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itkLliE»18.ofUS“SmtiliMiiiMft Contribution to v'': Enowled^e.” ■v A K \ AMKMGAN ARCHEOLOGY.Tpie‘‘Literary World” published at New York,ins the first authorized announcement of a contemplated publication by the Smithsonian Institution. We regret that we hnve not space to copy the entire article and the correspondence and proceedings which led to the determination to publish the interesting work, of Mr. E. G. Bonier and Dr. E. H. Davis, of Ohij. The work in questionwas referred by Joseph Henry, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, to Albert Gal la tin, President of the American Ethrological Society, for their opinion of its merits; in answer to which Mr.Gallatin Iranie. *1 lienved-ed ;ht atTAadlelf ise t otichtedge-ng.I2’8led. the thecan* * ici-hati asthatunettles t be eral lost hen icki yedtootoo t we il of nan* andre* is ingoodit led the report of a committee, adopted by the Society, recommending the work in the highest terms and urging its publication. Letters in its favor from George P. Marsh andSamuel George Morton, Were appended. The Smithsonian Institution therefore have determined to bring out the work in elegant style, splendidly iiiustr 9 ted. The Li terary World gives the follow -ing interesting and comprehensive information of the Mture of the wwk and the plan of its publication. Tbs work will be hailed as a good beginningof the Smithsonian Institution.This work, containing researches into the origin and purposes of the aboriginal monuments andremains of the Mississippi Valley, will embrace the details and results ol extended surveys, carried on during several years by Mr. E. G. Squier and Dr. E. il. Davis, of Ohio. Th^ labors ol these gentlemen embrace the opening and examination ot more than two hundred mounds, of every variety and character, from the greatest to the least. These works were not carelessly overthrown, but laid open to their centre; the relics, if any existed, were removed, and the earth again replaced. In these examinations the number and variety of aboriginal relics which have been brought to light must excite astonishment in ail. Their collection embraces many thousand objects, exhibiting theFifindtc•an1st 1 ing the XTed 1GberiiH60 o notea ch alor fell andBalidonatj|novof 1ttntmgstate of the arts among the ancient people, of whose existence they are the only memorials. They consist of implements and ornaments in silver, copper, lead, stone, ivory, and pottery, fashioned into a variety of forms, and exhibiting a skill which, in some instances, modern art cannot surpass. The sculpture of birds, animals, andreptiles constitutes a large class of these ancient relics. They a^e cut from various kinds of stone, and in many instances from porphyry. Several highly finished sculptures of the human head are deserving of notice, and probably convey an idea of the physical character of the people. A single skull, the only one out of many hundreds discovered in fragments which has been preserved entire, and which our explorers are satisfied belongs to the primitive people, is all we have, aside from* ie us tcfttheDeicausuecon■ 0froiBaitoVaamYcthese, to enable us to form arr opinion of the race. In examining these remains we discover articleswhich show the extent of their intercourse withother parts of the country. Thus there are instruments of obsidian, a volcanic substance only found in Mexico, native copper and lead from Lake Su-- ’ » . m % m m • » * • I. 1 I _in1habepenor and the and cetacean teeiirre-xen.Per-notided.r Mississippi, marine shells from the sea, and numbers of pearls of great beauty. f ^ i But the mounds and their contents are bat asmall portion of interesting facts made known by these gentlemen, for we consider the vast earthworks the most remarkable. Their labors embrace surveys of more than one hundred works of this description, some of them miles in extent; others are vast enclosures, covering a space of eqqal to that occupied by the city of New York;again, we see fortified places, ift the constructiononwhich modern military science might perhapsderive some useful hints.The work in question will embrace the detailsof these most curious and interesting explorations, and will be illustrated with several hundred woodri»t-wess iton-i ttles erior ions, htest ily to suc-seciions, quarto litnd’rwii*inati:r the?auti-i and d ac-for a The writ-ir at-re ac-le da-on to it his i as ifly, inivan-igiousok.—standback £ie mengravings in the highest style of the art. These will exhibit representations of the relics discovered, views of the mounds and other ancient remains,Ians, .c. It will also contain seventy ographic plans, being the surveys of the other works alluded to, laid down on an accurate scale. What will be the extent of the letter-press we are unable to say, but it will probably exceed five hundred quarto pages.Such is a very brief account of the discoveries which this work will make known. The facts adduced from them open a new era in our aboriginal history. The question will naturally arise, at what period and by whom were these works erected? What has become of the people? Had they any connexion with the nations of the other hetnihafeeiniri€lacahinctharhato1*uiaroftaw88atoititisphere? c.The relics and the works themselves aid but little in determining the period when they were made. When the country was settled they werecovered with large trees, exhibitin aere as the forest around them.as great anKr .other facts connected with their position whichut■ftere orefm the i read* range sition ms, so ithors, i truly jftsing ok deread.show that great physical changes have taken place since their creation. These aid us in determining their antiquity, which must he reckoned by thousands of years rather than by centuries.Many analogies are presented to our explorers in investigating the antiquities and primitive history of some of the earlier nations of the Old World. The serpent and egg, which has a prominent place in the mythology of Egypt and India, tipifyuig a universal principle, has actually been found in Ohio, in a well-defined serpent twelve hundred feet in length, formed of earth, in the act ot swallowing an egg. Some striking analogies with the Druidicai rites are also discovered. The Phallic worship, too, so universal throughout the ancient world, may be traced in the remains of thePtiti1SiMississippi Valley, as well as many coincidences as yiteresting as they are remarkable. Disserta-ncartGFtions on these will accompany the work.We cannot close our remarks without speaking of the gentlemen who are engaged in the work. Dr. Davis has for fifteen years been a resident of Chillicothe, during which time he has been a close observer* and has collected many valuable relies from the mounds. Mr. Squier removed to the satne place a few years since* when a more thorough system of survey and examination of the earthworks was commenced. A number of laborers were employed, and* when the weather permitted, these gentlemen were in the field with their spades, surveying instruments, and sketchbook. For three years they have been incessantly engaged in their work. From a personal acquaintance with Mr. Squier, we do not hesitate to say that the exploration and survey ofour ancient remains could not have fallen into better hands.]IJtci1(itii*i from fie ed-efiectrms of 11, and a Reg-id says i i of a , dated t Regime theyboard ig day.at Bra-f Seeded bisCombined w ith a perseverance in the undertakingfor the subject, he is an aeeora-and enthusiasm . plished draughtsman and surveyor, on evidence of which may be seen in the splendid and numerous surveys and drawings with which his portfolios are filled.tad buta—and lem, soon tainsplough apprd-avor of fi there dficientmd theing, toLeman'ston that u!d not ter peo-Major, •awn inProspective Indian War,The Independence (Mo.) Expositor of the 18th, has an article, in which the editor says*.“Every thing indicates the approach of a long and bitter struggle with the predatory Indian tribes inhabiting the immense country between us and the Pacific. Two causes conspire to render this inevitable. First, the great numeral force of the Indians and the rapid dimunition of the buffalo upon which exclusively they subsist. Second* the unwise incredulity of our government, its slow and reluctant recognition of the approaching danger and the levity exhibited by the President and Cabinet in thtir treatment of existing difficulties. .“The struggle with the Cherokees and Creeks, who have never exceeded 25,000, has employed armies surpassing30,000 men in the aggregate and exhausted $65,000,000.“The Black Hawk war employed 7,000 troops and cost $7,000,000—the Indian toe never surpassed .9060 warriors. glggi . £ pF“The Florida war employed 00,000 troops, lasted ten years and cost $35,000,000. Florida from first to last, never contained over 1700 Indian war“Heretofore we havecontended with Indians, a single tribe at a time, confined to a specific territory and acting on foot—and such has been the cost in money, reputation and gradual slaughter on, both sides. t“We have now to contend with tribes who ore mounted, who roam over plains more extensive than the whole territory ol our confederated States, who intermingle and have no permanenteautiful le Cityn. Mrtshes olepty otone.—allusion(.changeesentedise.tneirciotaing, tneir tooges, tneir saddles, fuel. They have neither agriculture nor domestic cattle to supply food. War, plunder and the chase keep them in perpetual movement. They are more wild than Arabs and better warriors. Their country is infinitely large, various and their appearance in any particular part of it as uncertain as the wind or a thunder storm.11As to the numbers of these tribes the editor states “from positive knowledge the following statistical fact:—the aggregate number of Indian tribes who descend every season upon the buffalo region, possessing horses, and relying upon the buffalo to supply all their physical wants is 250,tXK)t11
Newspaper Details
Cincinnati Daily Atlas
Cincinnati, Ohio, US
Mon, Oct 04, 1847
Page 2
Full Page
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Anonymous
USA 18 Sep 2022
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