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National Geographic : 1896 Feb
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B UREA U OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY IN 1895 are recorded in rude conventional symbols, the years being indi cated by conspicuous symbols for the winter season, in conse quence of which the records are sometimes denominated " winter counts." Mr Mooney was able to collect a considerable number of these calendars, which are of special interest as records of the history and migrations of the tribe during the last half century. From the records and from accompanying verbal statements, carefully checked by comparing different accounts, it is learned that this tribe of the plains is among the widest wanderers of their race. Although their original habitat was in the middle plains, they were accustomed to send parties on trading and ma rauding expeditions eastward into the trans-Mississippi forests, westward into and beyond the Rocky mountains, northward to the Saskatchewan, and southward over the deserts of northern Mexico as far as Durango, and even across the Sierra Madre to the vicinity of the Pacific, near Mazatlan. These records of the Kiowa calendars explain the wide distribution of primitive art products over the United States and corroborate the evidence of widely scattered obsidian, copper, sea shells, etc., as to the extent of aboriginal commerce. A notable expedition of the season was that of Dr J. Walter Fewkes, who explored the little-known canyons of the Mogollon escarpment in central Arizona and afterward made extensive collections of prehistoric pottery near Keams canyon. While on the headwaters of the Rio Verde, along the face of the great escarp ment, he was so fortunate as to discover extensive ruins of cliff houses, some of which showed no evidence of exploration, and from these considerable collections of interesting archeologic ma terial were made. His principal results were obtained at the prehistoric pueblo of Sikyatki, near Keams canyon. Here, in company with Mr F. W. Hodge, he excavated a ruin known from tradition, as well as from the collection of objects discovered, to be prehistoric. A large quantity of finely decorated pottery with associated objects was obtained. The pottery includes many examples of the finest grade of aboriginal work in texture, finish, and decoration. The collection, which comprises nearly 700 earthenware utensils, beside numerous objects of wood, stone, bone, etc., has been brought to Washington and is now in the National Museum. Competent judges are of opinion that it is the finest single collection of prehistoric pottery thus far made on the Western Hemisphere. After leaving Sikyatki Mr Hodge made a tour of the,pueblos
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