Sixth annual report of the Bureau of ethnology. (1888 N 06 / 1884-1885)

The sixth annual report of the Bureau of Ethnology offers a sweeping overview of American archaeological and ethnographic research during the 1884‑85 season. Compiled for the Smithsonian’s Secretary, it records the work of dozens of field specialists who explored ancient mounds, surveyed the Southwest, and documented the languages and customs of Indigenous peoples across the continent.

Among the report’s highlights are detailed accounts of mound investigations led by Professor Cyrus Thomas, as well as Southwest expeditions by James Stevenson and Victor Mindeleff. Linguistic fieldwork features contributions from scholars such as Erminnie A. Smith, H. W. Henshaw, and A. S. Gatschet, providing early recordings of native vocabularies and oral traditions.

The volume also includes a suite of accompanying papers that delve into regional art and culture. Readers can explore William H. Holmes’s study of ancient Chiriqui art and textile design, Cyrus Thomas’s guide to the Maya codices, Rev. J. Owen Dorsey’s account of Osage traditions, and Franz Boas’s observations on Central Eskimo life, each illustrated with plates, maps, and musical excerpts.