New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-09-10
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
ANTIQUITIES OF THE STATE OF NEw-YORK BY
4. G. seuIER. tys. %. 33. Buffalo Geo H.
Dxkf Il ~


American ethnolonst !, embodies the resuiss
of Investigations which were undertaken about
three wears since. undos the auspices Of me
Historical Society OF New-fofk ana 'he ''''''''
sonlan Institute Of Washington ne oi's '''a'
EDITION published among the omi'iso"eii ''''
tnbu,,ons 70 knowledge" IS mere iep'o'"O'"
with a good deal Of valuable additional iha''e''
and the plates and engravings with "hich i was
profusely illustrated
According 10 Nj Squier, none Of the ancient
wo,kx m the State OF New-forA, OF wnich
,,ace. remain displaying any consderanie oe-
GREE Of regularity, can lay claim TO hIgn anti
nv All Of them NAV be referred with Ger
.s;,,v 10 the period succeeding the commence
,n.,, Of European intercourse The works, to
which his attention was particularly directed
are found IN the region extending from the
County Of ST Lawrence on the North 70 'hau-
tauoue on the South embracing the Counties OF
Jefferson. Oswego Onondaga Oneida, Cayuga'
Seneca. Ontario. Wayne. Livingston, Oreahs'
Niagara. Ere. Genesee and Wyoming. occa-
.onal specimens also exist IN the adjacent couh-
ties. mon the principal tributaries OF the Dela-
ware. Susquehannah and Allegheny. They are
fertility of Their soil, their proximity teiayoraoe
hunting and fishing grounds, and the o'her re
uulsltes 10 easy subsistence IN savage ne III
Jefferson County alone, fifteen. enclosures nave
been discovered, sufficiently well preserved to
admit OF being traced throughout, exclusive OF
large number which have been wholly or IN part
DESTROYED, and of others concerning when no
exact observation could be obtained. The OIL
FINAL number IN tins county is set down by MI
Souier at between thirty or fory-a larger inquire
,ban has usually been signed to all the ancient
remains in the State Enc County probably
contained nearly as many From all the facts
brought to light in his researches, Mr.. Squier
concludes that the number originally existing IN
the State of New-YOrk was not less than two
hundred, or perhaps two hundred and nifty.
Probably one half OF these have been obliterated
by the pillow, or rendered incapable by othef
causes of being satisfactorily traced. ne
works remaining are of much smaller dlInen-
s,ons than those in the Western States. For the
most part, they comprise from one to four acres
,he largest not exceeding sixteen acres IN area
A great uniformity prevails IN their position
Almost without exception they occupy high ana
commanding sites near the bluff edges OF the
broad terraces bv which the country rises from
the sheet Of the lakes. From the brows OF the
limestone lodges where these works often &C
cur, extensive prospects may be obtained, often
Terminating IN the blue belt of the lakes, at the
distance of from ten 10 forty miles the lntervcn-
ing country presenting beautiful variety OF
cleared and forest lands, dotted with houses,
churches and villages
The remains of art discovered within these en-
closures exhibit perfect similarity toeach other.
The first feature which they present is a number
Of pits or excavations IN the earth, usually al
the points which are most elevated and dry
These are generally from three TO four, but some
times from to eight feet IN depth, and OF pro
portionate size at the top Their purpose was
evidently TO deposit the stores of the occupants
Parched corn, completely carbonlzed 10y long ex-
posure is found IN many OF them. Traces are
also left of the bark and thin strips of wood 10y
which the deposits were surrounded In many
Of the Enclosures the sites of the ancient lodges
or cabins are still visible, marked 10y accumua
tons of decomposed and carbonaceous matter
burnt stones, charcoal and ashes mingled with
the bones of ANIMALS, with numerous fragments OF
pottery, broken pipes, and occasionally rude or
namen,s, such as beads OF stone, bone and shell
With regard to the purpose OF the aboriginal
monuments In Western New-lork, Mr.. Squier
arrives at the decided conclusion that they were
intended as works of defense This is inferred
from their position, their usual close proximity
~ the water and many ether circumstances not
less decisive The traces which they often
show OF long occupancy imply that they were
also fortified towns and villages, with permanent
inhabitants. Some OF the smaller ones, how
ever, seem to have been designed for temporary
protection-the ciadels IN which the builders
sought safety tor their old men, women and
children, IN case of alarm or attack.
As to the date, nothing positive can be affirmed
There is nothing, however, which would lead 10
the conclusion that they We're built 10y tribes
anterior to those found in occupation OF the
country by the whites. On the whole, MI
SQuer Is led to the conclusion, which he by no
means anticipated at the commencement Of his
researches, that the earth works were erected
by the lroquols or their western nelghborS, and
do not open an antiquity gong very far back
OF their discovery Except as they throw light on
the system of defense prsctlced 10y the aboriginal
inhabitants, and tend TO show that they Were to
degree fixed and agricultural in their habits
they have but slight bearing on the archaeology
cal questions involved IN the history OF the Con
tinent before the discovery 10y Columbus The
resemblances which they bear to the defensive
structures of other rude nations, can he account
ed for natural causes, and do not necessarily
demonstrate an intimate connection. The abo-
nglnal hunter and the semi.clylllzed Cell Sc
lected similar positions tor their iortresses, and
defended them on the saire plan; hut such IT.
semblances afford no ground for any differences
10 the relafln,1s OF th.r ro.nccti l,ill,r.