Illustrated Catalogue of the Collections Obtained from the Indians of New Mexico in 1880: Second Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1880-81, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1883, pages 429-466Stevenson, James
History
Illustrated Catalogue of the Collections Obtained from the Indians of New Mexico in 1880: Second Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1880-81, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1883, pages 429-466
Stevenson, James
Indian pottery -- North America; Indians of North America -- Arizona; Indians of North America -- Industries; Indians of North America -- New Mexico
Our explorations during the field season of 1880 and 1881 were
restricted to the Pueblo tribes located along the Rio Grande and its
tributaries in New Mexico. The chief object in view was to secure as
soon as possible all the ethnological and archaeological data obtainable
before it should be lost to science by the influx of civilized
population which is being rapidly thrown into this region by the
extension of railroads into and through it. Not only are the
architectural remains being rapidly destroyed and archaeological
specimens collected and carried away by travelers, excursionists, and
curiosity hunters, but the ancient habits and customs of these tribes
are rapidly giving way and falling into disuse before the influence of
eastern civilization.
Our party, consisting, besides myself, of Mr. Galbraith, archaeologist,
Mr. Morancy, assistant, and Mr. J. K. Hillers, photographer, proceeded
to Santa Fe, N. Mex., where an outfit was secured for the season's work.
From here we proceeded to Taos, one of the most extensive pueblos in the
Rio Grande region. This village is situated on the Rio Taos a few miles
from the Rio Grande, and just under the shadow of the Taos Mountains. It
comprises two large sections, one on each side of the Rio Taos. These
are compactly built and each six stories high. The industrial pursuits
of these Indians are principally pastoral and agricultural, they having
a good market for their products in the Mexican village of Fernandez de
Taos, containing a population of about 4,000 Mexicans and eastern
people.
The party spent several days here making investigations and collections.
The collection made was small but quite varied and novel, though few of
the articles obtained were of their own manufacture.
Quite a number of stone implements were secured, among which were some
stone knives, pipes, a number of rude stone axes and hammers, arrow
smoothers, &c. The pottery obtained here is chiefly of the common type
and resembles that from San Juan, from whence in all probability it was
received by exchange and barter. Earthenware, so far as I can learn, is
not now made in Taos, except by a few families where a Taos Indian has
married a woman from San Juan or some other tribe where the manufacture
of pottery is carried on. If this industry was ever, practiced by the
Taos Indians it must have been at a remote period; in fact there seems
to be no tradition of it now among them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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