ABORIGINAL MONUMENTS OF THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.*
TuAr the western portion of the United States, em- braced “within the great basin of the Mississippi River and its tributaries, abounds with rude but imposing monuments, the origin of which is lost in the obscurity of antiquity, is
- Wiruin the past two years, public attention has several times been
directed to the extensive investigations in progress, by Messrs. E. G. Squier >and B. H. Davis, M.D., of Ohio, into the aboriginal remains of the West, and 5 particularly those ef the Ohio valley. During this period, these gentlemen ~ were in constant communication with the American Ethnological Society, of >} which they are members; and it was early proposed, and preparations accord- ingly made, to embody the results of their inquiries in its published Transac- tions, Their researches, however, were subsequently so greatly extended, and
crowned with such remarkable results, as to place their publication, in an ade- quate style of illustration, entirely beyond any means at the command of the Society. At this juncture, their MSS. and accompanying illustrations, were submitted to the newly organized Smithsonian Institution, and accepted for publication as the first volume of the “ Surrusonran Coxrrisurions to Kxow- zepee.” This work, greatly surpassing in magnitude, as in the number, im- portance, and interesting nature of its facts, any publication of the kind ever
before undertaken in this country, is now in press, and will be issued some time
during the ensuing winter. The paper herewith presented, embraces only such detached general observations as may serve to illustrate the antiquities of our country, without anticipating any of the more important discoveries and interesting details of the prospective great work from the same hands, and must not be taken to exhibit a complete or adequate view of the subject. It only aims to group. and in some degree to generalize, the various ancient remains of the West, so as to furnish some rational conception of their extent, variety, and prevailing character.
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