Earl H. and Van Royen, William : Investigation of a Site 
in Westerri Nebraska Yielding Artifacts Embedded in a Sand Cliff. 
Science Service Research Aid Announcement, No. 181, March 23, 1933. 

'^ See publications of Conservation and Survey Division of Neb- 
raska, G. E. Condra, director. 



62 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 3 

River about 70 to 80 miles wide. The younger glaciations 
did not reach Nebraska. The Wisconsin remained approxi- 
mately 60 miles east of the Missouri River, although the 
South Dakota lobe of this glaciation seems at least to have 
touched the northern border of the state near Yankton, 
South Dakota. To the Kansan and Nebraska periods belong 
thick gravels in eastern Nebraska. According to A. L. Lugn, 
only a small portion of these gravels was derived from the 
inland ice to the east ; the bulk of them was carried east by 
the Platte and other rivers. 

In the western part of the state little detailed work as 
yet has been done on Pleistocene and Post-Pleistocene de- 
posits. That part of Nebraska was affected not so much 
by the inland ice as by the glaciers on the mountains of 
Colorado and southern Wyoming, about 100 miles to the 
west. During the Wisconsin these mountains were heavily 
glaciated. Both the South and the North Platte rivers must 
have had a considerably greater volume of water; gravels, 
sands and finer deposits, derived from the Rocky Mountains, 
were carried far east during Wisconsin time. 

Among the Pleistocene deposits the loesses occupy a po- 
sition of prime importance. The status of the loess, which 
in many places occupies the surface, is not yet quite clear. 
Although the main body of this loess evidently is Pre-Wis- 
consin, part of it might well be younger'\ 

The Pleistocene of western Nebraska has not been corre- 
lated with that of the mountains nor has as yet any correla- 
tion been attempted with that of the eastern part of the 
state. Much more detailed work will need to be done before 
it may be possible to determine with any degree of certainty 
the relative age of many and especially of the younger Pleis- 
tocene deposits of Nebraska. It is to be regretted that the 
finds under discussion are located mostly outside the area in 
which the Pleistocene has been studied with some detail. 

IV 
At this point we shall briefly discuss the finds in the 
order of their discovery. 



" Leighton, M. M. : The Peorian Loess and the Classification of the 
Glacial Drift Sheets of the Mississippi Valley. Journal of Geology, 
Vol. 39, No. 1, 1931, pp. 45-53. 



Evaluation Nebraska Pleistocene Finds 53 

The Custer County Finds— Schultz, 1929". 

This find was in the South Loup valley in Custer County, 
about 7 miles southwest of Cumro. The bison fragments 
and the associated point were found 16 feet below the pres- 
ent surface in a 12 inch ''vegetation" layer'' which Mr. 
Schultz considers to be "of presumably late Pleistocene 
origin"". His description of the strata from top to bottom 
is as follows'" : 6 feet alluvial, grayish-yellow compact sand ; 
1 foot of light transition zone ; 6 feet, 8 inches of loess, yel- 
low, massive, compact, calcareous with carbon streaks ; *'old 
soil zone" 3 inches thick; 7 inches of loess; bone layer of 
1 foot 6 inches, carbonaceous and highly calcareous. Under- 
neath the bone horizon lies a light yellow loess, which ac- 
cording to evidence elsewhere in the paper is approximately 
fifteen feet thick''. Farther down follow Pleistocene marls. 

The point was found "in association with a portion of 
bison rib about a foot back from the face of the bank"''. It 
was chipped from black flint. The maximum length is 76 
mm., width 17 mm., and thickness 5 mm. It was skillfully 
chipped by the removal of long flakes. On one side there 
is a short narrow longitudinal groove. The base is slightly 
concave, but there is no notching. The whole bears a close 
resemblance to the Folsom type points found in Folsom, 
New Mexico, in association with the extinct Bison texa7ius 
(Fig. 4, a). 

The point was sent to the museum of the University of 
Nebraska and the quarry was left until the fall when Dr. 
W. D. Strong of the University of Nebraska Archaeological 
Survey joined the party and aided in the excavation of the 
fossil bones in hopes of finding another artifact. Although 
"the majority of the ribs and vertebrae, the scapulae, and 
pelvic bones were found in alignment, the skull, mandible 
and a few of the leg bones were missing"". No further evi- 



" Schultz, Bertrand: op. cit., pp. 271-273. 

'^ Ibid., p. 271. 

'' Ibid., p. 271. 

^ Ibid., p. 277. 

'' Ibid., p. 271. 

'; Ibid., p. 271. 

'^Strong, W. D.: Recent Discoveries of Human Artifacts Associ- 
ated with Extinct Animals in Nebraska. Science Service Research 
Announcement No. 130, June 27, 1932, p. 2. 



a- H 




Nebraska artifacts found in association with fossil bison (natural size). 

a. The Custer County artifact, obverse and reverse. 

b. The Meserve, or first Hall County artifact, obverse and reverse. 

c. The second Hall County artifact, obveise and reverse. 



Fig. 4 



Evaluation Nebraska Pleistocene Finds 55 

dence of man was found. The lack of the skull and mandible 
of course makes it difficult to determine the species to which 
this bison belongs. Lacking these important parts, how- 
ever, Schultz adds, "The (other) bones compare very favor- 
ably with those of Bison occidentalis which was the most 
common bison found in the late Pleistocene, and are very 
unlike those of Bison hison, the living species'"'. 

Dr. Strong carefully examined the site for evidence of 
intrusive soil but found no such indications. Neither was 
there any evidence of long rodent holes down which the 
point might have fallen''. We must bear in mind, however, 
that there is a possibility that the same agency which per- 
haps washed away the skull and jaw of the bison may also 
have destroyed the evidence of the intrusive nature of the 
point, which was only about a foot back from the face of 
the bank'". Any evidence of intrusion of the point by rodent 
activity could be expected to occur directly above it and 
toward the face of the bank. Such evidence would have 
been absent before Dr. Strong's investigation and Mr. 
Schultz, not realizing the importance of the association'', did 
not watch for such evidence. We do not mean to say that 
the artifact was intrusive, but in all fairness we must recog- 
nize that such a possibility is not completely disproved. 

From the description it appears that the bone horizon 
lies in the lower part of an old soil horizon, the top layer 
of which is formed by what Schultz refers to as an "old 
soil zone""'. If such is correct, the soil must, of course, have 
developed before the deposition of the topmost 13 to 14 feet 
of material and it thus appears likely that the bone horizon 
is of considerable age. Schultz refers to the loess as Peorian 
and, although he does not make such clear, he evidently 
means all the loess. This would tend to place the bone hori- 
zon in the last inter-glacial epoch. However, since no defi- 
nite proof can be given for the Peorian age of all the loess, 
it is as yet impossible to definitely class the bone horizon 
in which the point was found. In our study of this site 



'^ Schultz, Bertrand : op. cit., p. 272. 

-' Strong, W. D. : op. dt., p. 2. 

^ Schultz, Bertrand : op. cit., t^. 211. 

■' Strong, W. D. : op. cit., p. 1. 

■^ Schultz, Bertrand : op. cit., p. 277, Fig. 167. 



56 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 3 

there evolve three important facts. First, it is not definitely 
proven that the fossils belong to an extinct species. Second, 
the geological age of the strata can not be definitely deter- 
mined. Third, the element of accidental intrusion is not 
entirely eliminated. 

The Hall County Find — Meserve and Schultz, 1923 and 1931. 

This find occurred in the banks of the Platte River 6 
miles south-southeast of Grand Island. The site is located 
T 10 N, R 9 W, NE Section 15, not 14 as given in Schultz's 
paper. The bone bed was first worked in 1923 by Professor 
F. G. Meserve, who removed two skulls and some other 
skeletal parts of Bison occidentalis. A dart point was also 
found in the undisturbed matrix in association with the 
fossil bones'" (Fig. 4, b). In 1931, when the quarry was 
reopened by a party of the Geology Department of the Uni- 
versity of Nebraska, a second point was found "amongst a 
bunch of ribs'"". This artifact was photographed in situ and 
later removed together with the impression which was taken 
out in a small block''. 

This second point was chipped from a blue gray flint. 
Maximum length is 47 mm., width 30 mm., thickness 5 mm. 
There are no notches for hafting, but on one side of the 
base there is a longitudinal groove 15 mm. x 8 mm. x II/2 
mm. The workmanship is only fairly good. One outstand- 
ing characteristic is the decidedly right beveled edges 
(Fig. 4, c). 

The element of accidental intrusion is diminished by the 
presence of two finds discovered at rather long intervals by 
different parties. It is, of course, to be regretted that 
neither of the finds could be left in situ long enough to be 
examined by other scientists. However, the latter find was 
photographed in situ and the soil impression preserved. 

A description of the strata from top to bottom, accord- 
ing to Schultz, is as follows": 2 feet 8 inches of ''alluvium" ; 



^^ Meserve, F. G. and Barbour, Erwin H.: op. cit.; also Schultz, 
Bertrand: op. cit., p. 274. 

'"Barbour, Erwin H. and Schultz, C. Bertrand: The Mounted 
Skeleton of Bison Occidentalis and Associated Dart-Points. Nebraska 
State Museum, Vol. I, Bulletin 32, p. 264. 

" Schultz, Bertrand : op. cit., p. 273. 

^Ihid.,^.211,Y\g.2. 



Evaluation Nebraska Pleistocene Finds 57 

1 foot 4 inches of yellow clay silt or loess; 13 inches bone 
horizon, highly carbonaceous clay silt; 4 feet 11 inches of 
silt which turns from gray to yellow, with increasing cal- 
cium carbonate content. Below this lie what are referred 
to as Kansas sands and gravels. 

According to Mr. Schultz, "the exact age of the deposit 
could not be determined with finality, but the deposit plainly 
shows considerable antiquity and might well be of Peorian 
age".". 

The bones are found at a depth of about four feet below 
the present sod line in what we found to be a cut bank which 
stands about twelve feet above the Platte River water level. 
During our visit the lower three feet were not exposed be- 
cause of a higher river level. As a result of erosive activity 
of the river, vegetation is absent on the bank for about a 
distance of half a mile upstream from the site, and thus a 
continuous fresh exposure is available. The top of the bank 
is rather level, but at a distance of about 100 to 200 yards 
from the river it gently rises to the general level of the land 
on the southeast side of the Platte River, about forty feet 
higher. Schultz claims that "Erosion has removed much of 
the overhead which was above the deposit, and now only 
about four feet remain"**. Although the gentle slope to the 
upland bears some marks of erosion, it is doubtful if the 
overburden above the bone horizon ever was very much 
thicker than the present four feet. On the contrary, we 
seem to be dealing with a low river terrace. The gray silt 
below the bones is full of streaks of decayed vegetable mat- 
ter and is clearly water deposited. Also the yellow clay silt 
above the bone layer may be, at least partly, water deposited, 
since layers of small pebbles occur in it. 

The material on top, referred to by Schultz as three feet 
of "alluvium", is a faintly stratified, rather coarse sand, of 
a thickness varying from one to four feet. Although water 
deposition is not out of the question, the absence of pebbles 
and the varying thickness of the sand seem to indicate wind 
deposition. Also the northwest exposure and the large 
amounts of sand in the bed of the Platte River make such 
probable. 

'' Ibid., p. 274. 
'* Ibid., p. 274. 



58 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 3 

According to the description, the bone horizon is highly 
carbonaceous. During our visit, however, not much evidence 
to this effect was left. A careful search for about half a 
mile along the bank failed to reveal any definite carbona- 
ceous horizon elsewhere, although other bones were found 
in a few places. 

The sands and gravels at the bottom of the exposure are 
considered by Dr. Lugn to be of Kansan age. All that can 
be said at present with any degree of certainty about the 
deposits above these sands and gravels is that they are Post- 
Kansan. Further classification is at present impossible. The 
total situation, however, is not suggestive of great age. 

Nuckolls County — Brookings^. 

Later in the same season, 1931, while Mr. Brookings, 
Director of the Hastings (Nebraska) Museum, and a party 
were excavating a fossil mammoth near Angus, Nebraska, 
one of the members of the party displayed a point which 
he reported to have ''removed from about midway beneath 
the scapula' "\ The point was "chipped from a blue gray 
material and presents a very fresh unpatinated appear- 
ance'"'. "It is very crude in workmanship, the only unusual 
technique employed being the marked longitudinal groove 
which extended irregularly from base to tip on both faces'"^. 
Its general shape is leaf-like and, as Strong points out, its 
shape and the groove are its only claims to the Folsom cate- 
gory''. The retouching technique is very crude in contrast 
to the type Folsom points which are characterized by fine, 
long, regular flakes extending from the edge nearly to the 
center*". 

"The mammoth bones were covered by almost 16 feet 
of soil, around the bones are layers of sand and gravel with 
intermediate deposits of silt and clay"". 

The section shows a twelve-foot layer of these silts and 
clays in which the fossil mammoth was found, above which 

"" Figgins, J. D.: op. cit., pp. 23-24. 

^ Ibid., p. 23. 

^" Strong, W. D. : op. cit., p. 6. 

'^ Ibid., p. 6. 

=« Ibid., p. 6. 

*• Ibid. 

" Ibid. 



Evaluation Nebraska Pleistocene Finds 59 

is a three-foot layer of what may be red Loveland Loess. 
This loess, however, differs a little from the Upland phase 
of the Loveland in that more sand is present. Dr. A. L. 
Lugn is of the opinion that the elephant remains at Angus 
are undoubtedly old, ''perhaps as early as mid-Pleistocene". 
If they are covered by Loveland Loess, they would belong 
to the Illinoian-Iowan interglacial period and thus be very 
old". 

Dr. Strong summarizes the merits of this find in the fol- 
lowing words"': 

''On the basis of Schultz's report on the geology of the 
site and a study of all the other available evidence, Dr. A. 
L. Lugn regards the elephant remains at Angus as undoubt- 
edly old, perhaps as early as mid-Pleistocene, but feels that 
there is some reason to believe that the human evidence was 
not definitely in association with these remains and is much 
younger, perhaps early recent. Schultz suggests that the 
scapula might have been undercut and the point washed in 
by the creek. It is obvious, therefore, that considerable 
doubt exists regarding the nature of the reported associa- 
tion. The fact that the Angus mammoth remains appear 
to be mid-Pleistocene, or even earlier in age, makes it the 
more important that all doubt concerning this matter of 
actual association be cleared up. Lacking any definite sec- 
ondary evidence regarding the position of the point under 
the scapula, the entire case at present rests on the state- 
ments of those who removed it. 

"Mr. Figgins has confirmed the association in the follow- 
ing words: 'While it is unfortunate that the artifact was 
removed from the position where it was uncovered, the na- 
ture of the undisturbed matrix, its situation, and the integ- 
rity of the discoverers exclude doubt of its original associa- 
tion with the mammoth skeleton. It must be regarded as 
contemporaneous.' (J. D. Figgins, 1931, p. 23.) This is a 
strong statement and must be carefully considered. Never- 
theless in matters of scientific opinion it is the facts on 
which such opinions are based that are all important. The 
present writer feels very strongly that before the Angus 
association is generally accepted by palaeontologists and 
anthropologists, all of the obscure points should be carefully 
checked up and the facts published in full. If such studies 
lead to the acceptance of the association as reported, the 
matter of age can then profitably be considered by special- 
ists in Pleistocene deposits. 

'' Ibid., p. 7. 

*' Ibid., pp. 7 and 8. 



60 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 3 

*This last is the greatest desideratum in regard to all 
the recently discovered associations between man and ex- 
tinct fauna in North America. In this regard Nebraska 
discoveries, wherever authenticated, should assume major 
importance, since they are either in or close to glaciated 
areas. It is the role of the archaeologist to help establish 
the facts of each case and to study the cultural implications 
of each ; the matter of period determination rests with the 
geologists. Above all it is essential that wherever possible 
other archaeologists, palaeontologists, and geologists should 
be immediately called to examine the evidence of such asso- 
ciations m situ. Unless this is done the full value of the dis- 
covery can not be realized and there must always be an ele- 
ment of doubt involved." 

It is indeed unfortunate that in the one Nebraska find, 
of which the geological age can be fairly definitely estab- 
lished, in the excitement of the discovery, the precautions 
and study necessary to establish the inclusiveness of the 
association were not made. 

ScottsUuff Find—8chultz'\ 

During the field season of 1932 Mr. Schultz discovered 
a new Bison quarry near Signal Butte on the north bank 
of Spring Creek, a small, left tributary of Kiowa Creek. 
Both creeks run in a northeasterly direction past the foot 
of the Butte. In the early part of August the first point 
w^as found. Dr. Barbour and one of the authors investigated 
this find through the co-operation of Science Service. 

At that time it was found to be fairly certain that the 
point was not intrusive to the fossils. The later finds of 
three more dart points and a snub nose scraper bear out 
this conclusion and we do not need to consider this possi- 
bility further. 

Dr. Barbour and Mr. Schultz describe the site as follows : 
*'In trenching its course, Spring Creek has cut and exposed 
a cross section of an old river channel, in the coarse gravels 
of which the bison bones occur. This fossil river is incised 
in a floor of Brule clay (Oligocene), and its gravels vary 
in size from ordinary sand and pebbles up to chunks of ter- 



" Barbour Erwin H. and Schultz, C. Bertrand: The Scottsbluff 
Bison Quarry mid Its Artifacts. Nebraska State Museum, Vol. 1, Bul- 
letin 34, pp. 283-286. 



Evaluation Nebraska Pleistocene Finds 61 

tiary sandstones and clays weighing fifty pounds. The 
coarseness of the material indicates a stream having a con- 
siderable volume of water and strong current. Later, due 
to some cause, climatic or otherwise, the transporting power 
was reduced, and a lighter load was carried, as indicated by 
the overlying sand and silt. Still later the river ceased to 
flow. A covering of from twelve to twenty-seven feet of 
wind-blown material now rests upon the remains of the old 
river bed*"." 

According to our observations, the old channel, dug out 
in the Brule clay, does not appear to be very much wider 
than the present canyon of Spring Creek. A study of this 
little canyon and the neighboring territory indicates that 
the general course of the old channel closely corresponds to 
that of the present creek. All the visible evidence seems 
to point toward the occurrence of long range changes in 
the life of essentially one and the same creek. Spring Creek. 
Other creeks in the vicinity exhibit evidence of similar 
fluctuations. 

The rather coarse material at the bottom of the quarry 
requires a greater general flow of water than is available 
at present, or, possibly, bigger occasional floods. This coarse 
material grades into finer material above. On top of this 
again follows a very fine sand. These latter deposits evi- 
dently represent a long dry stage, during which much wind- 
work occurred, and the valley was partly filled. This period 
was followed by renewed erosion which probably established 
present conditions. The gravels and sands in which the 
bison bones were found are a remnant of the older channel 
deposits which was not removed by the renewed erosional 
activity of the creek. These sands and gravels do not seem 
to extend very far into the side of the present canyon, 
although, since the deposits are right near the junction of 
Spring Creek and Kiowa Creek, they might extend a little 
farther horizontally than otherwise would be the case. 

The bison bed may be of considerable age. However, 
with the present very imperfect knowledge of the age of 
the youngest deposits in the Nebraska panhandle, it is quite 



Ibid., p. 284. 



62 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 3 

impossible to definitely say whether the bone bed is of post- 
Wisconsin, Wisconsin, or pre-Wisconsin age. 

Specimens of the invertebrate fauna were sent to Doctor 
F. C. Baker of the University of Illinois and Dr. Junius Hen- 
derson of the University of Colorado. According to Barbour 
and Schultz, "Dr. Baker considers the entire fauna un- 
doubted Pleistocene and that three of the species from the 
lower horizons are not represented in recent times. Both 
Dr. Baker and Dr. Henderson think that this fauna has not 
changed much since late Pleistocene (Pre-Wisconsin) be- 
cause most of the forms are living today"*." 

It would seem then, also, that the invertebrate fauna is 
not as yet very strong evidence in support of the Pleistocene 
age of the quarry. 

The bison skulls recovered show a great range of varia- 
tion ; so much that at first Dr. Barbour and Mr. Schultz be- 
lieved that several species were represented. Now they are 
of the opinion that, notwithstanding certain divergencies, 
all of these should be classified as belonging to Bison 
occidentalis. 

In consideration of the artifacts (Frontispiece), we wish 
to point out that while in form and chipping a and d bear 
certain resemblances to the Folsom types, e is distinctly 
modern in form, being stemmed and notched. While the 
chipping of the latter artifacts is fairly good, there is noth- 
ing which would set it apart from many points in historical 
collections. Insofar as that is concerned, we can easily 
match a, c and d from our camp site collections. 

Of the remaining four ''artifacts" only one, h, shows defi- 
nite shaping. It is a snub-nose scraper of a type frequently 
encountered in western Nebraska, especially in the lower 
stratum of Signal Butte; g shows only slight evidence of 
secondary chipping; h and / are rejects. Admitting that 
a and d are rare on the surface, we must point out that they 
do occur in that way, although it is fast becoming the cus- 
tom among amateurs to refer anything like these to the 
"Folsom culture". 



Ibid., p. 284. 



Evaluation Nebraska Pleistocene Finds 63 

Cape Find — Morrill Count u, 19S2. 

The Cape find is located about 10 miles northwest of 
Dalton, Nebraska, a short distance above the confluence of 
the two principal forks of Greenwood Creek and on the east 
side of what will be referred to as the East Fork. Green- 
wood Creek flows northward from the highly dissected 
southern rim of the Scottsbluflf-Bridgeport basin, and is a 
tributary of Pumpkin Creek, which enters the Platte River 
below Bridgeport, Nebraska. The site is approximately 12 
miles south of this town. 

As seen from one of the neighboring divides, the valleys 
of both East and West Fork appear unusually wide for the 
size of the streams, from half to three-quarters of a mile 
being a moderate average. At present, however, both forks 
flow about twenty feet below this general valley level, in 
more recent valleys which are relatively narrow, but never- 
theless leave the streams some room in which to swing from 
side to side. 

As seen from the present river bottom, the higher level 
everywhere stands out as wide, flat, well preserved terraces. 
Near the confluence of the two forks no terraces are visible 
on either side of the dividing spur. The main terrace levels 
lie respectively to the west and east of West Fork and East 
Fork. The site is located in one of the cut banks of the 
East Fork. 

At this point the total height of the bank is approxi- 
mately twenty feet. Three main divisions are clearly 
marked. From the present level of the creek bed to about 
nine to ten feet above we find deposits of well stratified 
gravels, with intercalations of sand (A). 

The lower three feet are talus covered, but behind the 
talus the gravels are present. These gravels consist mostly 
of pebbles and some cobbles of Rocky Mountain origin which 
may have been derived from Ogallala deposits which occur 
in many places in the uplands to the south. This immediate 
local origin seems indicated by the fact that boulders of the 
Arikaree formation, which forms the neighboring divides, 
occur in these deposits. Clay boulders, some of which are 
of considerable size, also plead for the origin of the material 





The Cape Site artifacts. 
. Snub-nose scraper, in matrix, 
b. Lai-ge scraper, in matrix. 

Fig. 5 



Evaluation Nebraska Pleistocene Finds 65 

being within approximately the present drainage basin of 
the creek. The type of stratification, however, clearly indi- 
cates deposition in a stream bed rather than as sheetwash 
from the heights to the east. Toward the top the gravels 
gradually become finer. 

Above this complex lie approximately six feet of very 
fine sand which is somewhat cemented together and forms a 
rather solid bank with a vertical face (B). In this material 
pebbles of Rocky Mountain origin are scarce and very small. 
Quite coarse material, evidently derived from the Arikaree 
of the valley sides, occurs in irregular patches and at various 
levels. These agglomerations of coarser material have all 
the earmarks of sheetwash deposits. While the color of the 
lower part of complex B is a rather light buff, toward the 
top the material takes on a considerably darker, grayish 
hue, and evidence of coarse sheetwash becomes more rare. 
Between the top of B and the material above (C), there is 
a pronounced break. C is considerably lighter colored and 
less consolidated than A. There seems little doubt that the 
top of B is an old soil line. The material (C) above this line 
is 7 to 8 feet thick. It is mostly fine, with here and there 
evidence of coarse sheetwash. The bottom three feet are 
of a light buff color. This turns into gray and shades into 
the rather dark color which is found immediately under- 
neath the present sod line. 

All of the artifacts were found below the old soil line 
which at that point was 7.5 feet below the present surface. 
Three of them were in the partially cemented sand and two 
were in a stratified gravel bank about 20 rods down stream 
from the main site. 

The snub-nose scraper was .3 foot below the bottom of 
the old soil line and about 7.8 feet below the present surface. 
It is of the usual plano-convex form with a maximum length 
of 1% inches, width of % inch, and thickness of % inch. A 
large piece had been broken from the scraper (Fig. 5, a). 

No cracks or gopher holes were found, and the matrix 
around the artifact was quite hard. 

The second day at the site Mr. Cape was using a small 
pick to work in the hard section (B). The pick hit some- 



66 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 3 

thing hard. Upon examination we found the object firmly 
imbedded in the hard sand and also located the chip which 
the blow had broken off. We then worked out the entire 
edge of the artifact so that about one-half inch was exposed. 
The secondary chipping was very plain but occurred only on 
one side of the object. We then removed a block with the 
tool imbedded. 

In the laboratory the implement proved to be a broad 
flat flake of flint. Both edges had been worked and one end 
shaped to a blunt, rounding point. The other end was 
straight, unworked, and appeared to have been the result of 
a break so that we were unable to determine its original 
shape. All of the flakes had been thrown from one side; 
that is, the implement was unifaced. There is evidence of 
resharpening. It remains at present partially imbedded in 
its matrix (Fig. 5, b). 

In the present condition its maximum measurements 
are : Length 2 inches, width 1 15/16 inches, thickness % 
inch. If it was broken, we would judge it originally to have 
approximated four inches in length. 

Between the time of Mr. Cape's original find, which he 
shipped to us, and our arrival, he had worked about 20 rods 
down stream in a gravel bank in which he found two other 
artifacts and several heavy unworked flakes. One of these 
artifacts he reports to have found definitely in situ. Mr. 
Cape's integrity is beyond question and wherever it has been 
possible to check on his observations we have found them 
to be correct. He was unable to establish definitely whether 
or not the second artifact was in situ. The maximum meas- 
urements are: artifact No. 1: length 3V2 inches, width 1% 
inches, thickness % inch; and artifact No. 2: length 2% 
inches, width 1% inches, thickness % inch. The similarity 
of the two and their proximity makes it seem highly prob- 
able that they were contemporaneous. Both of these objects 
are of almost identical material. Both are worked from 
large flakes and are unifaced, although one edge of the 
larger one has been retouched from the flat side. 

These two implements from the gravel banks resemble 
the second find described above in that they are unifaced. 



Evaluation Nebraska Pleistocene Finds 67 

sharpened on all edges and slightly rounded at the ends. 
They differ, however, in that they are much cruder and more 
irregular. While the find in B appears to have been worked 
by the pressure technique, those in the gravel bank. A, were 
shaped by the percussion method and then retouched by 
careless pressure flaking. 

Stratigraphically the gravel bank appears to be a con- 
tinuation of A of the main site. The general appearance of 
the beds are the same and the levels correspond. 

This places the two cruder implements of the gravel bank 
at a lower level (at least 6 feet) than those found in the par- 
tially cemented sand of B. 

The entire exposure clearly suggests changing conditions 
of deposition. Exposures elsewhere along East Fork and 
along West Fork seem to indicate conditions similar to those 
sketched above. The similarity of the different exposures 
suggests that the changes in deposition can not be consid- 
ered as entirely the result of laterial displacements of the 
streams, but that long range changes have occurred in the 
activity of the creek as a whole. 

The lower gravels of A give evidence of a flow of water 
greater, and probably also more regular, than that of the 
present. With a relatively heavy load to carry, the creeks 
seemed to deposit rather than to erode. Complex B sug- 
gests a distinctly drier period with little vegetation, much 
windwork and occasional sheet floods. This period was 
seemingly followed by a period of greater moisture during 
which a soil could form on top of Complex B and during 
which erosion may have prevailed over deposition. Part of 
Complex C again is indicative of a drier period. After this, 
once more, the amount of moisture became greater. With 
a larger flow and a small load the creeks started to cut down, 
a process in which they are still engaged. 

With the rather Hmited amount of detailed geologic and 
physiographic work that has so far been done in this part 
of Nebraska, it is as yet difficult, if not altogether impossi- 
ble, to form a definite idea of the probable age of these vari- 
ous strata, and therefore of the artifacts which were found 
in them. 



68 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 3 

If the implements were dropped where they were found, 
the time elapsed must account for the period involved in the 
building up of at least the topmost ten feet of the terrace, 
plus the period required for the creeks to cut down to their 
present level, approximately twenty feet below the terrace 
edge. 

As is apparent from the age, location, and appearance 
of the large trees in the very bottom of many of the can- 
yons, the creeks in this region do not seem to be cutting 
down their beds as rapidly as is sometimes believed by local 
residents who are likely to generalize from occasional severe 
cases of erosion in isolated spots caused by local downpours. 

The form of the terraces and the arrangement of the 
strata make it unlikely that the exposure is only the side 
veneer of a relatively small filling. On the contrary, the 
filling seems to have taken place over an area which included 
the entire width of the present terraces. 

It is not improbable that the time required for the 
deposition of the upper ten feet of the terrace may have 
been considerably longer than that necessary for the cutting 
of the stream to its present level. Also, a considerable lapse 
of time is necessary for the formation of recognizable soil 
horizons. Thus it is not improbable that the age of the 
artifacts may be counted in thousands, rather than in hun- 
dreds of years. 

When did the deposition of these artifacts take place? 
There seem to be two distinct possibilities. An extensive 
study of peat bogs in Europe, carried on during the last half 
century by scientists of different nationalities, has resulted 
in the discovery that post-glacial climate in the continent 
of Europe has been subject to pronounced fluctuations, 
which expressed themselves in vegetational changes. 

In North America the work on the pollen content of peat 
bogs is as yet in its infancy. Sears claims to have found 
sufficient evidence indicating Post-Pleistocene climatic fluc- 
tuations in this country roughly corresponding to those es- 
tablished in Europe*'. 



*' Sears, P. B. : "The Archaeology of Environment in Eastern 
North America". American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 34, 1932, 
pp. 610-622. 



Evaluation Nebraska Pleistocene Finds 



The most important evidence in relation to the present 
problem is the analysis, made by G. Lane'', of a peat bog 
in Iowa. This analysis indicated a coniferous vegetation 
followed respectively by an amaranth vegetation, by prairie, 
by another amaranth vegetation, and finally by prairie with 
oak-hickory forest. 

The exposure on Greenwood Creek near Bridgeport, Ne- 
braska, seems to fit a similar scheme very well indeed. In 
this semi-arid environment, climatic changes, especially 
changes in humidity, must necessarily make themselves felt 
much more severely than in a humid region. A slight de- 
crease of precipitation over a long period might make seri- 
ous inroads upon the present vegetation, thus giving sheet 
erosion and windwork a chance and starting a period of 
valley filling. 

The gravel zone A might, for example, represent the cool 
and humid period indicated in Iowa by the coniferous 
vegetation, B might represent the dry amaranth period, the 
distinct level between B and C the somewhat moister prairie 
period of Iowa. Part of C might correspond to the second 
dry amaranth period, while the period necessary for the 
cutting of the creek beds to their present level might be 
the equivalent of the prairie-oak-hickory period of farther 
east. 

Peat deposits are known to exist in eastern Nebraska. 
Thus far, however, no data based on analysis of the pollen 
and other plant remains in these bogs are available to con- 
firm or refute fluctuations of climate as found by Sears, 
Lane and others farther to the east. 

We also do not know whether these climatic fluctuations, 
as indicated by Sears, were all of sufficient amplitude to 
find expression in the topography. If some of the fluctua- 
tions were of such brief duration that they did not result 
in pronounced changes in the activity of the streams, the 
lower complexes of the exposure at Greenwood Creek might 
predate the oldest of Sears' periods. Such would very likely 
bring at least zone A into the youngest Pleistocene. 

*' Ibid. 



70 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 3 

A further morphological study of the entire area, a care- 
ful correlation of the terraces with those found along the 
neighboring Platte River, and especially a detailed study of 
the latter should, together with evidence derived from the 
peat deposits in eastern Nebraska, shed more light on this 
important problem. 

The value of paleontological evidence for the determina- 
tion of the Pleistocene age of deposits is subject to certain 
limitations. It is quite possible that various animals, con- 
sidered characteristic for the Pleistocene, actually survived 
the ice age proper. Bison priscus in Europe is also found in 
Post-Pleistocene deposits. The same may hold true for 
Bison occidentalis in America. F. Leverett, in his recent pa- 
per on the quaternary geology of Minnesota*', for example, 
mentions Bison occidentalis in a peat bog near the Cuyuna 
iron range. Such a peat bog cannot be other than Post- 
Wisconsin. 

The review of these finds clearly establishes one fact: 
that there are sites in Nebraska, bearing evidence of human 
activities, the age of which may run into thousands rather 
than hundreds of years. There are some interesting points 
of resemblance, especially between the Cape site and the 
Scottsbluff site, and both sites must be of a certain antiq- 
uity. The other cases do not seem to be as clear. 

In the present state of our knowledge, however, it is 
quite impossible to determine whether the finds should be 
classified as post- Wisconsin, Wisconsin or pre-Wisconsin. 
Thus far we are inclined to believe the first. Certainly, the 
burden of the proof lies with those who claim their pre-Wis- 
consin age. Much extremely careful and patient work on 
the Nebraska Pleistocene will need to be done before it may 
be possible to come to a decision on this point, and all the 
possibilities of the post- Wisconsin age of the individual sites 
must be eliminated before they can be classed as pre-Wiscon- 
sin. To date this has not been done. 



*^ Leverett, F.: Quaternary Geology of Minnesota and Parts of 
Adjacent States. U. S. Geological Survey, Professional Paper 161, 
Washington, D. C, 1932. 



Identification of Some Outagami Villages 71 



IDENTIFICATION OF SOME OUTAGAMI VILLAGES 

Hjalmar R. Holand 

MA CHI HI GA NING 

The first known village of the Outagami in Wisconsin 
was 3Ia chi hi ga ning. Allouez mentions it for the first time 
in the following words: 

**Six large cabins of these poor people (the Outagami) 
were put to rout this month of March (1670) by eighteen 
Iroquois from Tsonnontouan, who, under the guidance of 
two fugitive Iroquois slaves of the Pouteouatamis, made an 
onslaught, and killed all the people, except thirty women 
whom they led away as captives. As the men were away 
hunting, they met with but little resistance, there being 
only six warriors left in the cabins, besides the women and 
children, who numbered a hundred or thereabout. This car- 
nage was committed two days' journey from the place of 
our winter quarters, at the foot of the Lake of the Illinoues 
(Lake Michigan), which is called Ma chi hi ga ning""\ 

As Allouez writes that this village was at the foot of Lake 
Michigan, some writers have assumed that it was at or near 
Chicago". But Allouez has here mistaken the name of the 
village for the name of the lake. Two days' journey from 
his winter headquarters, which were then, in the winter of 
1669-1670, a short distance up the Oconto River'', would not 
bring him to the foot of Lake Michigan, three hundred miles 
away, but it would bring him to the village of Ma chi hi ga 
ning. Chief Simon Kahquados, whose ancestors have lived 
in that vicinity for several hundred years, states that Ma 
chi hi ga ning, which means "old cleared land", was a village 
site about two (four) miles south of the Sturgeon Bay port- 
age in Door County''. In order to verify this question, the 
present writer addressed a letter of inquiry concerning the 
location and meaning of Ma chi hi ga ning to another well 
informed Potawatomi chief, James Wampum. The answer 



•'" Jesuit Relations, 54 : 219-221. 

*' Kellogg, L. P. : Early Narratives, 152, note 2. 

" Neville, A. C, V^is. Hist. So. Proceedings, 1905, 143-156. 

^•' Lawson, P. V.: The Potawatomi in Wis. Archeologist, 19:51. 



72 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 3 

was that it was the name of a village site, meaning ''old 
cleared land", three or four miles south of the Sturgeon Bay 
canal. This location of the village explains why the Iroquois 
slaves among the Potawatomi were in position to know 
about the defenseless state of the village. As the Potawa- 
tomi at that time (1670) had their principal village just 
south of Red Banks, and thus were close neighbors to the 
Outagami, these slaves were in good position to know the 
circumstances among the latter. 

Allouez, who had just recently arrived from Lake Su- 
perior, did not at that time have any conception of the great 
length of Lake Michigan. In the same letter in which he 
mentions Ma chi hi ga ning, he states that Lake Michigan 
*'is much smaller than Lake Huron". The greatest length 
of Lake Huron, as known to Allouez at the time of his writ- 
ing, was the distance from the mouth of French River to 
Mackinac. As traveled by canoe this distance is about two 
hundred miles. This distance, measured from Mackinac 
along the north and. west shore of Lake Michigan, would 
about reach to Kewaunee, Wis. With the knowledge that 
Allouez then had of the Great Lakes, he, therefore, assumed 
that the Outagami village, a few miles south of the Stur- 
geon Bay portage, was ''near the foot of the lake". 

This village is of interest to historical students because, 
on two different occasions, it saved the lives of some of the 
most eminent explorers of America. On October 2, 1679, 
Robert LaSalle with fourteen men, on his first journey to 
explore the Mississippi, was compelled by storm to land six 
miles south of this village. Fearing that its people belonged 
to a hostile tribe, he erected a barricade. But the villagers 
proved to be Potawatomi who generously gave him abundant 
food supplies and enabled him to continue on his journey'". 

One year later, Nov. 14, 1680, the freezing and starving 
survivors of this ill-fated expedition, under command of 
Henry Tonty, arrived on their retreat to this same village, 
hoping there to find succor. The Indians were all away on 



^* The site of LaSalle's barricade has now been created into a 
county park, known as Robert LaSalle County Park, and the Door 
County Historical Society has erected a monument to the explorer. 
Holand, H. R.: Peninsula Historical Review, 1, No. 2, 1-12; Vol. 4: 
1-13, 27-29. 



Identification of Some Outagami Villages 73 

their winter hunt, but Tonty and his men, digging in the 
snow for kernels of com overlooked by the field mice, found 
sufficient to save them from starvation. A few days later 
they were rescued by the Potawatomi hunters''. 

OUES TA TI NOUNG 
When the Outagami returned to Ma chi hi ga ning from 
their winter hunt in the spring of 1670, and found only the 
dead bodies of their people, they withdrew far inland and 
built a new village called Ones ta ti noting. Here they were 
visited by Allouez, April 24-27 of the same year. George R. 
Fox believes this village was at or near the present village 
of Leeman in Outagamie County where he found much evi- 
dence of former Indian occupation. Dr. Kellogg is inclined 
to agree with this conclusion'*. There are, however, a num- 
ber of reasons which show that Ones ta ti noung was not at 
Leeman. These reasons are as follows: 

On April 16, 1670, Allouez set out from his headquarters 
near the mouth of the Oconto River to visit the Outagami. 
If this village had been at Leeman, the logical thing to do 
would have been to paddle up Oconto River, which is a large 
stream flowing from the west. At Pulcifer, about twenty- 
five miles up the river, it turns northward, but here a four- 
mile portage could be made to Lake Shawano and the Wolf 
River, down which the canoe would glide with little effort to 
Leeman. Not counting the extra mileage due to the mean- 
derings of the streams, the whole distance is only about 
fifty miles. 

But Allouez did not go that way. Instead, he went by 
way of Green Bay, the Fox River and Lake Winnebago, and 
ascended the Wolf River from its mouth, taking nine days 
for the journey. Again allowing nothing for the windings 
of the streams, the distance to Leeman by this route would 
be more than three times as far as if he had ascended the 
Oconto. The route was not chosen because Allouez had no 
means of knowing which way to go. There were Outagami 
present in the village on the Oconto, and he, no doubt, had 
one or more of them with him as guides. 



''Ibid., 2:3-10. 

'«Fox, G. R.: Wis. Archeologist, 15:5, 18-19; Kellogg, L. P.: The 
French Regime, 127, note 50. 



74 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 3 

Oiies ta ti iiouncj was located near the east bank of the 
Wolf River, as is shown on several early maps". Allouez 
writes that this was two days journey from the Miami''. 
The Miami were found by him two or three miles south of 
the present city of Berlin, Wis. As Leeman is one hundred 
and ten miles from Berlin, following the winding river, it is 
plain that Ones ta ti noung could not have been at Leeman. 
Two days' journey, or a little more than forty miles, from 
Berlin up the Wolf River, would bring the traveler to the 
so-called "cut-off", a few miles southwest of New London. 
This is the most probable site of Dues ta ti noung, and here 
has been found an abundance of Indian artifacts. This 
agrees very well with Perrot's statement that the Outagami 
were settled about thirty leagues from the Bay'" (Green 
Bay) as the "cut-off" mentioned above is about eighty-five 
miles by canoe route from the bay. It does not at all agree 
with the supposition that Ones ta ti noung was at Leeman. 
By land Leeman is less than thirty miles from the bay across 
a dry and open country. By water it is five times as far. 

But there is further evidence to show that Ones ta ti noung 
must have been near the "cut-off". After Allouez in 1671 
built his mission house at the place which is now in the city 
of DePere, he made many journeys to Ones ta ti noung. 
Having found that the route by way of Lake WMnnebago 
and the Wolf River was needlessly long, he discovered a 
shorter route. He did not go northwest to Leeman, but 
southwest along the Fox River to a point "two leagues below 
the great rapid called the Kakalink" (now Kaukauna), and 
from there went west, reaching Ones ta ti noting in less than 
two days*". This route led him along a low dividing lime- 
stone ridge with no streams to ford and through a fairly 
treeless country where the walking was easy. This ridge 
leads directly toward the "cut-off". The Little Lake St. 
Francois, which he says was two leagues from Ones ta ti 
noimg"', was no doubt the present White Lake, about five 
miles west of the "cut-off". 



"' See Allouez' excellent map in the Relation of 1670; also in Wis. 
Hist. Colls, 16:80; also Marquette's map of 1673 and the (Parkman 
No. 4) map of 1680. 

^"^ Kellogg, L. P.: Early Narratives, 154. 

'"' Ibid., 81. 

^Jesuit Relations, 58:43, 47, 49. 

''Ibid., 59:233. 



Identification of Some Outagami Villages 75 

The Outagami had here a most favorable location, for 
just to the west and southwest of them, in present Waupaca 
and Waushara counties, are a multitude of lakes and run- 
ning streams which made this region the best place in the 
state for hunting beaver. It was the abundance of beaver 
which gave the village its name, for Ones ta ti noicng means 
"beaver village'"'. It was probably the invasion of these 
choice hunting grounds by the Sioux to the west and the 
Ojibwe to the north which brought on the protracted wars 
of the Outagami with these tribes. Here, too, according 
to La Hontan, the Outagami, while on their winter hunting 
trip, were attacked in 1683 by a thousand Iroquois*" who 
were defeated by a brilliant stratagem of the Outagami. 
The long and narrow isthmus between Silver Lake and Crys- 
tal Lake, three miles southeast of Wautoma, exactly fits 
La Hontan's description of the battleground. 

It was probably the fear of Iroquois vengeance which 
caused the Outagami about this time to desert their village 
of Oiies ta ti noung. Their principal settlement was made 
many days' journey to the southwest on the shore of Buffalo 
Lake near its southern end. This identification is deter- 
mined by La Hontan, who says that he left this village about 
noon on October 16, 1689, and reached the portage to the 
Wisconsin in the evening of the same day'". As canoeing 
in small streams after dark is impossible because of snags, 
and as the sun sets early in October, this shows that the 
village could not have been more than ten or twelve miles 
north of the portage. There was, however, according to 
La Hontan, another Outagami village about two days' jour- 
ney further down-stream on the Fox River, probably on 
Lake Puckaway. 

After this, for almost fifty years, the Outagami domi- 
nated the Fox River, building many villages along its course, 
becoming the dominant tribe in Wisconsin. None of the 
names of these villages, before which the cannon of the 
French thundered in vain, have been preserved. 



*■ According to information in a private letter from J. N. B. Hewitt, 
Bureau of American Ethnology. 
''Voyages, 1:488-494. 
"^ Ibid., 1:111. 



76 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 3 



ARCHEOLOGICAL NOTES 

Meetings 

November 20, 1933. President McKern conducted the meeting. 
There were 125 members and visitors present. Secretary Brown an- 
nounced the election of Lieut. Charles L. Emerson, Gold Beach, Ore- 
gon, and Henry L. Ward, Green Bay, as annual members. The death 
of George Richardson, an honorary member and Milwaukee pioneer, 
was reported. President McKern asked the assistance of the members 
in enlisting new members. Persons in the audience were cordially in- 
vited to join the Society. 

Dr. Albert Bartle gave an illustrated lecture on "Early Man", 
which was exceptionally interesting and instructive. At its conclusion 
he was thanked by the president for preparing so exhaustive an ad- 
dress. Various members and guests participated in the discussion 
which followed. 

The election of Charles G. Schoewe as an honorary curator of 
archeology of the Oshkosh Public Museum was announced, Mr. 
Schoewe exhibiting the certificate which he had received. Exhibits 
of interesting stone and other Indian artifacts were made by Messrs. 
W. K. Andrew, Paul Scholz and T. L. Mills. 

December 18, 1933, Vice-President Kastner presiding. The attend- 
ance of over fifty members was very gratifying for this pre-Christ- 
mas meeting. Mr. George L. Waite, honorary curator of botany of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum, gave an illustrated lecture on "Birchbark 
Canoe Building Among the Ojibwe". He delineated the construction 
of a canoe from the felling of the tree to the final launching of the 
graceful craft. A discussion by various members followed. 

In the absence of Secretary Brown, Dr. H. W. Kuhm acted as 
secretary. At the close of the meeting Mr. Paul Joers exhibited a 
beaded Crow Indian ceremonial apron, Mr. Wm. K. Andrew a pipe and 
crescent, Mr. E. C. Steene elk, earrings and a quill-decorated buckskin 
coat and Mr. Arthur Gerth five flint spearpoints. Each exhibitor ex- 
plained the character of his own specimens. 

January 15, 1934. Because of the large size of the audience, over 
three hundred persons, this meeting was held in the auditorium of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum. No announcements of the meeting of the 
Executive Board or other announcements were made by the president 
or secretary. President McKern introduced the speaker, Miss Grace 
West, a daughter of Mr. George A. West, one of the Society's founders 
and for many years one of its officers and very active members. 

The subject of Miss West's lecture was "A Visit to Norway and 
Sweden", a travel tour to that distant part of the world, which she 
made with Mrs. West a summer ago. The speaker, who thus made 
her first appearance as a lecturer on the Society's programs, gave a 
most pleasing and instructive account of the people, the historic and 
other buildings and of the very beautiful scenery of the two countries. 
This she illustrated with a fine collection of colored lantern slides. At 
the conclusion of her lecture the President extended to the sneaker 
the grateful thanks of her large and interested audience. 

February 19, 1934. President McKern in the chair. Secretary 
Brown announced the election as annual members of Arthur O. John- 
son, Madison; Earl H. Bell, Lincoln, Nebraska; Harold Feldman, 
Wauzeka; and Victor S. Crawn and F. C. Laue, Milwaukee. The death 
of Winfield W. Gilman, Madison, first vice-president and a charter 
member of the Society, was also announced. The Executive Board had 
accepted the invitation of Secretary Schuette to hold its annual joint 



Archeological Notes 77 

meeting with the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters at 
Lawrence College, Appleton, on April 6 and 7. All members were in- 
vited to enter papers in the program. 

The illness of Dr. Louise P. Kellogg made it necessary to make a 
change in the program. Dr. L. S. Buttles taking her place and giving 
an interesting illustrated lecture on the "Archeology of Arkansas, 
Mississippi and Louisiana", a part of the country to which he had 
made several archeological expeditions. He illustrated his lecture with 
numerous specimens of earthenware and stone, and other implements 
from that region. His lecture was afterwards discussed by the Messrs. 
Bartle, West, Brown, Schoewe and other members in his audience. 

Mr. West presented resolutions of sympathy on the death of Mr. 
W. W. Oilman. These were approved by the members present. The 
President appointed the Messrs. West, Buttles and Thorne a nominat- 
ing committee to nominate officers for the ensuing year. These gentle- 
men were to be prepared to make a report at the annual meeting in 
March. The chairmen of committees were to prepare reports to be 
read at the same meeting. 

At the close of the meeting Paul Scholz exhibited several copper 
and flint implements. There were fifty members and visitors present 
at this meeting. 

March 19, 1934. Annual Meeting. President McKern made a brief 
statement of the aims and; purposes of the Society, inviting interested 
persons to attend its monthly meetings and to become members. Secre- 
tary Brown announced the appointment by the President of Mr. Paul 
Joers to succeed Mr. Geo. A. West as a member of the nominating 
committee. Members were reminded of the Joint meeting to be held 
with the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences and Museums Conference at 
Appleton, at Lawrence College, on April 6 and 7. Twenty members 
of the Society had already offered papers for the program. At the 
Executive Board meeting, Messrs. E. C. Steene and Arthur O. John- 
son were elected members of the Society. 

Mr. Wilton E. Erdman presented a paper outlining the methods 
pursued by himself in conducting a surface examination of an Indian 
camp or village site. This contained much information of value to 
amateur investigators. 

This he followed with an equally interesting paper on "The 
Archeology of the Horicon Marsh", a locality in which he and other 
members of the Society had been interested for years. He discussed 
the succession of Indian tribes in the region (Sioux, Sauk and Fox, 
Mascoutin, Winnebago and Menomini) and described some of the sites 
from which he had collected information and specimens. At its con- 
clusion this paper was discussed by the Messrs. Dr. Bartle, Dr. 
Kuhm, Dr. Notz and other members. 

The report of Treasurer Thorne was received but not read. The 
president appointed a committee to audit this report, consisting of the 
Messrs. Notz, Kieckhefer and Steene. Mr. Thorne presented the report 
of the committee appointed to nominate officers for the ensuing year. 
This report was approved and the new officers regularly elected. These 
were the following : 

President — Dr. Alfred L. Kastner. 

Vice-Presidents— Dr. H. W. Kuhm, Dr. L. S. Buttles, T. M. N. 
Lewis, T. L. Miller, R. J. Kieckhefer. 

Secretary — Charles E. Brown. 

Treasurer — G. M. Thorne. 

Directors — Chas. E. Brown, Dr. L. S. Buttles, Dr. A. L. Kastner, 
Dr. H. W. Kuhm, R. J. Kieckhefer, T. M. N. Lewis, W. C. McKern, 
T. L. Miller, G. M. Thorne, Geo. A. West. 



78 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 3 

Advisory Council — W. K. Andrews, Dr. S. A. Barrett, Rudolph 
Boettger, Dr. E. G. Bruder, H. W. Cornell, Col. Marshall Cousins, 
Rev. F. S. Dayton, W. E. Erdman, Kermit Freckman, Arthur Gerth, 
John G. Gregory, Richard Hallstrom, Otto L. Halvorson, Paul Joers, 
A. P. Kannenberg, Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, Mrs. Theo. Koerner, Marie 
G. Kohler, Dr. Ralph Linton, A. T. Newman, Dr. E. J. W. Notz, Louis 
P. Pierron, E. F. Richter, Jos. Ringeisen, Jr., Chas. G. Schoewe, Paul 
Scholz, Rev. O. W. Smith, Dr. Orrin Thompson, Arthur Wenz, G. R. 
Zilisch. 

Mr. Erdman made an extensive exhibit of Indian pottery and im- 
plements which the members and visitors examined after the meeting. 

Publications 

The January number of The Masterkey, published bi-monthly by 
the Southwest Museum, Highland Park, Los Angeles, California, con- 
tains a number of interesting articles. Of outstanding interest are: 
A new Deal in Archeology, and A Camel-Hunter's Camp in Nevada 
(regarding ancient man in America), both by M. R. Harrington. 

Charles Amsden is the author of a new book on Navaho Weaving, 
a thoroughly documented and critical study of the technical and his- 
torical aspects of the title subject, illustrated in color. Published by 
the Southwest Museum, Highland Park, Los Angeles, California. 
Price $7.50. 

Of interest and value to the student of pottery, whether primitive 
or classical, is a recent contribution from the Museum of Anthropology, 
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan : Standards of Pottery 
Description, by Benjamin March, Occasional Contributions No. 3, 
1934. Price $0.75. 

David I. Bushnell, Jr., is the author of a recent article on Tribal 
Migrations East of the Mississippi, relating to the distribution of 
cultural groups of Indians as first encountered by Europeans. Smith- 
sonian Miscellaneous Collections, Vol. 89, No. 12, 1934. 

The January-March number of the American Anthropologist, N. S., 
Vol. 36, No. 1, contains among others the following articles: Native 
American Population, by A. L. Kroeber; Culture Changes in Yucatan, 
by Robert Redfield; Pueblo Sites in Southwestern Utah, by J. E. 
Spencer; North American Indian Traditions Suggesting a Knowledge 
of the Mammoth, by W. D. Strong; A Possible Culture Sequence at 
Mitla, Oaxaca, by Ralph L. Beals; The Bow-Drill in North America, 
by Paul S. Martin. Address, Dr. Leslie Spier, Editor, American 
Anthropologist, Yale University, New Haven, Conn. 

Leslie Spier is the author of a recent book on Yuman Tribes of the 
Gila River, based upon two years of research among these people. 
434 pages, 15 illustrations. University of Chicago Press. Price $4.15 
postpaid. 

A recent booklet by Charles L. Emerson, Wisconsin Scenic and 
Historic Trails, supplies information on points of interest along the 
tourist highways of the state. The Straus Printing Co., Madison, or at 
all booksellers and newsdealers. Price $0.50. 

Miscellaneous 

Mr. John J. Knudsen, well-known Madison collector, has devised 
one of the best methods we have seen for the mounting of the flint 
arrow and spearpoints, perforators and scrapers, potsherds and smaller 
bone and copper implements included in a private collection. The 
specimens are neatly fastened to small rectangular pieces of card- 
board. Each card contains pieces from a particular site. Numbers 
appear below each specimen. Each card is enclosed in a stout manila 
envelope which bears on its front pen-and-ink outlines of the specimens 



Archeological Notes 79 

contained on the card. These are numbered to correspond with the 
numbers on the cards and also carry the data for each. Mr. Knudsen, 
assistant state architect, is an artist as well as active archeologist. 
His collection of the above specimens can, by his method, be neatly and 
compactly filed in drawers. There is no chance of a loss of specimens, 
or of their being mixed with others. The artifacts of a particular 
site can always be readily found and there is no danger of their being 
injured by careless handling. If required for close study they can be 
readily detached from the card upon which they are mounted. Mr. 
Knudsen's collection is one of which any Wisconsin archeologist might 
well feel proud. 

Judge Spangler of Menasha has just added to his collection a 
number of rather unusual specimens which are worthy of mention. 
One of these is a huge stone axe weighing seven pounds. This great 
axe has a rounded poll, a broad encircling groove, and a broad blade 
tapering to a straight cutting edge. Its length is 11 ^/^ inches and its 
width (below the groove) 5V2 inches. It is a very well made axe, 
pecked and ground but not polished. A stone celt is of an elongated 
oval form, about 8% inches long, and its weight is 5^/4 pounds, a very 
heavy celt. A red sandstone discoidal is about 4 inches in diameter 
and about 1% inches thick at its edge. It weighs 1^/^ pounds. AH 
of these recently acquired specimens are from the Lake Kegonsa re- 
gion in Dane County. 

Mr. Walter Holsten of Lake Mills has added to his choice collec- 
tion some fine specimens obtained from Mr. Ringeisen, Milwaukee. 

With the beginning of another year of archeological investigation 
in Wisconsin, the Society wishes to remind its members that, as there 
are no state or other funds available this year for the conducting of 
archeological field work, it is depending more than ever before upon 
its individual members to engage in surface survey and other work 
in their home neighborhoods and elsewhere. At the end of the year 
all members engaging in such work, whether their undertakings be 
small or extensive, are requested to file with the Secretary reports 
of their work and copies of their field notes and accompanying maps 
and photographs. President McKern, at a recent regular meeting of 
the Society, particularly called the attention of the members to the 
need and desirability of doing this. The Society is a state department 
and is state incorporated. Since 1911 the state has contributed to the 
publication, research and other funds of the Society. Its survey and 
other records are state property, preserved by it for the use of archeo- 
logical investigators, and the general public. If the Society expects 
future support from the state, its members should contribute to its 
records and do so regularly. Members may file copies of their reports 
and records with their home institutions, but it is highly desirable 
that the Society of which they are members should receive copies also. 
It is most desirable that every member should thus co-operate. 

The Society's records are available to all of its members. The 
failure of members of the Society to co-operate fully handicaps the 
chairman and members of the State Survey committee, who are thus 
unable to present exhaustive annual or other reports; it also hampers 
the president, secretary and other officers who are interested in the 
Wisconsin Archeological Society's welfare and progress and its per- 
petuation as a state department. Every member of the Society should 
be proud and pleased to know that he has and is taking an active 
part in enriching the state records. They are a precious heritage 
which we are bequeathing to future generations of Wisconsin archeolo- 
gists. Past archeologists have done the same for us. 

It is desirable that all members of the Wisconsin Archeological 
Society should assist in enlisting other members and patrons. New 
application blanks have been printed and will be distributed with this 



80 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 3 

issue of The Wisconsin Archeologist. If every member will bring in 
at least one new annual, sustaining or life member, the Society's 
membership will soon be doubled. In the past ten or more years the 
membership roll has been rapidly depleted through deaths, resigna- 
tions and other causes. Present members must assist in again build- 
ing up the membership to what it once was — 500 or more active mem- 
bers. In every town in the state are men and women who can and 
should be interested in the work which we are endeavoring to do for 
our state. An increase in membership means bigger and better pub- 
lications. It will tend to a greatly increased activity in every de- 
partment of its work. 

On Sunday afternoon of March 25, a considerable group of mem- 
bers of the recently organized Wisconsin Outers' Association made a 
pilgrimage to Aztalan Mound Park and the site of the Aztalan pre- 
historic enclosure. The ladies and gentlemen in this party greatly 
enjoyed this their first visit to this famous site. All collected a few 
arrowpoints and other flint and stone implements from the site, also 
potsherds and human and animal bones. There was some criticism 
of the condition of the mounds in the park. The tops of nearly all 
(the mounds having been excavated and the former filling having 
settled somewhat) need additional filling. Some tree and shrubbery 
planting should also be undertaken, and the enclosing fence is in need 
of repair. 

Steps should now soon be undertaken by the Society to acquire the 
lands upon which are still to be seen the earthworks of the enclosure 
and to restore at least a part of these. 



Iitsr0tt0tn 
Arrlji?0l0gtfit 



Inl. 13 



SmIh, 1934 

NEW SERIES 



No. 4 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for In Sec. 1103 
Act, Oct. 3, 1917. Authoriaed Jan. 28, 1921. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



The Society is a state department, receiving a part of its support 
from the state. Its funds are under state control. Its work is well 
and widely known. It has received the approval of leading American 
archeologists, who agree that it deserves the full support of all Wis- 
consin citizens interested in the state's archeological history. 

The Society's activities comprise the location, recording, investi- 
gating and preservation of Wisconsin Indian remains, folklore and 
history, all of which are rapidly disappearing and must be recorded 
and saved immediately if ever. 

Through its efforts many fine groups of Indian earthworks and 
other aboriginal monuments and remains have been permanently pre- 
served to the public. Most have been marked with descriptive metal 
tablets. Others are being protected. Surveys and explorations have 
been conducted in many sections of the state. 

It is also engaged in encouraging the establishment of public mu- 
seums and collections and in discouraging the manufacture and sale 
of fraudulent antiquities. 

Regular monthly meetings of the Society are held during the 
months September to May, inclusive, in the Trustees' Room of the 
Milwaukee Public Museum. Meetings are open to the public. No 
regular meetings are held during the months June to August, inclu- 
sive. Special field meetings are occasionally held during the vacation 
months. 

The results of its research and other activities are made known 
through its regular quarterly publication, The Wisconsin Archeologist. 
Thirty volumes have appeared. The Society has a large membership 
distributed through every part of the state. 

It is co-operating to the fullest extent with all of the various 
scientific and educational organizations and institutions of Wisconsin. 



Wmanmn 



Hol. 13 



Mg, 1934 

NEW SERIES 



No. 4 




PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 

WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

MILWAUKEE 



Accepted for mailing- at special rate of postage provided for In Sec. 1103 
Act. Oct. 3, 1917. Authorized Jan. 28. 1921. 



3fflt0r0nattt Arrljrnlngtral S^orirtg 



Incorporated March 23, 1903, for the purpose of advancing the study 
and preservation of Wisconsin antiquities 



OFFICERS 

PRESIDENT 

Dr. A. L. Kastner 



VICE-PRESIDENTS 

Dr. H. W. Kuhm T. M. N. Lewis R. J. Kieckhefer 

Dr. L. S. Buttles T. L. Miller 



Charles E. Brown 
Dr. L. S. Buttles 
Dr. A. L. Kastner 
Dr. H. W. Kuhm 

W. K. Andrews 
Dr. S. A. Barrett 
Rudolph Boettger 
Dr. E. G. Bruder 
H. W. Cornell 
Col. Marshall Cousins 
Rev. F. S. Dayton 
W. E. Erdman 
Kermit Freckman 
Arthur Gerth 



DIRECTORS 

R. J. Kieckhefer 
T. M. N. Lewis 
W. C. McKem 

ADVISORY COUNCIL 

John G. Gregory 
Richard Hallstrom 
Otto J. Halvorson 
Paul Joers 
A. P. Kannenberg 
Dr. Louise P. Kellogg 
Mrs. Theo. Koerner 
Marie G. Kohler 
Dr. Ralph Linton 
A. T. Newman 



T. L. Miller 
G. M. Thorne 
Geo. A. West 



Dr. E. J. W. Notz 
Louis P. Pierron 
E. F. Richter 
Jos. Ringeisen, Jr. 
Chas. G. Schoewe 
Paul Scholz 
Rev. 0. W. Smith 
Dr. Orrin Thompson 
Arthur Wenz 
G. R. Zilisch 



TREASURER 

G. M. Thorne 
1631 N. Fifty-second Street, Milwaukee, Wis. 

SECRETARY 

Charles E. Brown 
State Historical Museum, Madison, Wis. 



COMMITTEES 

REGULAR 

STATE SURVEY— J. J. Knudsen, M. F. Hulburt, D. A. Blencoe, Dr. 
L. S. Buttles, Dr. P. H. Nesbitt, G. E. Overton, 0. L. Hollister, 
A. W. Pond, W. E. Erdman, J. P. Schumacher, T. M. N. Lewis, 
W. F. Bauchle, V. E. Motschenbacher, Kermit Freckman, G. L. 
Pasco, W. S. Dunsmoor. 

MOUND PRESERVATION— Dr. E. J. W. Notz, H. W. Cornell, Mrs. 
W. J. Devine, R. B. Halpin, H. R. Holand, Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, 
Dr. L. V. Sprague, Mrs. H. A. Olson, Dr. Orrin Thompson, A. 
H. Griffith, Prof. R. S. Owen, F. M. Neii. 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS— Dr. S. A. Barrett, C. E. Brown, N. C. 
Behncke, H. L. Ward, Rev. F. S. Dayton, Prof. J. B. MacHarg, 
Prof. A. H. Sanford, Rev. P. B. Jenkins, Rev. A. J. Muench, 
Dr. P. H. Nesbitt, W. M. Babccck. 

MEMBERSHIP— Paul Joers, C. G. Schoewe, Herbert Currie, E. C. 
Steene, Dr. W. H. Brown, Clarence Harris, Paul Scholz, W. K. 
Andrew, Karl Aichelen, Arthur Gerth, A. W. Buttles, M. C. 
Richter, Carl Baur, W. Van Beckum, A. E. Koerner, Paul Boeh- 
land, Dr. C. J. Heagle, A. P. Kannenberg, Dr. Albert Bardes. 

STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL PARKS— R. P. Ferry, Walter Holsten, 
D. S. Howland, M. S. Thomson, Col. J. B. Jackson, Prof. A. H. 
Sanford. 

PUBLICITY— J. G. Gregory, Dr. H. W. Kuhm, A. O. Barton, E. R. 
Guentzel, Lieut. C. L. Emerson. 

SPECIAL 

BIOGRAPHY— Rachel M. Campbell, Paul Joers, C. G. Schcewe, Ar- 
thur Gerth, E. F. Richter, Mrs. Theodore Koerner, Dr. E. J. 
W. Notz. 

FRAUDULENT ARTIFACTS— Jos. Ringeisen, Jr., E. F. Richter, 
G. A. West, C. G. Schoewe, N. E. Carter. 

PROGRAM— W. C. McKern, Dr. H. W. Kuhm, G. M. Thorne, Dr. L. 
S. Buttles, T. L. Miller, Dr. A. G. Jenner. 

PUBLICATIONS— C. E. Brown, T. M. N. Lewis, Dr. H. W. Kuhm, 
W. E. Erdman. 

MARKING MILWAUKEE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES— M. C. Rich- 
ter, L. R. Whitney, R. J. Kieckhefer. 

LAPHAM RESEARCH MEDAL— Dr. S. A. Barrett, Dr. A. L. Kast- 
ner, M. C. Richter, C. G. Schoewe, G. A. West, C. E. Brown. 



MEMBERSHIP FEES 
Lite Members, $25.00 Endowment Members, $500.00 

Sustaining Members, $5.00 Annual Members, $2.00 

Institutional Members, $1.50 Junior Members, $ .50 

All communioatlons in regard to the Wisconsin Archeological Society should 
be addressed to Charles E. Brown, Secretary and Curator, Office, State Historical 
Museum, Madison, Wisconsin. Contributions to the Wisconsin Archeologist should 
be addressed to him. Dues should be sent to G. M. Thorne, Treasurer, 1631 N. 
52nd Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 



I 



CONTENTS 



Vol. 13, No. 4, New Series 

ARTICLES 

Page 
The Wisconsin Tercentenary, Lorraine C. Brown 81 

The Restoration of An Effigy Mound, Ruth J. Shuttleworth 84 

The Dream Dance Drum, Gene Sturtevant 86 

Stone Adzes, Charles E. Brown 91 

The Destruction of Mounds In Certain Southern States, L, S. Buttles 94 

A Pot From Panama, Albert H. Sanford _ _ 99 

Archeological Notes 101 



ILLUSTRATIONS 
The Landfall of Jean Nicolet Frontispiece 




So 

I 



®J|p Hiaronatn Arrl|pologt0t 

Published Quarterly by the Wisconsin Archeolug-ical Society 

VOL. 13 MILWAUKEE, WIS., JULY, 1934 NO. 4 

New Series 



THE WISCONSIN TERCENTENARY 

Lorraine C. Brown 

Commemorating the dramatic landfall of the intrepid 
French explorer, Jean Nicolet, at Red Banks on the Green 
Bay shore in the year 1634, the people of Wisconsin will this 
year celebrate the three hundredth anniversary of this 
great event in the history of our state. We may well honor 
Nicolet, the first white man to set foot on the soil of what 
is now Wisconsin, for by his courage and skill as a voyageur 
he first made known to the world Lake Michigan and Green 
Bay, proved that the Great Lakes were the sources of the 
St. Lawrence, and opened a way into the heart of the conti- 
nent, peopled with many hitherto unknown Indian tribes. 
To Jean Nicolet and to Samuel de Champlain, who carried 
out and conceived this daring voyage of discovery, is due all 
honor for the discovery of Wisconsin. 

Early historians knew nothing of Jean Nicolet, and it 
was not until 1852 that the tale of his voyage was discov- 
ered and even then wrongly dated as occurring in 1639. 
However, in 1876 a Canadian historian proved by docu- 
mentary evidence that Nicolet's voyage took place in 1634 
at the command of Samuel de Champlain, then governor of 
New France. Repeated stories of vast bodies of fresh wa- 
ter (the Great Lakes) had reached the French governor 
through the medium of the redmen who came to his head- 
quarters in the interests of the fur trade, and it aroused 
in him a desire to learn more about these little known waters 
and also to discover, if possible, whether or not a river could 
be found flowing from them in a westerly direction which 
would afford an easy way to the Orient. 



82 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 4 

With the help of his Huron guides, Champlain had, in 
1615, discovered Lake Huron, and after this had busily ques- 
tioned his Indian friends about the lakes beyond and the 
tribes that inhabited their shores. He himself wished to 
visit these distant people, but he was called to France. While 
there he met a young Norman named Jean Nicolet, and per- 
suaded him to return to Canada with him in 1618. Nicolet's 
first post in New France under Champlain was among the 
Algonquian along the Ottawa River, and while among these 
redmen he learned of the Winnebago, or "People of the Salt 
Water", and he accordingly hoped that these strange tribes- 
men lived on the border of the western or China sea. 

It then followed that Champlain, now himself too old to 
undertake the rigors of a wilderness voyage, asked Nicolet 
if he would undertake the task of exploring the western 
country of the Winnebago and the Great Lakes. Nicolet 
readily accepted, and early in July, 1634, with a band of 
Hurons, started out, equipped with, among other things, "a 
grand robe of China damask, all strewn with flowers and 
birds of many colors", with which to make a proper impres- 
sion on "the People of the Sea" in event that they turned 
out to be Orientals. 

First, after reaching Lake Huron, he headed north to 
the great strait which is now Sault Ste. Marie. Here he 
found a village of Chippewa. After a short stay, he fol- 
lowed the advices of his Hurons, who told him that his route 
lay to the west and not to the north, and shortly he and his 
guides paddled their canoes past the island of Mackinac and 
entered Lake Michigan, Nicolet thereby becoming the first 
white man to view and travel upon this great fresh water 
lake. He then moved with great caution along the northern 
shore of the lake, until he reached a deep bay opening 
toward the southwest where his guides told him there dwelt 
the people he sought. He was still two days journey from 
his goal, and dispatched a Huron messenger to precede him 
with gifts to show his friendliness. After traveling along 
the waters of what we now know as Green Bay, he came 
to the Winnebago stockaded village at Red Banks, and there 
made his dramatic landfall on the soil of our state, fittingly 
attired in his gorgeous robe, discharging his pistols as he 
advanced up the beach to greet the assembled tribesmen. 



The Wisconsin Tercentenary §3 

He was disappointed on discovering that his new friends 
were Indians, and that his opportunity for finding a route 
to the China sea was lost, but remembering Champlain's 
orders to make peace for France with all the far tribes, 
soon estabhshed cordial relations, and after a ceremonial 
feast wherein six score beavers were consumed, he cemented 
a firm alliance between the natives of Wisconsin and the 
French of Canada. After this great voyage of discovery 
Nicolet returned to New France, where he continued in his 
work as interpreter and agent for' New France, until his 
tragic death by drowning in 1642. 

The Wisconsin Tercentenary will bring to the people of 
our state a realization of the bravery and dauntless spirit of 
Jean Nicolet, as well as the knowledge that a white dis- 
coverer landed on Wisconsin's soil just fourteen years after 
the landfall at Plymouth Rock. 



84 WISCONSIN AkCHEOLOGIST Vol 13, No. 4 



THE RESTORATION OF AN EFFIGY MOUND 

Ruth J. Shuttleworth 

At Burrows Park, one of the Madison city parks, on the 
east shore of Lake Mendota, the restoration of an Indian 
effigy mound is in progress. This work is proceeding under 
the direction of Warren Holcombe, caretaker of the park, 
and the general supervision of the Wisconsin Archeological 
Society. It consists of fiUing in depressions on the top and 
sides of the mound caused by the mutilations made years 
ago by amateur excavators, the removal of tree stumps and 
the wear and tear caused by children and adults frequenting 
this popular city recreation ground. These hollows are be- 
ing filled in and the entire surface of the mound re-sodded 
and grass-seeded. This effigy mound was surveyed by Dr. 
Arlow B. Stout, now a member of the staff of the New York 
Botanical Garden, on October 27, 1907, when a student at 
the University of Wisconsin. It was located on property 
then belonging to the George B. Burrows Estate, a part of 
which afterwards became city property dedicated to park 
use and was named for its former owner. 

This bird effigy is one of the common Wisconsin type 
with straight-outstretched tapering wings. These wings 
are each about 128 feet in length and 14 and 151/4 feet in 
width where they unite with the body. The length of the 
body is 62 feet, its width at the neck being 16 feet, at its 
middle 18 feet and near the end of the expanded tail 20 
feet. The height of the body is about 3 feet. The head of 
the mound is directed to the west, toward the shore of Lake 
Mendota several hundred feet away. A tablet mounted on 
a boulder, presented by the Madison Gyro Club, marks this 
effigy mound. 

A short distance north of this bird effigy there formerly 
was an effigy of a quadruped, probably intended to repre- 
sent a fox or wolf. This was situated in front of the former 
Burrows' residence. It was removed when the improvement 
of this part of the estate was undertaken. It was about 
200 feet in length. No other effigy just like it has been 
located in Wisconsin and its destruction was therefore the 



The Restoration of An Effigy Mound 86 

more regretted by local archeologists and interested friends. 
This mound was originally described by Dr. Stephen D. 
Peet, the once well-known American antiquarian, in his 
book, "Prehistoric America — Emblematic Mounds", pub- 
lished in 1893. Dr. Arlow B. Stout made a plat of it when 
making his survey of the bird effigy. 

Attention is called to the repair of the bird effigy at this 
time because there are preserved in city and state parks 
and on private properties in this state quite a number of 
conical and emblematic mounds, the public interest in which' 
would be increased if they were restored to their original 
condition. Such work should be carefully executed and 
under proper supervision. 



86 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 4 



THE DREAM DANCE DRUM 

Gen€ Sturtevant 

A few years ago I was privileged to attend a rather 
unique ceremony on the Menominee Indian Reservation; it 
was incident to the transferring of the ownership of the 
drum of the Dream Dance Lodge to the Oshkosh Pubhc 
Museum. While adequate compensation was made for the 
drum, it was not a mere buy and sell transaction. Gifts 
were tactfully tendered and the presentation of the drum 
impressively made. 

Perhaps not all those present saw it as I did; perhaps 
they saw only a few poorly dressed Indians, with somewhat 
tawdry decorations. That is not what impressed me. What 
I felt I have endeavored to portray in this little sketch, 
which without much thought arranged itself into three 
parts: the Meeting, the Drum, the Ceremony. With just 
a word regarding the Dream Dance Lodge; — for the latter 
I am indebted to my friend, Arthur P. Kannenberg. The 
principal meetings of this society were held in the spring 
and the fall ; at the time of the budding leaf and again when 
the leaves were falling. When the Lodge was in its hey-day 
four drums were used, always being beaten by sachems or 
medicine men. It* was the custom to present these drums 
to other favored tribes ; and it is said that two of them were 
given to the Pawnee Indians. The entrance to the Lodge 
was always at the east and the exit at the west. When 
members were lost by death, their clothing and belongings 
were made into bundles, and at the next meeting of the 
Lodge, these bundles were placed in the circle where the 
deceased formerly sat, and were addressed as though the 
person were there in the flesh, instead of in the spirit. The 
Lodge is what its name implies, mystical, 'Waubeno", the 
Society of Dreamers. 

The Meeting 

On May 3, 1931, an interesting event occurred at the 
home of Robert Pa-mop-o-my, near the village of Keshena 
on the Indian Reservation, participated in by the surviving 



The Dream Dance Drum 87 

members of the Dream Dance Lodge of the Menominees and 
representatives of the Oshkosh PubHc Museum, the occa- 
sion being the formal farewell ceremony preceding the 
placing of the drum of the Lodge in the Oshkosh Public 
Museum. Through the efforts and arrangements made by 
Arthur P. Kannenberg, John Valentine Satterlee, called 
"Uncle John" by his red and white friends alike, was in 
charge of the ceremony, and Robert Pa-mop-o-my, custodian 
of the drum, Mose Ny-ach-la-o-my and Na-chee-wi-stok 
Waupeka, alias Charlie Dutchman, Medicine Man, took part 
in the proceedings. 

Soon after the guests arrived, a wild rice luncheon was 
eaten, supplemented by the contents of picnic baskets. Later 
the tables were removed and the drum given the place of 
honor on the lawn. Grouped around the drum were the 
interested guests. 

In the stacatto Menominee tongue, Charlie Dutchman, 
to give him his popular name, told of the drum and some- 
thing of the history of the Dream Dance Lodge, as the 
tradition had been taught him; his interpreter being the 
venerable sachem, John Valentine Satterlee, who for years 
past has been an official Government interpreter, and who 
repeated in English the tale as it was told in the presenta- 
tion speech made by Charlie Dutchman. Arthur P. Kan- 
nenberg, President of the Museum Board of the City of 
Oshkosh, tendered gifts and accepted the trust in behalf of 
the Museum, which was also represented by Miss Gene 
Sturtevant, Vice-President of the Board, and by Mr. Carlton 
Foster, an Honorary Curator of Archeology. 

As a spontaneous mark of appreciation of the interest 
Mr. Foster has manifested in his friends among the Menom- 
inees, an Indian name was bestowed upon him; the Neopit 
family requesting that he bear the name "Neopit". This 
incident was completed by the presentation to Mr. Foster of 
the regalia of exquisitely wrought beadwork, by its wearer, 
Charlie Dutchman, who, with impressive words and ges- 
tures, made his gift, using the Menominee language, the 
interpretation being "To show the spirit of friendliness and 
love he feels for the people of Oshkosh and his friend, Mr. 
Foster, and because the 'sash' worn by the attendant of the 



88 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 4 

drum should belong to one whose interest is keen and who 
in the future would be close to the drum." 

It was a pleasurable ceremony and a notable one, cement- 
ing anew the fraternal sentiment and stimulating the inter- 
est of those who have the welfare of Indians at heart. 

The Drum 

The drum itself is impressive as a symbol of its spiritual 
significance. A yard, at least, across, its sides circled by 
bands of intricately woven beads, the patterns telling a 
story to those who understand. Its base is ornamented with 
notched and highly polished deer hoofs; and hanging from 
bits of ribbons and sinews swing coins of the realm, silver 
halves, quarters and dimes, the dates going back fifty years 
and more. 

In the brave old days, to stretch the vellum head tightly 
to make it resonant, a carefully tended fire was lighted un- 
derneath the drum, the gentle heat contracting the skin 
until just the right tension was acquired to perfect its tone. 
The drumstick, or beater, with its hand hold wrapped in 
sinews, its top swathed in fur, is a fitting implement. 

The exact origin of this drum is shrouded in the past. 
No living man knows its maker's name or tribe. The colors 
spread upon its head, equally divided across its circle, are 
crimson for the dawn and sunrise, and shadowy blue, almost 
black, for the setting sun and evening. The four points of 
the compass are there, the North, the South, the East and 
the West ; and the position of the drum was carefully deter- 
mined with these things in mind. 

Placed on a white cloth in front of the drum were the 
articles used in ceremonials. The wands, beautifully wound 
with beaded bands and tasselled with mink tails; the eagle 
feathers tied with red ; the calumet, its carven bowl of stone, 
its stem three feet long, skillfully decorated. The little 
trays placed for the offerings of tobacco and the gifts. A 
pagan altar out of the past ! 

The Ceremony 

Whang! Explosive, and resonant boomed the Drum. 
Startling even the listeners who had anticipated the sound. 



The Dream Dance Drum 



How! Rang the voice of the old Medicine Man, — and 
closing ones eyes to the actual scene, back over the years 
speeded the mental vision, as the story was told in Menomi- 
nee; and the forest seemed peopled with a multitude of 
braves and gaily bedecked squaws, as the men and women 
of the Red Nations gathered at the bequest of the woman 
*'Omaha", to whom the Great Spirit had vouchsafed the 
gift of vision and of prophesy. This woman was the prophet 
of the Red Race, who dreamed of unity and visioned friend- 
ship among her people. 

The voice of the Medicine Man rose and fell, interrupted 
only by the interpreter, who fluently and poetically turned 
his words to English. 

Many had been the feuds and intertribal strifes among 
the Sioux, the Ojibwas, the Pottawatomies and the tribes of 
the plains, and to them the message of the vision of Omaha 
was proclaimed. 

''My people, cease your quarrels or the Redmen perish 
from the earth. The Great Spirit came to me in a dream, — 
we can live and prosper only in love and friendship with 
one another. Take this message with the drum to all our 
people. Omaha has told you !" 

So from the plains of the west, the land of Omaha, first 
travelled the drum, revered and honored by those in whose 
care it lay. Around and across the plains, who can tell the 
trails over which its resounding voice carried the peaceful 
message of Omaha ? Until at last, more than a half century 
ago, it came with its message of peace and good-will, from 
the lake country of Michigan, to remain with the Dream 
Dance Lodge of the Menominees. 

And there under the pines, near the sparkling waters of 
the Wolf, year after year, season after season, the sound of 
its mighty voice led the followers of the Dream Dance 
Lodge. In 1881, the roster of the Lodge was long; the 
names of men brave and wise appear thereon, Neopit, Osh- 
kosh, Pamapomy, Neekanesh, Moses Corn, Wauposhekee, 
Okemaw, Antoine Fish, and many, many others, nearly all 
of whom have passed to the Happy Hunting Grounds of the 
Great Spirit. And on that day, under the pines, near the 



90 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 4 

sparkling waters of the Wolf, the little group of white 
haired men and women came, and with them were three, 
three only, the last surviving members of the Dream Dance 
Lodge. Bent with years and faces furrowed with life's 
hardships, were these Menominees, who came to relinquish 
and bid good-bye to the cherished old Drum. Its colors 
unfaded, its ornaments untarnished, the intricate beaded 
designs with which it is entwined casting brightly back the 
sunshine of a perfect day of spring. The dancing shadows 
of the pines failed to dim the crimson stain across its head. 
And there, under the pines, near the sparkling waters of 
the Wolf, in response to the swing of the stick in the hand 
of the Old Medicine Man, the Drum sounded its last 
good-bye. 

The gifts were tendered and accepted, the faithful trust 
of years relinquished, a new trust taken, and again the 
Dream Dance Drum travelled to rest enshrined with relics 
of past days, to mutely tell of the vanished glory of the 
first Americans. 

Page 41, Skinner's Indian Notes and Monographs, gives 
practically this origin of the Society of Dreamers, stating 
that the cult was probably introduced among the Menom- 
inees by the Pottawatomi of the Prairies. 



Stone Adzes 91 



STONE ADZES 

Charles E. Brown 

In 1903, Henry A. Crosby, then president of the Wis- 
consin Archeological Society, published in The Wisconsin 
Archeologist an article descriptive of the stone adzes then 
in Wisconsin collections. 

The specimens which he described were in the Milwau- 
kee collections of William H. Ellsworth, William H. Elkey 
and the Milwaukee Public Museum, and in the Frank M. 
Benedict collection at Waupaca. All of these once well- 
known collectors died years ago and their collections passed 
into other hands. The Elkey collection is in the Logan Mu- 
seum at Beloit College, Beloit, and parts of the Ellsworth 
and Benedict collections are in the Milwaukee Public 
Museum. 

The adzes which Mr. Crosby described were obtained 
from Indian sites at Elkhart Lake, and Sherman, in She- 
boygan County; at Kilbourn (now Wisconsin Dells), in Co- 
lumbia County; Viroqua, Vernon County; Black Creek, 
Outagamie County, and from unidentified localities in Wood 
and Racine Counties. Another specimen was reported by 
Paul A. Seifert as having been collected at the village site 
at Richland City, Richland County, a once rich site now 
largely carried away by the waters of the Wisconsin River! 
The remnant of this once interesting river town now forms 
a part of Gotham. Brief descriptions of eight adzes were 
given, their dimensions and weights being noted. The small- 
est adze was seven inches and the largest eighteen inches 
in length. Most of the specimens were between nine and 
fourteen inches long. In weight they ranged from one to 
five pounds. 

The adzes are described as having *'a general elongated 
elliptical shape, one extremity narrowing to and terminating 
in a pronounced blunted point and the other in a somewhat 
broadly rounded cutting edge. The most noticeable feature 
of these implements is the generally well curved central 
ridge which traverses the top or back from the narrow, 



92 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 4 

pointed extremity to within several inches of the cutting 
edge. From the termination of the ridge the surface slopes, 
or bevels, off quite broadly to the cutting edge of the imple- 
ment. The pecked (or smoothed) surfaces on either side 
of the ridge are slightly rounded or slope away quite sharply 
to the edges of the base on either side, thus giving the more 
or less pronounced triangular section from which the imple- 
ment gets its name." The author does not mention that the 
bases of these implements are shallowly concave from the 
cutting edge for a distance of one or several inches. 

In speaking of the possible use or uses of these generally 
large stone implements by the Indians the author says: 
"The stone adze was essentially a wood-working implement 
and probably played an important part in the hewing out 
of dugouts (log canoes) and for similar purposes." This 
statement there is no present reason for criticizing. Doubt- 
less timbers were also trimmed with them when required. 

In the thirty-one years which have passed since Mr. 
Crosby wrote his original description of this interesting 
class of aboriginal stone implements about twenty-five addi- 
tional specimens have been found and brought to the 
writer's attention. Of these the greater number were made 
by flaking, pecking and grinding from the hard basalt rock. 
Descriptions and notes of a few of these may be given and 
some others mentioned. 

The largest of these measures seventeen inches in 
length. Its height at its middle is two inches and its base 
at this point is two inches in width. Its sides are smoothed 
for two-thirds of its length and roughly flaked for the bal- 
ance of the distance to its pointed end. Its base is slightly 
excavated for a distance of three inches from its cutting 
edge. This large and fine specimen is made of basalt. It is 
reported to have been found in the Rock River region near 
Jefferson. It is in the collections of the State Historical 
Museum, at Madison. 

An adze found on the bank of the Chippewa River, one 
mile north of Holcombe, is twelve and one-half inches in 
length. This specimen was in the collection of Dr. W. H. 
Bailey, a former resident of Chippewa Falls. Two adzes 



Stone Adzes 93 

were found together on an Indian site on the bank of Duck 
Creek, near Portage. Both are in the State Historical Mu- 
seum. They are each about twelve inches long. Two other 
specimens of smaller size have been found in the same lo- 
cality. A quite remarkable discovery was the finding in 
recent years of four of these stone adzes in a hog-yard at 
Prairie du Chien. Four adzes have been collected from 
Indian sites about the Four Lakes, at Madison. In the Jo- 
seph Ringeisen, Jr., collection at Milwaukee there are three 
specimens. One, measuring about eleven inches in length, 
was found in Vernon Township, Waukesha County, and an- 
other, about twelve and three-eighths inches long, at Rich- 
land City. A third specimen, eight and one-half inches in 
length, came from Omro, Winnebago County. A ten inch 
adze was found near Chetek, Barron County. Other speci- 
mens were obtained at Muskego Lake, Waukesha County; 
at Oxford, Marquette County, and on the banks of the Wis- 
consin River south of Portage. 

A study of the distribution of these implements in Wis- 
consin, such as present records make it now possible to 
make, shows that the greater number of these have been 
found on Indian sites along the banks of the Wisconsin 
River from Wisconsin Dells southward to Prairie du Chien. 
In northeastern Wisconsin specimens have been obtained 
near Sturgeon Bay, in Door County, and in Brown County. 
A few adzes have been collected along the course of the 
Rock River from Jefferson southward. The finding of stone 
adzes about the Madison lakes has been mentioned. In east- 
ern Wisconsin adzes have been found in the counties of 
Sheboygan, Washington and Waukesha. The specimens 
found farthest north in the state are those mentioned as 
collected in Chippewa and Barron Counties. None have as 
yet been reported from the Mississippi River region. 



94 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13. No. 4 



THE DESTRUCTION OF MOUNDS IN CERTAIN 
SOUTHERN STATES 

Lewis S. Buttles 

When the first settlers arrived in the region bordering 
the lower half of the Mississippi River and its tributaries, 
their attention was attracted by many huge piles of earth 
in an apparently level country. These early settlers learned 
after a few years of experience that they were living in a 
country in which the characteristics were a great deal dif- 
ferent than the land from which they had come. The Mis- 
sissippi River and its tributaries at the lower part of the 
river had an overflow each year which was greater than 
any river in any part of the continent. The nature of the 
river which may have been one of the reasons for the erec- 
tion of these huge mounds, may also be the reason for many 
of them being destroyed. 

The early settlers soon took advantage of these large 
mounds, for they had learned that if the river overflowed, 
and the water had risen from ten to twenty feet, that a 
thirty or forty foot mound was the only piece of land which 
might protrude above the water for miles around. The 
early settlers in the beginning used these mounds in three 
different ways. First they built their houses on them, if 
they had a truncated mound it was ideal, they just dug the 
basement, and built their house. If they had a large conical 
mound, they first had to cut the top off of it until they had 
a circumference which was large enough to build their 
house on. In either case the mound was totally destroyed, 
and of no further archeological interest. The same may be 
said of barns and other cattle pens, because the early 
settler thought just as much of keeping his cattle out of the 
high water as he did himself. This particular type of de- 
struction has been going on from the very beginning of 
settlement to the present day. You may drive through Ar- 
kansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi and find a spot where 
there was a group of four or five mounds, and note that 
there stands on top of one or more of these mounds a large 
fine modem plantation house with its buildings. 



The Destruction of Mounds In Certain Southern States 95 

Another purpose which these early inhabitants, both 
black and white, used the mounds for was a depository for 
their dead. Man in all ages and all parts of the world has 
always had special places in which to bury his dead, such as 
pyramids, crypts, mausoleums, etc., the idea being to pre- 
serve the body in death as in life. In this water-soaked 
country of floods, the mounds proved an ideal spot for 
burial. In some locations an entire town might use a mound 
as a cemetery. In this case the bones and artifacts of the 
Indian were thrown out and those of the white man put in, 
all of which would destroy the mound for future archeo- 
logical investigation. 

The Civil War also destroyed a large number of mounds. 
Two particular cases are at Memphis and Vicksburg. In 
De Soto Park, in Memphis, are three or four large mounds, 
both truncated, and conical. Some were cut down by the 
Union Army under General Grant, and used as ramparts on 
which to mount cannon. Another mound was hollowed out 
and used as a place in which to store ammunition. These 
mounds have been preserved in this condition. Some other 
mounds were also destroyed by General Grant at the Battle 
of Vicksburg. They were also used as mountings for 
cannon. 

Archeological sites and mounds in the south have been 
destroyed from the very beginning by the plow. In burial 
ridges and in the cemeteries around the base of mounds all 
of the burials have been destroyed, except those which lie 
deeper than two feet. Many of the mounds have been en- 
tirely plowed over the top, thus each year lowering the 
mound, and in time entirely destroying it. In many mounds 
in which only one attempt was made to plow the top all evi- 
dence of later burials have been removed. There is no 
doubt that if in the future tractors are used instead of 
mules that many more of the larger mounds will be 
destroyed. 

Many mounds have also been destroyed by the river 
itself. The Mississippi River has a way of changing its 
course so that within a limit of ten or twenty miles it may 
be here today and somewhere else in a few years. This 
changing of the river course has been going on for some five 



96 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 4 

hundred to a thousand years, or whenever these mounds 
were built on the Mississippi River itself. The mounds that 
we find today are located on old rivers, or bayous. 

In later years a number of mounds have been destroyed 
by modem construction machinery. The Federal Govern- 
ment in building levees along the Mississippi River has de- 
stroyed mounds in two ways. When a mound is on the line, 
or near the line, where a levee is to be constructed, they 
nearly always use the ground in the mound in the construc- 
tion of the levee. In many cases a levee may have been 
built years ago, and a nearby mound not touched. In recent 
years it has been necessary to enlarge these levees, and with 
modern grading machinery, with huge derricks, it is just 
a matter of a short time and a mound is entirely obliterated. 
Another way in which these mounds have been destroyed 
is when the levee has been built on the outside of the 
mound. That is, the mound has been left between the river 
and the levee. In this case when the river rises the mound is 
washed away if the current is swift, or the mound is buried 
by a deposit of river mud if the water is just overflowing. 
An example of this is Pecan Point, Arkansas, which has 
entirely fallen into the river. 

In a country like the south where it is necessary to build 
many bridges, we find a different form of mound destruc- 
tion by state governments. That is, whenever a bridge is 
built across a river a long fill is necessary leading up to that 
bridge. Many times a bridge is built near a city, the city 
being built at the confluence of two rivers, usually will be 
found to be a place of former Indian occupation, with 
probably some Indian mounds located nearby. In a case of 
this kind it is usually easier to get the dirt from the mounds 
and so they are destroyed. An example of the destruction 
of a famous group of mounds is at Troyville, Louisiana, now 
called Jonesville. This town is located at the junction of 
the Quachita, Tensas, and Little River, which form the 
Black River. Here was formerly a large site of Indian occu- 
pation. In this case five large mounds were destroyed to 
build a fill for a bridge. The author witnessed the result 
of this destruction in the summer of 1933. 



The Destruction of Mounds In Certain Southern States 97 

In the south nothing is done to preserve mounds at all, 
except in the case where a mound is located in a town, then 
it is usually preserved by that town. Some plantation own- 
ers may preserve a mound for cattle to get on in case of 
high water, other than this nothing is done. 

By destroying these mounds the oldest man-made monu- 
ments in these states are destroyed and gone forever. The 
loss is not only in the mounds being destroyed, but a culture 
of the oldest inhabitants of our own country goes with it. 
Incidentally, many beautiful earthenware pots for which 
this region is famous are lost to us. Destroying mounds 
spells "Trails End" for an interesting and important science. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 4 



A POT FROM PANAMA 

Albert H. Sanford 

Recently the writer received from a resident of Corozal, 
in the Panama Canal Zone, a small earthen pot that seems 
to belong to a most interesting group of ancient Indian re- 
mains. A very large collection of objects in this group may 
be found in the National Museum. They are discussed in 
a paper, ''Ancient Art of the Province of Chiriqui, Colum- 
bia", by Wm. H. Holmes, in the Sixth Annual Report of the 
Bureau of Ethnology, 1884-5, pp. LI-LIV, 4-187. (PubHshed 
in 1888.) 

The province of Chiriqui, now a part of the Republic of 
Panama, is the westernmost province of that country, being 
bounded on the west by Costa Rica. It is bordered on the 
east by Veraqua and extends, through part of its area, from 
ocean to ocean. The articles in the collection mentioned 
above were obtained almost entirely from graves and were 
collected by J. A. McNiel, who personally supervised the 
examination of thousands of graves during a number of 
years. 

It is the judgment of Wm. Holmes that for America 
the earthenware of this province "represents a very high 
stage of development". He says, "Its advanced development 
as compared with other American factile products is shown 
in the perfection of its technique, in the high specialization 
of form, and in its conventional use of a wide range of 
decorative motives. There is no family of American ware 
that bears evidence of higher skill in the manipulation of 
clay or that indicates a more subtle appreciation of beauty 
of form, and no other that presents so many marked analo- 
gies to the classic forms of the Mediterranean." 

The small pot which is the subject of this sketch would 
seem to be one of the poorer specimens of work accom- 
plished by the Indians of the Isthmus. Indeed, it is not 
known that it came originally from Chiriqui. It stands 
2% inches high. The mouth is li/o inches across and the 
largest diameter of the bowl is 3 inches. It has three short 



A Pot From Panama 99 

legs. These are round and taper downward. There are two 
crudely shaped lobes attached as handles. These are pierced 
by small holes. This pot is dark terra cotta in color, with a 
smooth, but not glazed, surface. The walls are thick and 
the material is firm. 

A pot quite similar to this one is shown as Fig. 124, on 
p. 89 of Mr. Holmes' paper, but the one there represented 
is considerably larger. Also, the figure shows a different 
type of decoration. The pot now under discussion has two 
crude markings on opposite sides just above the swell of 
the bowl. Each figure is a rectangle, bordered above and 
below with triple parallel lines. Within the rectangle are 
crudely scratched vertical lines, except at the middle of the 
rectangle, where are two triangles, with points meeting in 
the center. No one of the many illustrations in the Holmes' 
paper shows exactly the same figure. 

The account accompanying this pot was given by the 
dealer from whom it was purchased. It states that natives 
who search for graves pound the ground with a stick until a 
hollow sound is detected. Also, it is stated, that the graves 
are fined with stones. These facts correspond quite well 
with the general outlines of more detailed data given in 
Mr. Holmes' article. He shows (pp. 17-19) drawings of 
sections of graves, in each case lined with stones, as de- 
scribed by McNiel. He also states that the method em- 
ployed in finding graves (since there are no -surface indica- 
tions of their location) was that of piercing the ground with 
a small iron rod until a hard substance was encountered. 

Mr. Holmes states that there is no homogeneity in the 
pottery found in Chiriqui. On the contrary, he says, there 
is "strong evidence of mixed conditions of races and arts". 
These evidences are found in "the marked diversity and 
individuality of character of the various groups of ware". 
Evidently, the pot we are describing (if it came from Chiri- 
qui, as might be inferred from its close similarity to Fig. 
124) does not belong to the group that gives evidence of 
the highest skill. Some of the specimens. Holmes says, 
show Costa Rican influence and others show influence from 
regions farther south. Where this particular pot fits into 
the grouping that he makes is not for the present writer 
to venture any guess. 



100 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13, No. 4 



ARCHEOLOGICAL NOTES 

MEETINGS 

April 16, 1934 — Dr. Alfred L. Kastner, president-elect, presided 
over the meeting of The Wisconsin Archeological Society held in the 
trustee room of the Milwaukee Public Museum on the evening of 
this date. 

There were 150 members and visitors in attendance. Secretary 
Brown announced the election to membership by the Executive Board 
of Mr. Eli Lilly, of Indianapolis, a life member, and of Mr. Frank 
M. Neu, of Madison, an annual member. He presented a report on 
the annual joint meeting held with the Wisconsin Academy of 
Sciences, Arts and Letters and the Midwest Museums Conference, at 
Lawrence College, Appleton, on April 6 and 7. At this meeting twen- 
ty-two papers on archeological, historical and museums subjects were 
presented. The attendance of members of the Society was very good. 

The President introduced Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, of Madison, who 
gave an illustrated lecture on "The Wisconsin Tercentenary". The 
speaker gave a very interesting account of the life of Jean Nicolet, 
the daring French explorer, who, in the year 1634, came to the shores 
of Green Bay from Canada to search for a possible route to China. 
The landfall of Nicolet, the first white man to enter the Old North- 
west, it was proposed to this year celebrate with pageants, plays and 
other appropriate programs in various Wisconsin cities. At the con- 
clusion of her lecture various questions were asked the speaker by 
members of her large audience. 

Miss Bauman exhibited a historical map of Wisconsin, which she 
had prepared. On the motion of Dr. Kuhm, a recommendation was 
made to the Postmaster General to adopt this map as a possible de- 
sign for a commemorative stamp or other uses. 

Mr. Alexander C. Guth, of Milwaukee, presented a brief report of 
the C. W. A. Survey of Wisconsin Historic Buildings, conducted by 
himself and other architects. Mr. Rudolph Boettger exhibited some 
flint points and other implements collected by himself at Aztalan. 
Mr. Paul Scholz showed a fine native copper chisel and a trade glass 
bead collected by himself. 

May 21, 1934 — President Kastner conducted this meeting, there 
being thirty-five members and others present. He introduced to the 
members Mr. Charles A. Lapham, son of the distinguished Wisconsin 
pioneer archeologist and educator, and Mr. Charles Lapham's daugh- 
ter, Mrs. Laura Lapham Lindow, both residents of Milwaukee. Their 
acknowledgments were received with applause. The election of Mr. 
A. W. Prendergast, Fairbury, Illinois, as an annual member of the 
Society was announced. 

Mr. Alexander C. Guth, Milwaukee architect, favored the mem- 
bers with an address on the subject of "Early Day Architecture of 
Wisconsin". The speaker described in interesting detail many of the 
residences, churches and other buildings located by the C. W. A. sur- 
vey in Wisconsin. Some of these buildings were located at Mukwon- 
ago, Racine, Mineral Point, Prairie du Sac, Darlington, Milwaukee, 
Prairie du Chien. Kaukauna, Green Bay, Dodgeville and other places 
in Wisconsin. This address was discussed by Mr. John G. Gregory, 
Mrs. Lindow and Dr. Eberhard J. W. Notz. The hope was expressed 



Archeological Notes 101 

that the Government and the State would encourage and assist in the 
permanent preservation of some of these historic structures. Some 
should become historic house museums. 

Mr. Brown suggested a summer pilgrimage of members of the 
Society to the residence of the veteran Wisconsin archeologist, Mr. 
Halvor L. Skavlem, at Carcajou Farm, Lake Koshkonong. This sug- 
gestion was very well received and it is possible that such an outing 
will be arranged, a local committee to be appointed by President 
Kastner making the necessary arangements. (Mr. Skavlem is now 
nearly 90 years old.) 

Messrs. Schoewe and Erdman made exhibits of archeological 
specimens whose history and use they explained. President Kastner 
spoke briefly of the personnel of the Society and of the survey and 
other helpful work in which members might engage in to its public 
credit during the months of its summer adjournment. 

The Beloit Historical Society held a pilgrimage to Indian mounds, 
historic springs and buildings in the vicinity of Beloit, on Saturday, 
June 2. Secretary Charles E. Brown and Halvor L. Skavlem were 
among the speakers at this very successful and notable outing. 

The University of Wisconsin Arboretum and Wild Life Refuge, 
located on the south shore of Lake Wingra and vicinity, at Madi- 
son, will be dedicated with appropriate ceremonies at the Arboretum 
buildings, on Sunday, June 17, 1934. Two good groups of prehistoric 
Indian mounds are among the other public attractions of the 
Arboretum. A third group it is hoped to also preserve by the addi- 
tion of other acres to this already very extensive wild life preserve. 
Col. Joseph B. Jackson, of Madison, has been one of the most active 
and enthusiastic workers for the acquirement of the Arboretum. 

At a business meeting of the Midwest Museums Conference held 
at Lawrence College, Appletcn, on April 7, on the last day of the 
joint meeting elsewhere noted, officers for the ensuing year were 
chosen. Mr. Charles E. Brown was chosen president of the Confer- 
ence, Prof. John B. MacHarg, vice-president, Mr. Ralph N. Buckstaff, 
treasurer, and Mrs. Ruth J. Shuttleworth, secretary. Messrs. W. C. 
McKern, Alonzo W. Pond and Nile C. Behncke were selected as mem- 
bers of the Board of Directors. A meeting of the Conference may be 
held at Madison during the autumn. 

The annual meeting of the American Anthropological Associa- 
tion, Central Section, was held in Indianapolis, May 11-12. The ses- 
sions were well attended by members and visitors from ten states. 
The president, W. C. McKern, opened the meeting with an address 
on "Certain Problems of Culture Classification in Middle Western 
Archeology". The program was unusually rich in archeological sub- 
ject matter. Of outstanding interest were: "Some Comments on 
Pottery Terminology", by James B. Griffin; "Nebraska Culture De- 
terminants and Their Relationship to the Mississippi Basic Culture", 
by Dr. Earl H. Bell; "The Society for American Archeology", by Dr. 
Carl E. Guthe; "Indian Trade in the Wabash Valley", by Dr. Amos 
Butler: "Application of the Tree-ring Method to Mississippi Valley 
Archeology", by Florence Hawley. Dr. Charlotte Gower, of Madison, 
Wisconsin, gave an interesting talk on "Friendship Among the Sicil- 
ians". A paper by our secretary, Charles E. Brown, who was not 
able to attend, was read by title: "American Archeology and the 
Amateur Archeologist". 

At the business session which closed the meeting. Dr. Warren K. 
Moorehead was elected president of the Central Section for the ensu- 
ing year. 



102 WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 13 , No. 4 

MISCELLANEOUS 

Mr. Fred Du Frene, a former member of the Wisconsin Archeo- 
logical Society, died at his home at Middleton, on June 5. Mr. Du 
Frene was once an enthusiastic collector of the Madison Lakes region. 
His collection was years ago placed in the care of the State Historical 
Museum. 

Mr. Ralph A. Engel, of Madison, has added to his collection a 
large knife of light colored quartzite reported to have been found at 
Sun Prairie, near the old Milwaukee to Madison trail. It is nine 
inches in length and appears to be fashioned of a quartzite similar 
to that quarried by the early Indians at Silver Mound, near Alma 
Center, in Jackson County. 

Mr. Kermit Freckman has been engaged in field work at Pleasant 
Lake, near Coloma. A report of his previous work in that region has 
been published by the Society. We trust that many members will 
engage in similar investigations in other parts of Wisconsin during 
the summer and report the results of their researches to Secretary 
Brown. Report blanks will be furnished on request. 

Mr. Brown is printing for use during this year's University of 
Wisconsin summer session a leaflet, "French Pathfinders of Wiscon- 
sin — Explorers, Traders and Missionaries". Copies of it may be had 
after July 1 on payment of the postage, ten cents. The State His- 
torical Society has published a similar leaflet, "The Tercentennial of 
Wisconsin", prepared by Dr. Louise P. Kellogg. Copies may be pur- 
chased of the State Historical Society, Madison. Cost, ten cents. 



WISCONSIN ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
PUBLICATIONS 

Of the 30 volumes of the Wisconsin Archeologist, 20 volumes were 
published in the old series and 10 in the new series. Most of the 
quarterly numbers are in print and may be secured by addressing 
Charles E. Brown, Secretary, State Historical Museum, Madison, Wis- 
consin. Price, 60 cents each. 

A table of contents of all publications to and including Volume 7, 
New Series, may be obtained from the secretary. Publications for the 
last five years, Volumes 8-12, New Series, are briefly listed as follows: 

Vol. 8, No. 1. Effigy platform pipe. Wisconsin skeletal remains. 
Reedsburg Cache. Indian earthenware vessels. Miscel- 
laneous articles. 

2. Earthenware vessels. The stockaded village. Aztalan 
Mound Park. Miscellaneous articles. 

3. Checklist of Wisconsin Indian implements. Ancient 
village site in Winnebago County. Miscellaneous articles. 

4. Winnebago County Indian earthenware. Cartographic 
symbols. Iowa archeological survey. Miscellaneous 
articles. 

Vol. 9, No. 1. Indian village and camp sites of the lower Rock River. 

2. Indian trails. Stone adzes. Petroglyphs and picto- 
graphs. Miscellaneous articles. 

3. Barbed stone axes. Copper knives. Fraudulent Indian 
implements. Miscellaneous articles. 

4. Pottery smoothers. Plant games and toys of Chippewa 
children. Miscellaneous articles. 

Vol. 10, No. 1. Pine, Beaver and North lakes. 

2. Technique in archaeology. Old beach camp sites in 
Winnebago County. Fire-steels. Miscellaneous articles. 

3. Copper implements. Silver ornaments from Grand 
Butte. Indians in painting and sculpture. Prehistoric 
vertebral pathology. Miscellaneous articles. 

4. Bone implements from Sheboygan. Florida burial 
mound. Keokuk axes. Miscellaneous articles. 

Vol. 11, No. 1. Reprints of early descriptions of effigy mounds. 

2. Birdstones. Old Kentucky. Lake Geneva Centennial. 
Archeological surveys. Method of recording surveys. 

3. Dr. G. E. Collie. Southwest pottery. Indians of Vir- 
ginia. Explorations in Green Lake County. Copper 
bird effigies. Present condition at Aztalan. Story of 
Butte des Morts. Archeological records. 

4. Charles de Langlade. Uses of wood and bark. Dis- 
tribution of copper. Overton camp site. Utah arche- 
ology. Sugar-bush ceremonials. 

Vol. 12, No. 1. Archeological research in Wisconsin. American Indian 
art. 

2. Greater copper pike. Winnebago bags. Survey in Mil- 
waukee County. Museum origins. 

3. Huron Herbert Smith. Excavations at Aztalan. Dis- 
coidals. Wisconsin pot. Refuse pits. 

4. Pleasant Lake survey. Odd Indian tools.