The milkweed family is represented by four species of _Asclepias_,
namely, _tuberosa_, _pulchra_, _incarnata_, and _syriaca_. These
fibers were used in the manufacture of fine threads and cords. In both
archaeological and recent Indian material the fibers were well
prepared before use. In the archaeological objects it is possible that
the fibers were collected in the spring, after retting by the weather;
in any event, they all show that they have been freed to a large
extent of their cementitious materials and epidermis.
The highland milkweed (_Asclepias tuberosa_, L.) was encountered
twelve times from all parts of its geographical range. The cave
dwellers of Arkansas used it, as is exemplified by a bundle of knotted
fibers in the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation
(11-6179). In the Peabody Museum of Harvard University is some
textile material which accompanied a knife found in an Ohio mound
(28328). The protohistoric Indians of Massachusetts used the fiber to
manufacture textiles as may be seen in a piece of plain cloth (A4127)
and in a specimen of twined cloth (A5478) in the same museum. The
Iroquois Indians employed it to make fine threads for stringing wampum
belts as is shown by one (M1905) in the Archaeological Museum of
McGill University. As stated above, all this material was broken down
to make comparatively fine, smooth threads and cords.
The species, _Asclepias pulchra_, Ehrh., or swamp milkweed, is closely
related to _A. incarnata_, L. It was found in ten specimens examined,
but from only two states, Ohio and Kentucky. In the University of
Kentucky Museum is a rope (Bh-15/V4), made of this fiber. In the Ohio
State Historical and Archaeological Museum are specimens of fabrics
made from it which are attributed to the Hopewell culture. One of
these, a piece of cloth wrapped around a copper plate (283), also
contains _Urtica gracilis_.
The milkweed (_Asclepias incarnata_, L.) was noted four times in Ohio
archaeological objects. In the Ohio State Historical and
Archaeological Museum is a two-strand rope (899-20), one strand of
which is made from this fiber. This is a typical cave and rock-shelter
sample. Wrapped around a Hopewell culture copper plate in the same
museum is a piece of fabric containing five different fibers, among
them _Asclepias incarnata_ (957).
The species _Asclepias syriaca_, L., seems to be the most widely
distributed geographically of any used by the Indians surveyed in this
paper. It was found seventeen times in material from all sections and
many tribes.
In this Museum were observed the following objects in which this fiber
was used in whole or in combination with other fiber: a Sauk and Fox
bag (50-4886); a Delaware drum string (50.1-1609); a Delaware burden
strap (50-7244); a Matchapunga fish net (50.1-9911); and a cord used,
for wrapping on a spear (50.1-7475), Micmac. In the Museum of the
American Indian, Heye Foundation, is a Kickapoo ball of string
(2-5294) made of this fiber. In an Iroquois wampum belt (M1913) in the
Archaeological Museum of McGill University, the beads are strung on
cords made from this fiber. An Iroquois burden strap (AE 360) in the
Rochester Museum of Arts and Sciences is composed of this fiber. Fiber
of this species was also used by the prehistoric cave and rock-shelter
people of Ohio as is shown by a fish net (OSHAM 332-23) in the Ohio
State Historical and Archaeological Museum.