Journal of the Iowa Archeological Society
Volume 3, Number 1; July 1953
Wilfred D. Logan, Editor
"It has been some time since an issue of the Journal has appeared, and we are behind in our publication schedule. This is due to a lack of manuscripts for publication. In the last issue, articles by two Wisconsin friends of our organization were printed, and we are very grateful to them for the papers they submitted. This, however, exhausted our supply of manuscripts. The recent Fall Meeting of the Society, held in Iowa City, was one with a great amount of interest for the members who were able to attend it. Since most of you were not able to be in Iowa City for the meeting, we are publishing, beginning with this issue, a series which will include most of the papers presented at the meeting. The second paper in this issue, written by Dr. David B. Stout of the Sociology and Anthropology Department, State University of Iowa, is one of the papers presented at the Fall Meeting, and will begin the series. The first paper in this issue, by our Secretary-Treasurer, Mr. Frankforter, was prepared to give those who have sites to report information as to how to number them in your own catalogs and in reporting them to the Society officers...."
"Site designation has for some time presented a problem and until recently has been handled in a haphazard manner. Names have been derived from various sources, sometimes geographical location suggests a name or it may be derived from a nearby stream or lake, an unusual botanical phenomenon or the occurrence of some animals in close proximity to the site, e.g. Red Horse and White Cat. An event which may have occurred during the discovery or early investigation of a site may suggest a name for it. Perhaps the most common method and also the most confusing of all has been the practice of using the landowner's name. One can easily understand how much duplication can arise from the latter, and, since man is prone to move often, how much confusion is introduced when the site name no longer agrees with that of the owner.
To avoid the above difficulties, a County Numbering System was put into use about 1938 by the Nebraska State Historical Society, long active in archeological studies...."
"Much of what I shall say today has already been anticipated--50 years ago. In 1903 Duren H. J. Ward, in a pair of articles in the very first volume of the Journal of Iowa History and Politics (1), made a strong plea for archaeological research in this state...."
"The two projectile points illustrated here were recently discovered by the writer in inspecting two collections of artifacts owned by local farmers. The first point (Figure 1) is a large, yellow-brown quartzite blade of a type sometimes found in local mounds...."
Volume 3, Numbers 2-3; October, 1953 - January, 1954
Reynold J. Ruppé, Editor
"The present issue of the Journal of the Iowa Archeological Society is the first one produced by your new editor. It is with real pleasure that I assume the editorial duties in view of the high standards set and maintained by Mr. Logan while he was editor. The Society is grateful for his labor in establishing and editing our Journal...."
"An account of the use of aerial photography in assessing prehistoric Indian earth and stone works with observations on a partial survey of Johnson County, Iowa."
"In view of the relatively small amount of scientific archeological excavation in Iowa, one must speak in generalities. Much of our knowledge of Iowa archeology has been obtained by inference from work done in the neighboring states. We are very hopeful that this unhappy situation can be remedied in the near future...."
Volume 3, Number 4; April, 1954
Reynold J. Ruppé, Editor
"For the benefit of new members, we must point out that, although this issue is dated April, 1954, it is appearing in April, 1955. It is not a typographical error that we are discussing the summer of 1954. The Journal has been behind schedule for several years, but we hope to bring it up-to-date this year. We would like to remind the members that the only reason for tardiness is the lack of manuscripts in the hands of your editor. It is impossible for me to write all the material to fill the pages of the Journals, and it would not be wise to do so for this is the organ of the entire Society. Anyone who has knowledge of local phases of Iowa prehistory is urged to write an article and submit it for publication...."
"During the summer of 1949, the University of New Mexico conducted a partial archaeological investigation of the Sullivan Rock Shelter near South Gerryowen, Iowa. A field crew of four, consisting of Mr. Peter Kunkle, Miss Eloise Richards, Mr. William Cahill, and the writer, was sent out for a six-week period by Dr. Paul Reiter, Director of the University of New Mexico Field Sessions...."
"During the summer of 1954, the author was notified by Mr. Michael Swenson of Olin, Iowa, that stone tools, animal bones and petrified trees had been found in a sand quarry near Olin in Jones County. A trip was made to Olin the same day the letter was received, as the find had been made several weeks earlier. The reason for delay in notification was due, not to negligence on the part of anyone, but to the fact that most people in Iowa are not yet aware that there is an archaeologist in the state,...."
Journal of the Iowa Archeological Society
Webpage by Heidi M. Thunhorst, September 3, 2002.