Dixie Archaeology Society

Infinity of Nations

The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian is opening an exhibit of indigenous artifacts from the entire Western Hemisphere in New York. Meant to be a permanent exhibition, the emphasis is on the diversity, travel, trade, and interconnectedness of native peoples from the Arctic to Patagonia. The following website is an outstanding overview of the exhibition. Particularly interesting are the stories connected to each specified region and associated with George Gustav Heye (1874-1957), a Wall Street broker who collected 800,000 artifacts from across the Americas from 1897 until his death. The stories are an unblinking look into the artifact trade that peaked in the late 20s. The rage for possessing Indian material culture during this time set curator against curator, and Heyes' financial fortune against the heritage of an "Infinity of Nations." Go to: http://www.nmai.si.edu/exhibitions/infinityofnations/

Chris Oravec