The Wilmingtonian., 1886-03-06
Delaware Archaeology.

| The Numismatic and Antiqu rian Society
of Philadelphia has undertaken the prepaia-
tion Of an archaeological map to embrace Il c
valleys of the Delaware and Susquehanna
rivers and desires cooperation in this i'm
portant work
Through the secretary Henry Phillips Jr,
it is understood that the peopo,ed map will
show the location Of all the principal re-
mains attributed to the Indian tribes who
formerly occupied those regions.
Tie state Of Delaware will constitute
prominent place in this investigation into
the ancient geography and history Of this
r y on Any OF our residents who are pos
sessed Of Information upon this important
topic are invited to correspond with Mr.
Phillips whose address is No 1O4, South
| Fifth street, Philadelphia.
This will be a fine opportunity to those OF
our High School students whose taste may
lean that way, to give aid to the compilation
Of most important piece of work relating to
their own state and locality 1t is not an
unwarrantable suppDstion to surmise that
sjme of them have antiquarian pledilec-
tiOns.
At this very date, as we all know, the old
landmarks around our city are becoming
fast obiterated. 1t was only last Fall, for
instance, that the writer, in company with
| the editor Of the Ecery Eoeatug, willie at
tempting to follow the course of the Old
Kings Road, was surprised to see how
quickly the traces of that historic colonial
roadway ale becoming obterated. 1t is not
a useless business. neithsr is it waste of
time to retain knowledge of these matters.
Il is our duty to rescue from oblivion the
fast decaying evidence of the history of the
times previous to our own day and genera
tion.
In any eiyiliz centre ali antiquarian So
ciety may well be considered desidera-
tum.
Of course we may have some difficulty in
obtaining reliable information of indian arch
@ology, hut data upon the time of the Brit
ish occupation here is quite possible. Much
most important information exists now, t
only II the hands of the Older inhabitants of
the different hundreds Of Delaware. As they
pass away it will be lost forever. Now it is
the dnty aud opportunity of their children
and grandchildren to possess themselves Of
all tile facts, legends and information posi-
Bile.
1t IS impossible to tell but that the most
/ apparently tr flng statement, related by an
old resident something that he was told or
had seen years ago, when boy, may in
time to come afford the very clue or point of
evidence that antiquariaus Of the future
would be most selctocs of!
Let the younger people gather from their
elders all the history and Information in re-
gard to the topography Of the couutry in
their own exact neighborhoOd they can.
Let them gather everything within their
reach.
What the secretary Of the Philadelphia Nh
mismatic and Antiquarian Society exactly
wants in order to complete the Delaware
section OF his Indian map may be generally
included under the following classes Of an
Equities =
Gravel deposits (palRolthic), artificial
shell heaps, cave retreats, eucampments or
village sites, etrthworks, old fields, quarres,
workshops, surface deposits of implements
or caches, large rocks in place, used as NOR
tars rock inscriptions (jH situ), burial
places, tumui or mounds, and Indian trails,
with full description and accurate location
of any Of the above, and names aud adde's es
of persons who possess collections of relics,
or who are interested in archaeology or local
history"