Algonquian materials, Samuel George Morton Papers
Culture:
Language: English
Date: 1834; 1837
Contributor: Pitcher, Zina, 1797-1872 | Warren, John Collins, 1778-1856
Subject: Grave robbing | Human remains | Skulls | Phrenology | Antiquities | Funeral rites and ceremonies | Anthropometry
Type: Text
Genre: Correspondence
Extent: 2 items
Description: Letters from Zina Pitcher and John Collins Warren discussing grave robbing of Indigenous ancestors' remains. Pitcher mentions difficulties in getting information about the deceased from Algonquians, who won't speak of the dead. Mentions Osages, Quapaws, Missouri, Kansas, Otos, Omahas; Chitimachas or Comanches; and the five tribes of the Creek nation. Warren lists American skulls in his collection: mostly eastern, except for Ancient Niagara and Chinook, not flattened, plus Ohio cavern and Ohio rock and Mound at Lexington; Algonquian from eastern Massachusetts. He talks of the Guanche cast from the Canaries and some unidentified skulls he has seen.
Collection: Samuel George Morton Papers Mss.B.M843