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The Development Of Michigan Archeology

The Development Of Michigan Archeology image
Parent Issue
Day
18
Month
November
Year
1896
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The prehistorie remains of Michigan are fast disappearing as an inevitable result of theadvauce ofciviüzation. The plow every year levéis and obliterates more coinpletely the earth-works whioh ere once important monuments. Railroads are cut through them, and towns are built over the sites where a ruder civilization centered. Mounds unfortunately are not left to be gradually reduced by natural agencies ; they are dug down often by men vorking in the name of science, but hunting inerely for relies to gratify an unrestrained curiosity, not for facts to be given to the world of students. Such exploration seldom proves of any scientific use. The results are not noted by the excavator, and, as a usual thing, only the striking objects are noticed, or preserved, while the more nstructive, and henee more valunble are generally overlooked or discarded. lt is evident that such work uot only fails to add anything to our knowledge of the arehseology o the State, but in reality is destructive of every prehistorie monument with wliich it has to do. So nature and man, co-operatiug in the work of destruction, are rendering inaccessible the facts which our prehistorie earth-worka have to reveal to the student. It is therefore of the greatest iraportanee that seientiiic examiuation be made of all such retnains as soon as possible, and that the resulte of exploration be preserved for future study and eomparison. It is from sueh metliods only that we may hope to learn more about the early American race. Now that deeper interest is being exhibited iu the work, steps may perhaps be taken to have what still "emains in Michigan preserved until surveys and explorations of the localices eau be made. The extensión of our knowledge of Michigan archaeolony will neeessarily e gradual. In tliis State the educaional value of authropologieal inyestigation is not yet appreciated by a sufficient number of persons to facilítate securing the funds necessary for the work required. Superficial excavation reards advancement and cannot be tolerated by scientists. The work must be aken up in a systematio manner and carried forward along definite lines. It s clear that the fragnientary data at ïaud emphasize the necessity of thoroughness and precisión. In the first place the data already colected should be put into couvenient orna for use. The same system should se applied also in classifying new data obtained from the field. In this way new material may be added to that at jand, or inserted in its proper place amoug the istablisbed files. Finally, every earth-work, village site, workshop, mine, and quarry ought to be surveyed, photographed, and exilored. This would require years of work, but the result would be most satsfactory. Very little hr.s been done in Michigan, and henee the field is open ; the facts can be obtaiued without the confusión or ïnisleading circumstances vhich the student bas to meet in many other localities. This work can best be carried on with the State University for headquarters, where materials may be worked up for exhibition and kept accessible to studeuts. The University can direct the vork better than auy other instutition, )esides caring for collections entrusted o it in the best and most impartial way. And it is for the State's guardián of earning and research to foster such indertakings. Individuáis are ready to give privileges for exploration to sueh an institution, and are often glad of a afe deposit for their records and specimens ; an increasing number are coming o realize the importance of placing heir cr.lleetions where they can be of use to many students instead of affordn g gratification to but one or two. Valuable data can be secured at a very slight expense by a Burface survey, il' the parties making such are eacJ headed by a competent director, and made up of stuiients. Studente ure often willing to devote their time during a summer vacation lo such interesting vvork. Parties could proceed to exauiiiie every section ia eacb township, taking the townships in order until a county was covered, and so on throughout the State. Such a party should include men fair] y well iiiformed in civil engineering and photography, as wel] as geology and soixie of the kindred scieiices. As sucli a party proceeds it should take careful observations of all worka and village sites, niake detailed maps of them, and lócate them on a large map of tlie State. Photographs should be taken of all features which can be well shuwii by tliat method. Speciuieus should be eollected from the surface, and deposits and gifts should be invited froui persons interested in the survey. Individuáis everywhere will be fouud williug to furnish recorded data or oral descriptions. By making the fact knovvn that the Oniversity is ready to receive material and hold it in trust, mucli may be directed to a safe deposit in the museum. The privilege of reserving earth-works t'or exploratiou by the University may be outaineu, aun snouiü ue urgeu tnat all discoveries be reported to tlie officers in charge. All assistance, records, and specimens received in the ways inentioned should be at once suitablv acknowledged and carefully recorded. ïhis is a very important matter to take up soon, witL the purpose of constructing a complete arclueological map. The results of the surface survey should be indicated upon the map and suppleniented by notes arranged so that they will be subject to ready refereuce trom it. Much may be known from a surface examination without excavation ; a very little excavation entails more expense than a complete surfane survey. The surface survey being completed, it would be a comparativciy easy matter to keep track of the progress of roads aud other agencies which destroy bucI) ïenniins, so that they could be explored as danger approaches thein. It would be well to interest studente in all parte of the State so that they may give notice when any cause of destruction threatens antiquities; such remains may then be examined before lost. The few liable to immediate destruction could be excavited at a eomparatively small cost, while those uninolested and protected by timber or even sinall vegetatiou could be explored at convenience or left for students in the future. Preliminary notes on a scheme of this iind are seldom expected to cover very point, or to be complete in detail. No scheme, to the writer's knowledge, xists for the study of the archüeological material in the State. These notes are ffered simply as preliminary suggesions which may be followed until a nore extensiva plan can be carried out, vith the expectation that if they are )ut into execution they will be modifled andimproved as developments warrant.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Courier