Archives of aboriginal knowledge. Containing all the original paper laid before Congress respecting the history, antiquities, language, ethnology, pictography, rites, superstitions, and mythology, of (14742380856)

Identifier: archivesofaborig03scho (find matches)
Title: Archives of aboriginal knowledge. Containing all the original paper laid before Congress respecting the history, antiquities, language, ethnology, pictography, rites, superstitions, and mythology, of the Indian tribes of the United States
Year: 1860 (1860s)
Authors: Schoolcraft, Henry Rowe, 1793-1864. dn United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs. cn
Subjects: Indians of North America United States
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. B. Lippincott & co.
Contributing Library: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation



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de of it; namely, that the vessels have all been made by hand, and notraised on the potters wheel. This instrument is very old in its mode of construction;being a whirling disc of wood, with an upright iron crank and foot^board. Nothingcan exceed its simplicity, and Ave have no evidence that it has been improved inits principles for five thousand years. Pottery made without it is not geometrically true, and is of very unequal thickness.These are characteristics that distinguish all the ancient pottery of the Indian era ofNorth America, from the valley of Anahuac, the rivers Gila and Culiacan, to thebanks of the Hudson, the Connecticut, and the Penobscot. The figures impressed upon this species of ware, wei-e, however, more elaboratein the southern than the northern tribes. The articles made were also of more variedutility and application. None of the Gila pottery which has been seen is superior, ifquite equal, in these respects, to the vases and earthen vessels found in the low tumuli
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Seal? of 5z feet to 1 ir.cli Sculptured insciipUon on ;i rock. South siiie of Cuiniinghanis Is.Lake Er LippixLCOtt, Grambo & C9 7!-:-..- ANTIQUITIES. 85 of Florida. Yet tlie latter was also hand-work, and made Avitliout the formativeexactness of the potters wheel. Specimen No. 12 is manifestly a tube of coarse enamel, and not pottery, and hasbeen brought to its present condition by the process of vitrification, and is consequentlya higher species of art than the other articles. It resembles strongly, judging fromthe fio-ure and description, a species of the same kind of ornament found in 1816 onthe banks of the Niagara, in old graves.^ No. 13 is labelled, An ore of copper. 4. ERIE INSCRIPTION IN THE INDIAN CHARACTEROF THE KEKEEWIN. (Plate 41.) The drawing of the figures and symbols composing this inscription, which was executedin 1851, having been copied on stout paper and numbered, was transmitted to Mr.George Johnston, of Sault de Ste. Marie, Michigan, a gentleman well versed in