Many of the Smithsonian Institution's early studies, published since 1881 in such official publications as the Bureau of American Ethnology's reports and bulletins, have remained major sources of information on North American Indians. The Classics of Smith-sonian Anthropology series makes available, for the first time in decades, some of the most important of these basic works.

First published in 1848, this key document in the history of American archaeology has been updated to include a new index and bibliography as well as a lively introduction that describes the controversies surrounding the book's initial publication. Illustrated with the original maps, plates, and engravings.