The North American Indian Volume 12 - The Hopi Edward

In this review of The North American Indian Volume 12 - The Hopi, the emphasis is on usefulness for historians, anthropologists, and collectors who want a focused, historical account of Hopi life. The volume is part of a larger early 20th century series and delivers a compact, detailed treatment of Hopi histories, customs, ceremonies and mythologies, making it valuable for research and reference rather than casual reading. For those seeking primary-era ethnographic compilation and comparative vocabulary, this volume stands out as a specialist resource.

Key Features

• Focused tribal coverage: The volume concentrates on the Hopi, providing a coherent, tribe-specific set of topics that helps readers study one community in depth.
• Wide subject scope: Histories, customs, ceremonies and mythologies are all addressed, offering a broad cultural overview rather than a single narrow theme.
• Comparative vocabularies: The included comparative vocabularies support linguistic and comparative research and help contextualize Hopi language items within the series.
• Series context: As volume 12 of 20, this book fits into a larger body of work that makes cross-tribal comparison easier for researchers who collect multiple volumes.
• Reference-friendly format: The layout and organization across subject areas make it straightforward to extract specific information on ceremonies or customs for academic use.

Who It's For

This volume is best for academics, graduate students, museum professionals and dedicated collectors who need a historical ethnographic source on the Hopi. It serves well as a reference for coursework, comparative studies or exhibition research where primary-era compilations and organized subject coverage are useful.

Readers seeking contemporary commentary, modern photographic portfolios, or a general popular history introduction should look elsewhere; this is a specialized, historical volume intended for study rather than light reading or a modern cultural overview.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Provides a focused and organized look at Hopi histories and customs useful for research and citation.
• Includes ceremonial and mythological material alongside comparative vocabularies for linguistic and cultural comparison.
• Fits within a 20-volume series that aids broader cross-tribal study when other volumes are available.

Cons

• The volume is archival in nature and may lack contemporary interpretation or modern updates that some readers expect.

Specifications

Title	The North American Indian Volume 12 - The Hopi
Series	The North American Indian (volume 12 of 20)
Subject areas	Histories, customs, ceremonies, mythologies, comparative vocabularies
Focus	Hopi tribe
Intended use	Reference, academic study, collection

Our Verdict

The North American Indian Volume 12 - The Hopi is a worthwhile purchase for researchers and collectors who need a historical, subject-organized account of Hopi life; its inclusion of comparative vocabularies and coverage of ceremonies and mythologies makes it good value as a reference volume within the larger series.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this volume cover Hopi ceremonies and myths?
Yes. The book explicitly covers ceremonies and mythologies alongside histories and customs.

Is this a standalone book or part of a set?
It is volume 12 of a 20-volume series, and it reads as a focused standalone on the Hopi while fitting into the broader collection.

Who benefits most from this volume?
Scholars, museum professionals and collectors benefit most, since the content is organized for study and comparative research.