Show prized indian photos depict early culture actual photographs depicting in 1 than dian life before the advent of the white mans civilization have been reproduced and published by the smithsonian institution in washing ton D C the photographs were made in 1873 by john K hillers Hit lers photographer traveling with maj john W powell famous as the first white man ever to go down the treacherous colorado river in a boat the pictures were taken in the ute and southern territories which are now incorporated in the states of utah and arizona powells publications contained valuable information on language customs and mythology of the tribes he encountered but include no systematic account of the data assembled and for that reason the photographs constitute institute the most valuable result of his explorations they are of particular interest because few early explorers had such opportunity to study indian life in its primitive state these prints are of special value because they were made of tribes which had only a meager association with white men at the time the pictures wore were taken it is true that the ute had bought horses from the spaniards and encountered a few white trappers but these associations had practically no effect on their primitive culture the southern living in the more arid and uninviting region of the southwest had even less contact with the whites and were even more primitive valuable information not only on shelters but also on camp accessories basketry weapons dress transportation dancing games and other phases of indian culture are recorded on these glass plates their value can best be realized when it is considered that they show not only the general features of the indian life but also the details anthropologists say the pictures constitute a priceless record of true indian customs before the irre voca ble changes wrought by the domi nation of the white man |