Semi-Subterranean houses with an entrance through the roof are a well known feature of the interior of British Columbia, having been described for the Thompson, the Chilcotin, the Shuswap and others of the upper Fraser River valley. They have, in fact, an even wider distribution east of the Coast and Cascade Ranges, extending south over the Plateau and into northern California. Although this type of dwelling existed among the Aleuts, it appears that the coastal people to the south of them, even in Alaska, were either unfamiliar with the pattern or rejected it in favor of others. Sporadically, along the Pacific Coast all the way from California to Bering Sea, house floors were excavated to varying depths, sometimes even to two levels; but, everywhere, the houses characteristically lack the roof entrance and, except for sweathouses in the south and Bering Sea Eskimo dwellings in the north, even the idea of an earth covering is absent. In view of this fundamental divergence, it is interesting that subterranean structures do appear in several places on the coast of British Columbia.

This paper is an attempt to clarify the meaning of the terms “type” and “variation” when applied to archaeological materials. Although they are used constantly in speech and literature in almost every conceivable context, it must be admitted that archaeology has no generally accepted, impersonal methods of establishing the scope and application of these terms. Kluckhohn has recently written:

In archaeological sites plant remains are frequently encountered either as artifacts or as natural deposits. A study of such remains commonly yields much valuable information, not only for the archaeologist but for other investigators as well. Thus, the former vegetation of a region and its possible bearing upon the previously existing climate are often revealed. Both the botanist and the paleontologist are interested in the preservation of plant remains and the structural and chemical changes which they have undergone since their deposition or submergence. In addition, of course, the careful study of woody artifacts frequently affords significant information regarding the Customs and practices of primitive peoples in working their materials. In order that the greatest value may be obtained from a study of botanical materials, however, it is essential that certain precautions and techniques be used in collecting and preserving them. Unfortunately, much botanical information available in an archaeological site is either discarded or overlooked in the process of digging and exposing the site.

The existence of this rock shelter was first brought to attention through a gift, which included two woven yucca sandals, made to the Laboratory of Anthropology by Mr. Arthur Bibo. A visit to the site from which the specimens were obtained having revealed a promising situation, plans were laid for excavation. Investigation here was deemed particularly important since no dry cave material had been previously reported from this section. Mr. Ben Florsheim, the owner of the property on which the shelter was located, readily granted permission to carry on the projected work. Preliminary preparation having been made, the writer, assisted by Mr. Stanley Stubbs of the Laboratory staff, began actual operations on November 17th, 1932.

This paper is a plea for the complete reworking of the Iroquoian material, archaeological and historical, from the point of view of acculturation. The writer is not the first to make this plea. Both Fenton and Hunt have pointed out the necessity of reworking the source material for Iroquoian history; Fenton regards the 400 years of contact between Iroquois and white and between Iroquois and Algonkian as an excellent source “for an acculturation study showing the effects of the interaction of Indian and White culture, the interaction of Indian and Indian… and the adjustment of culture to environment.”

Utah is nearly bisected north-south by the Wasatch Mountains. Between Ogden and Nephi, Utah, these mountains have undergone extensive folding and faulting and reach a maximum height of 12,000 feet at Mt. Timpanogas. South of Nephi this range branches into three great fingers with narrow valleys between. Flanking the Wasatch, east of Salt Lake City, are the lofty Uintah Mountains. These, unlike other ranges in North America, have an east-west axis forming a barrier between Pueblo-dominated lands to the south and the territory of nomads living in the Wyoming Basin to the north. Little evidence of Pueblo occupation has been observed in southeast Wyoming, though there are a number of passes through which occasional hunting parties from the plateaus to the south may have ventured north into the plains of southern Wyoming. This, of course, could only have occurred in the summer, as the area is free from snow for only three or four months of the year.

While in the field, running a stabilization survey at Wupatki National Monument, the writer and Phillip Van Cleave, an assistant, encountered a site which illustrates another method utilized by the prehistoric Indians in dealing with the problem of water supply in this arid region.

A number of mescal knives have been found throughout the southwestern United States, but very few of these have been adequately described in print. As the use or non use of this distinctive type of implement may in the future be of aid in establishing cultural affiliations and migrations of peoples, a brief description of two of these unusual pieces is presented below.

The first of these mescal knives came from a small cave, or rock shelter, located about three and one-half miles southeast of the former town of St. Thomas, Nevada, at the foot of Bitter Spring Wash, where the latter enters the Virgin River. This site is now forever covered beneath the waters of Lake Mead, backed up behind Boulder Dam. The cave was excavated in 1936 by Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees under the direction of Junior Foreman Fay Perkins and under the supervision of the National Park Service.

In Dr. Philip Phillips' recent paper, “Middle American Influences on the Archaeology of the Southeastern United States,” there appears the following statement concerning the architecture of late cultures associated with the Mississippi pattern:

Three peculiar carved stone objects from eastern Montana merit mention, because carved biomorphic forms are otherwise almost entirely absent from this area (Fig. 27).

One was found on the surface about twenty miles south of Glendive, Montana. It is a vaguely trapezoidal piece of rather hard pumice 4.7 inches high, 5.1 inches wide, and 3.5 inches thick, which had been smoothed throughout, apparently with a rubbing stone, though on the back and sides many irregularities remain. A large, flat area has been smoothed on the bottom, apparently to provide a base. On one side an excellent representation of a bison head has been carved in bas-relief. The background has been so reduced that the head is elevated .3 inch above it. The whole has been well smoothed and rounded and only a few striations remain which suggest that the work was probably done with a stone chip or similar tool. Each eye has been accentuated with a daub of what appears to be pitch.

The recent synthesis of Minnesota archaeology by Wilford has revealed the presence of Hopewellian-like materials in the northern part of the state. These seem thoroughly blended with “Lake Michigan” Woodland traits and may represent the feathering out of the Hopewellian complex and its integration into existing Woodland manifestations.

None of the “spectacular” Hopewellian traits are present in the Laurel and Arvilla foci, however, and it is doubtful if they can be properly called “Hopewellian.” In this connection I believe it may be of interest to note an early report of excavations at St. Paul, Minnesota, by T. H. Lewis.

In June of 1937 my attention was called to a very stylized artifact found in the vicinity of the Indian Caves by Mr. John Nelson of Billings, Montana. Mr. Nelson had some very fine specimens of this artifact.

The location and description of these artifacts are described by Mr. Nelson as follows: