The New York herald., 1870-10-10
WESTERN ARCHAEOLOGY.
The Mound Builders of America.

The Mound Builders of America.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
In your issue OF the 9th inst appeared an article
on some alleged discoveries In Arkansas 1t is cer-
tatnly refreshing in these days of FrancoPrusssian
war, when the papers literally filed with sick
ening details OF horrid strife and humiliation OF
empires, to find one daily journal sufficiently inde-
pendent as not to occupy It's columns with 'war
news' entirely. To the sojourner amid the great
mountain scenery of Western Pennsylvania, who
eels much more interest in the past OF this Cont
lent than In the present OF Europe these notices Of
discovery, OF which you have recently given sew
eral, are quite refreshing ] desire to say o few
words about the reported discovery In Arkansas
The whole subject OF Western archaeology Is
comparatively new. 1t Is discredltable to our
government and people that SO little Is heard OF
pre-historical America. While the enlightened
governments and peoples OF Europe are viewing the
efforts to trace out and develop the prlmeval life
OF man III the East, what are doing In the West
Literally nothing. With the finest unexplOred arch
a1c held on either hemisphere we are careless OF
It's vast treasures and suffer the finest historic
monumental ruins TO perish In oar presence. This
10 dlsgraceful to the age, and calls for prompt
But to the Arkansas discovery. 1t is not rema rk.
able 80 iar as the truth goes. They only exclte
aouDI wnen ignorance assumes to advance hypo-
occur ali over the Mississippi and sabordinate yaI
!eys They are OF various forms, size and character.
many are remarkaDie III size, structure and con-
tents GENERALLY they have been raised for purposes
OF burial. and many which have examined contain
vases. The fcttle art was brought TO fair perfectiOn
by the mound builders. Thus far the account you
publish from Memphis paper is not In con-
fiict with facts. But there are certain discre.
pancies which are not sustained by previous dis
covery, and which bear upon their surface contra
diction. TO these take exception. The size
claimed for the skeletons is simply romance. We
have heard much recently OF giants; even heard SCI
entic men declare that there were not 'ony giants
IN these days but petrlfed monsters. need
scarcely add that there Is not the slightest evidence
In support OF such claim, notwithstanding the
array Of authority which winds UP the article in
question. There have been or course, individual
exceptions, human casualties, acciden.s deve-
fpment, but no race or generation or giants. Popu
Var credulity invests man with rare size; myths Of
gigantic proportions come down to US through all
history. But stubborn facts determine the question
against any tangible claim for race OF giants The
Mound builders were not men OF undue proportions.
We must therefore reject this portion of the Arkansas
discovery. 1t not unrequently occurs In adjusting the
os J10nts by unsklllul hands, variation OF several
inches can readily be made. In this way have fire.
quenty known errors OF computation occur. Next,
Iobject TO the curious anatomical phenomenon OF
placing one skull lntact) over the head or man OF
our generation. take exception to the statement
that the vase was found under the head OF the
buried chief. The practice OF inserting
an urn over the face OF the departed
has frequently been observed i'll mounds and other
mortuary Repositories The ornamentaton or the
urn, as described, was, indeed, curious. How the
aboriginal potter managed TO ornament his work
with the "tbia, or thigh bone, my knowledge OF
anatomy OF the ceramic art does not enable me TO
determine.
will be glad to hear iurtner IRON the reported dis
coyeries. The ancient mounds in Arkansas promise
valuable results 10 The explorer am familiar with
fine collection OF fcua, made by a lady OF Louis
vile, from mounds In her plantation in the state
named W. DE IL.
LLLgGHANY MOUNTAINS Pa, Sept. 90. 1870.