The nettle family is represented by three genera, _Boehmeria_,
_Urtica_, and _Laportea_. Specimens of these three were encountered
forty-eight times, so it seems to have been one of the most important
families as a source of fibrous materials. The tissues were, almost
without exception, treated before use.
The stingless nettle (_Boehmeria cylindrica_, L.) was used by
practically all the Indian tribes covered by this survey. It was
invariably more or less treated, with the possible exception of some
twisted strands from the Bushwick Cave of Arkansas (MAIHF 19-4632).
This cord appears to have been made by simply peeling the bark from
the plant and twisting it. The Delaware used the same fiber in a
wampum string (AMNH 50.1-1579), also in a burden strap (AMNH
50.1-1592). A Cherokee string used in a feather charm occurs in the
collection of the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation. The
handle of a Micmac curved knife (McGU H76) is fastened to the blade by
wrapping with cord of this fiber. In the same museum there are two
Iroquois wampum belts in which the strings for the beads are made from
_Boehmeria_ fiber. In the American Museum are two specimens of cord,
one on a Micmac fish spear (50.1-7475) and the other the string to an
Ojibway bow (50-6874A).
It is evident that raw _Boehmeria_ fiber, properly treated, produces
especially fine, soft, and strong material. It is easily distinguished
from the fibers of the other members of the family by its smaller
size, the shape of the cells, and their distribution when seen in
cross-section. Both the _Urtica_ and _Laportea_ fibers are coarser and
the ratio of length to width of the fiber is much greater. The lumen
in all three is longer one way than the other, but is much more open
in _Boehmeria cylindrica_ than the other species.
The slender nettle (_Urtica gracilis_, Ait.) seems to have been a
favorite source for all peoples from prehistoric to modern Indians.
Its use extended from New England to Wisconsin. It was usually
processed before use, except among some of the prehistoric peoples
where it was merely twisted into cord. A bag from the caves of
Tennessee (USNM 132255) is made from this fiber which has had some
preliminary treatment. A modern Sauk and Fox bag (MAIHF 2-7911) shows
complete preliminary processing. Some string in the Peabody Museum of
Harvard University (A4109), is made from this plant; this is
protohistoric material. The Hopewell culture of Ohio is represented by
twelve specimens using this fiber, all of which show some preliminary
treatment. A sample of cloth from a copper plate is representative
(OSHAM 283). The cave and rock-shelter cultures of Ohio are
represented, but here the fiber seems to have received little, if
any, preliminary treatment prior to use (OSHAM 332-42).
The woods nettle (_Laportea canadensis_, L.) was most widely used of
all of the _Urticaceae_, both before and after treatment. It was used
by the Sauk and Fox for bags, after it had received thorough
treatment. In the Milwaukee Public Museum is a bag (30260) made of
this material, thoroughly treated before being twisted into fine cord.
A string used for tying a spear point to a shaft is in the Ojibway
collection of the American Museum (50-4748). The Iroquois used it to
make burden straps (MAIHF 19-8895). Braided cloth from prehistoric
Kentucky is represented by a specimen (56795) in the Peabody Museum of
Harvard University. The cave culture of Tennessee is represented in
the United States National Museum by a shirt (132254) made from this
fiber. The Hopewell culture of Ohio is well represented by fabrics in
the Ohio State Historical and Archaeological Museum (957, is an
example). The cave and rock-shelter culture of the same state employed
this fiber to make twined cords as is exemplified by a cord (OSHAM
332-34). The cave and rock-shelter cultures of Arkansas used it for
the manufacture of twisted cords as may be seen in a specimen
(19-4630) in the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation.