His major work, written in French, was first published in 1724 in Paris.
It is entitled Customs of the American Indians Compared with the Customs of Primitive Times (Moeurs des Sauvages Amériquains, Comparées aux Moeurs des Premiers Temps) and is 1,100 pages in total.
In 1974, Dr. William Fenton and Dr. Elizabeth Moore translated and edited the work as part of the Champlain Society's General Series.

Volume I
Design and Plan of the Work
The Origin of the peoples of America
Idea or Character of Primitives Peoples in General
Religion
Political Government
Marriage and Education
Volume II
Occupations of the Men in the Villages
Occupation of the Women
Warfare
Embassies and Trade
Hunting and Fishing
Games
Sickness and Medicine
Death, Burial and Mourning
Language
The length of each section reflects Lafitau’s disproportionate devotion to specific aspects of the Iroquois.
His 350-page chapter on religion accounts for his personal role as a missionary in Canada.
Chapters on government, marriage, education, death, and burial are all roughly 70 pages in length.
The longest chapters in Volume II on Occupation of the Women and Warfare is related to the importance of these subjects in Iroquois culture.
His major work, written in French, was first published in 1724 in Paris. It is entitled Customs of the American Indians Compared with the Customs of Primitive Times (Moeurs des Sauvages Amériquains, Comparées aux Moeurs des Premiers Temps) and is 1,100 pages in total. In 1974, Dr. William Fenton and Dr. Elizabeth Moore translated and edited the work as part of the Champlain Society's General Series.
Volume I
Design and Plan of the Work
The Origin of the peoples of America
Idea or Character of Primitives Peoples in General
Religion
Political Government
Marriage and Education
Volume II
Occupations of the Men in the Villages
Occupation of the Women
Warfare
Embassies and Trade
Hunting and Fishing
Games
Sickness and Medicine
Death, Burial and Mourning
Language
The length of each section reflects Lafitau’s disproportionate devotion to specific aspects of the Iroquois. His 350-page chapter on religion accounts for his personal role as a missionary in Canada. Chapters on government, marriage, education, death, and burial are all roughly 70 pages in length. The longest chapters in Volume II on Occupation of the Women and Warfare is related to the importance of these subjects in Iroquois culture.
Joseph-François Lafitau