ANTHROPOLOGICAL PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY VOLUME XXXVIII, PART I TEXTILE FIBERS USED IN EASTERN ABORIGINAL NORTH AMERICA By A. C. Whitford [Illustration: THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY SCIENCE EDUCATION] By Order of the Trustees of THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY New York City 1941 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY PUBLICATIONS IN ANTHROPOLOGY In 1906 the present series of Anthropological Papers was authorized by the Trustees of the Museum to record the results of research conducted by the Department of Anthropology. The series comprises octavo volumes of about 350 pages each, issued in parts at irregular intervals. Previous to 1906 articles devoted to anthropological subjects appeared as occasional papers in the Bulletin and also in the Memoir series of the Museum. Of the Anthropological Papers 35 volumes have been completed. A complete list of these publications with prices will be furnished when requested. All communications should be addressed to the Librarian of the Museum. The current volume is:-- VOLUME XXXVIII I. Textile Fibers used in Eastern Aboriginal North America. By A. C. Whitford. Pp. 1-22. 1941. Price, $.25. II. (_In preparation._) TEXTILE FIBERS USED IN EASTERN ABORIGINAL NORTH AMERICA By A. C. Whitford CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 5 MONOCOTYLEDONOUS SPECIES 7 DIOCOTYLEDONOUS SPECIES 9 OBJECTS FROM SPIRO MOUND, OKLAHOMA 15 SUMMARY 17 FIBER PLANTS AS IDENTIFIED 17 TABLE OF IDENTIFICATIONS 19 INTRODUCTION The author of this paper has studied the vegetable fibers used in fabricating objects in the ethnological and archaeological collections from the Indian tribes of the Mississippi drainage and eastward, now in the American Museum. The first task was to identify them and view them against the background of existing textile knowledge. The present paper reports these identifications and comments upon fiber samples from collections in other museums.