The Gradual Transmissions of Separate Cultural Elements

The following data is extracted from Southern Contacts of the Indians North of the Gulf of Mexico.

To the present time, then, there is no positive proof of the wholesale transplantation of peoples or of cultures into the Gulf area of the United States from Mexico, Central America, or the West Indies. Until new discoveries are made bearing upon this question we must be satisfied with supposing the influences of the northern and southern regions upon each ether to have been Confined to that gradual radiation of single elements which is constantly taking place where peoples are in contact. Specific effects of such a radiation certainly exist in the south-north distribution of corn and the "milpa culture'' (16) connected with it, as also in the south-north distribution of tobacco and probably other cultivated plants. It is to be noted that one of the words applied to the potato and similar tuberous roots by the peoples of the West Indies and the Southeast were the same. (17) Again, it seems difficult to believe that the customs of frontal head deformation found on the north and the south sides of the Gulf of Mexico originated entirely independently of each other. Some years ago Professor Holmes called attention to certain apparent Caribbean influences in designs found upon pottery in the eastern Gulf area (18), and numbers of students have believed that the incised decorations on shell and copper objects in the Mississippi region bear a resemblance to Mexican patterns too close to be accidental. Yet, .after a lengthy comparison of three features of northern and southern culture, namely "pyramids and other features of material culture," "religious ideas connected with the serpent," and "similarities in symbolism and art" Dr. Spinden finds little upon which to base a satisfactory claim of transmission by direct contact. Speaking of the last of these he says, "we may see in these designs the result of a slow exfiltration, with many relays, of ideas originating among the Maya, if you will, but not passing from them directly to the ancient peoples of the Mississippi Valley. There are no trustworthy evidences of trade relations between the Mexicans and Mound-builders, nor is there any sure indication of fundamental unity of culture at any time in the distant past." (19) Nevertheless the evidence of corn is by itself sufficient to prove that "exfiltraton'* from south to north did take place, and the amount and extent of this still offers interesting problems for investigation.

Source: Southern Contacts of the Indians North of the Gulf of Mexico

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