338 mm. in length. It is bilaterally symmetrical and the reverse and
obverse are alike. The handle is oval in cross section and terminates in
a knob from which it is separated by a slight groove. In the top of the
knob is a depression as if there had been a hole pecked through the
form, tapering from each side, as in the clubs or slave-killers having
lozenge-shaped cross section from the coast there[230] the top broken
off and the broken edges rounded, as in the club with lozenge-shaped
cross section from Copalis on the coast of Washington.[231] But such is
not the case; the notch resembles that of the club shown in Fig. 64,
slightly the one shown in Fig. 62, both from this region, and one from
Burton on Puget Sound.[232] The blade is paddle-shaped like the large
end of an apple seed, lenticular in cross section, with a mid-rib on
each side which runs out about 10 mm. from the end of the club.[233] It
was found on the surface at Union Gap, below Old Yakima, and is in the
collection of Mr. Janeck.[234]
[230] Smith (b), Figs. 175 and 176.
[231] _Ibid._, Fig. 175e.
[232] _Ibid._, Fig. 177b.
[233] First mentioned, Smith, (b), p. 416 and Fig. 177c.
[234] Museum negatives, nos. 44453, 2-2, and 44501, 6-2.
[Illustration: Fig. 64. Club made of Stone. From Yakima Reservation. 1/4
nat. size. (Drawn from photographs 44500, 6-1, and 44453, 2-2. Original
in the collection of Mr. Janeck.)]
[Illustration: Fig. 65. Club made of Stone. From the surface at Union
Gap below Old Yakima. 1/4 nat. size. (Drawn from photographs 44453, 2-2,
and 44501, 6-2. Original in the collection of Mr. Janeck.)]
[Illustration: Fig. 66. Club made of Stone. From the surface at Union
Gap below Old Yakima. 1/4 nat. size. (Drawn from photographs 44453, 2-2,
and 44501, 6-2. Original in the collection of Mr. Janeck.)]
The stone club, shown in Fig. 66, was found on the surface at Union Gap,
below Old Yakima. It is of a purplish gray lava-like material. The
handle is oval in cross section with a knob at the end which is somewhat
flattened on each side and slopes towards the rounded top like a blunt
symmetrical celt. The blade has convex side edges which are nearly flat
and about 18 mm. wide. It is thicker in the middle than at the edges and
bears a mid-rib of the shape of a railroad embankment with rounded
angles, from the handle to the end. On each side of this mid-rib, the
surface is nearly flat. The end of the blade is nearly flat. The
specimen is in the collection of Mr. Janeck.[235]
[235] Museum negatives nos. 44453, 2-2, and 44501, 6-2. First
mentioned on p. 416 and figured in Smith, (b), Fig. 177d.
It will be noted that the thin stone clubs found here have no mid-rib.
Clubs made of stone, whale's bone or wood with such mid-ribs are unknown
from the coast but are found with median decoration in place of a
mid-rib,[236] those of whale's bone being common and a thin club made of
copper with a median decoration was found at Spuzzum in the interior of
Southern British Columbia.[237]
[236] Smith (b), Figs. 173a, b; 169a; 165a, c-g; 166a, b, d-g;
167a-d; 168a, c, d; 169f and 170a.
[237] _Ibid._, Fig. 172d.
_'Slave-killers.'_ A 'slave-killer' or club, made of friable stone shown
in Fig. 67, was found on the surface of Union Gap, below Old Yakima. It
is in the collection of Mr. Janeck. The object has a blade which sets
out from the handle and resembles in shape the typical 'slave-killer' in
that it is lozenge-shaped in cross section with bulging sides and
rounded angles. The handle is oval or nearly circular in cross section,
and slightly larger at the top where there is no knob or perforation as
in the typical club of this type.[238] The object is 377 mm. long, 63
mm. wide, and 41 mm. thick.[239] The club or 'slave-killer' made of
stone, shown in Fig. 68, was found at Lake Chelan, and is 280 mm. long.
It is owned by Mr. C. G. Ridout of Chelan, Chelan County. The handle
terminates in a knob, which resembles the form of an animal head. This
knob is somewhat heart-shaped, the two lobes possibly representing ears,
and the lower tip projects beyond the handle of the object. One side,
the larger surface, stands at about 45 degrees to the axis of the club
and is bisected by a deep incision, on each side of which are two
circles, which probably represent eyes. On either edge of this knob are
thirteen incisions. The handle which is nearly circular in cross
section, bears four vertical rows of horizontally arranged incisions and
expands suddenly edgewise to form the blade which, however, on its upper
and lower surfaces is practically continuous with the handle. The blade
is nearly circular in cross section and tapers gradually to a rather
blunt point. The object is probably a ceremonial implement.
[238] _Ibid._, Figs. 175, 176 and 177e.
[239] First mentioned _ibid._, p. 418. Museum negatives nos. 44453,
2-2 and 44500, 6-1.
[Illustration: Fig. 67. Club made of Stone. From the surface at Union
Gap below Old Yakima. 1/4 nat. size. (Drawn from photographs 44453, 2-2,
and 44500, 6-1. Original in the collection of Mr. Janeck.)]
[Illustration: Fig. 68. Club made of Stone. From Lake Chelan. 1/4 nat.
size. (Drawn from a sketch furnished by Mr. C. G. Ridout. Original in
his collection.)]
[Illustration: Fig. 69. War implement or Slave Killer, made of Friable
Stone. From the Yakima Valley. 1/4 nat. size. (Drawn from photograph
44503, 6-4. Original in the collection of Mr. Janeck.)]
The stone objects considered as pestles and shown in Figs. 32 and 35 may
have been used as war clubs. The object made of friable stone, shown in
Fig. 69 was mentioned on p. 39 us possibly having been used as a pestle
and again on p. 65 as being suitable for use as a whetstone. It seems
most likely, however, that it served as an implement of war or as a
'slave-killer.' It is roughly of the shape of a cigar. The upper end is
nearly flat and circular. From here the object gradually expands for
about half its length and then contracts to a point, being nearly
circular in cross section throughout. It is 208 mm. long, 38 mm. in
maximum diameter, and 19 mm. in diameter at the top. It was found in the
Yakima Valley and is in the collection of Mr. Janeck.[240] The object
considered as a hand-adze and shown in Fig. 46, may have been used as a
'slave-killer.'
No objects considered as daggers or knives and made of antler were found
by us in this region. Although it will be remembered[241] that several,
over 200 mm. in length, were found in the Thompson River region.
[240] Museum negative no. 44503, 6-4.
[241] Smith (d), Fig. 80; (c), p. 423 and Fig. 360.
_War Costume._ The costume indicated on the figure carved in antler,
described under the section of dress and adornment, p. 100, referred to
in the discussion of art on p. 127, and shown in Fig. 121, may be that
of a warrior as is suggested by the similarity of the headdress to the
war-bonnet of the tribes of the Plains. That the war-bonnet was used in
this region is strongly suggested not only by this headdress but also by
those represented in the pictographs and petroglyphs as well as by the
wearing of it by the modern Indians of this area. This idea is further
strengthened by the fact that the war-bonnet is worn in the Nez Perce
region to the east,[242] where it has no doubt been used for a long
time, although it may originally have been derived from the Plains. The
Nez Perce sometimes wore streamers with these war-bonnets. Spinden
states that the early Nez Perce war-bonnets differed from the type used
by them to-day, and that exact information about them is difficult to
obtain.
[242] Spinden, p. 228.
_Fortifications._ A so-called "Indian fort" is situated near Rock Creek
about six miles below Rock Lake. It is about a mile south of the ranch
of Mr. Frank Turner (p. 54), and shown in the photographs reproduced in
Figs. 1[243] and 2[244], Plate VI. These were taken and presented by Mr.
J. S. Cotton, then in charge of the cooperative range work at the
Washington State Experiment Station at Pullman, who furnished from his
notebook all our data on this subject. The "fort" is built on a flat
knoll of about fifteen feet in height and with precipitous sides. It is
in the form of a circle, being enclosed about four fifths of the way
around. The wall is built of flat rocks which are tilted in such a
manner that they will glance all projectiles into the air. There were
numerous arrow chip pings within the "fort." There are many Indian
graves supposed to be very old, two pits believed to mark building
sites, and a long line of stones in the vicinity (pp. 140, 54, 29).
[243] From the interior.
[244] From the exterior.
_Wounds._ The skull of skeleton No. 99-4318, found in rock-slide grave
No. 10 (5) on the north side of the Naches River half a mile above its
mouth, showed where the right side of the orbit had been pierced in such
a way that the malar bone was partly severed and repair had taken place,
leaving a large anterior lateral projection on the malar bone. One rib
had two articular surfaces at the anterior end.
DRESS AND ADORNMENT.
_Skins._ Tanned skin and skin bearing hair of animals, including the
deer, and feathers of the woodpecker have been found in the graves and
were evidently portions of garments or of pouches; but graves containing
these materials are apparently more modern than some of the others. No
skins of birds were found by us in this whole region. The scrapers
mentioned on page 69 and the hammers as well possibly as the grooved
stones mentioned on pages 30 and 75 may have contributed to the making
of clothing: the former for scraping skins, the latter for beating and
softening them.
Skin (202-8223), resembling buckskin or leather in its decomposed
condition, was found in grave No. 31 (2) (99-4326), in the rock-slide
near the mouth of Cherry Creek, immediately below Ellensburg. That this
grave may not be as ancient as some of the artifacts here described is
suggested by the fact that a small piece of a wooden post, not
completely decayed, was found projecting from the rock-slide above the
grave, and by the presence of four more posts, one at each corner of the
grave, extending down from the level of the rock-slide, the upper parts
apparently being entirely decomposed. The remains of matting which had
been wrapped around the body, glass beads (202-8225) and three bracelets
made of iron (202-8226), one of which is shown in Fig. 96, also suggest
that this grave was modern, although it must be remembered that in this
dry climate, wooden posts, matting and iron resist decomposition for a
long time. The form of the garment or other object made up of this skin
has not been identified, but pieces of the skin are joined in some
places by over-casting with skin thread; in others, with a double skin
thong and still in others with some sort of vegetable fibre. A piece of
deer skin (202-8230) with the hair on was found in grave No. 37 (4)
(99-4328), in the same rock-slide. Here again, the presence of sticks
about three feet long, decayed at the tops and arranged in three rows of
matting made of reeds (202-8229 and 202-8230, Figs. 71-72), and of beads
apparently made of factory-rolled copper, suggest that the entire
contents of this grave are modern.
Fragments of skin of a small mammal, with the hair on, which had been
stitched along one edge with what appears to be twisted vegetable fibre
made into a cord of two strings (202-8231), was found in grave No. 34
(5) (99-4329) in the same rock-slide. Here again were found evidences
suggesting the grave to be modern. These consisted of decayed posts cut
off at the surface of the slide. Among the other objects in the grave
were matting (202-8232), beads (202-8233, Fig. 74), made of what is
apparently factory-rolled copper, coarse string and thong, some of
which is wound at the ends and pieces of coarse twisted plant fibre upon
which some of the beads were strung, two ornaments (202-8234, Fig. 91)
made of haliotis shell, two pendants made of what appears to be
factory-rolled copper (202-8235), four bracelets apparently made of
similar copper (202-8236, Fig. 95), a square pendant (202-8238, Fig.
78), a disk (202-8239, Fig. 83), both of which seem to be made of
factory-rolled copper and a piece of iron (202-8242). Among the rocks
above the grave were found a copper ornament (202-8244), a brass pendant
(202-8245, Fig. 84), with thong and copper bead, and a copper pendant
(202-8246, Fig. 82).
[Illustration: Fig. 70 (202-8391). Diagram of Stitch of Fragment of Rush
Matting. From near the skin on skeleton in grave No. 38 (1) of an adult
in a rock-slide on the east side of the escarpment near the head of
Priest Rapids. 1/2 nat. size.]
_Matting._ Fragments of matting of vegetable fibre sewed or twined with
cords made of plant material were found; but only in recent graves. Such
graves contained objects introduced into the region since the advent of
the whites. These fabrics were probably modern but were in no way
affected by the coming of the white man or the materials secured from
him, being simply found in these modern graves associated with artifacts
made from material secured from the white man. In the old graves they
have probably long since decayed. Spindle-whorls were not found. Fig. 70
illustrates the stitch of a piece of matting (202-8391) of a well known
type consisting of a single strand warp of rushes pierced at intervals
by the weft which is a two-strand string. It is similar to that commonly
found in the Thompson River region.[245] This specimen was found in
grave No. 38 (1) (99-4333) in a rock-slide on the west side of the
Columbia River, near the head of Priest Rapids. The grave was probably
modern as is suggested by stakes nearly six feet long which projected
about three feet above the surface of the rock-slide and a roll of birch
bark[246] (202-8392). The vegetable fibre used in sewing these stalks
was probably the same as that used by the present Indians as was
thought to be the case in the Thompson River region.[247] Spinden does
not mention this simple type of sewed mat as found in the Nez Perce
area.[248] Fig. 71 shows a piece of matting (202-8229) of a new type
consisting of two strands of what seem to be small stalks of tule,
twisted loosely and pierced at each half turn by a cord. The cord is a
two-strand string, the vegetable fibre of the individual strands not
seeming to be twisted. The interstices are wide. It was found under the
pelvis of a skeleton of a youth (99-4228) in a recent grave, No. 33 (4),
in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. This
piece of matting, so far as I am aware, is the first specimen of a new
type collected and figured. It was first brought to the attention of
students in 1906 through correspondence when Professor Otis T. Mason
stated that he had never seen an example, a picture or a description of
just that technique. It was shown at the annual exhibition of the New
York Academy of Sciences, in December of the same year, but reference to
the type was first published in November 1908 by Spinden.[249] In the
Thompson River region this type has not been found. Mr. James Teit
informs me that he asked all the old Thompson Indian women of the
vicinity of Spences Bridge about this type of matting, submitting a
model of it to them which I sent him. They all stated that they never
saw that particular type made in the Thompson River region and if ever
made there it must have been before the memory of those now living. The
only pierced matting made there as far as they have ever known is the
tule tent mat,[250] but the strands of this were not twisted, being like
those shown in Fig. 70. They had a weave similar to this and the same in
general effect in the common mat used for beds and on which to sit,
known as the floor mat, but the strands were woven and not
stitched.[251] Certain rush bags of the Quinault and the Makah resemble
this type of matting but the rushes are not pierced.
[245] Teit (a), Fig. 131c.
[246] _Cf._ Smith (d), Fig. 117.
[247] Smith (c), p. 423, Teit (a), p. 188.
[248] Spinden, p. 195.
[249] Spinden, p. 195.
[250] Teit (a), Fig. 131c.
[251] Teit (a), Fig. 131d.
[Illustration: Fig. 71 _a_ (202-8229). Fragment of Matting, made of
Twined Rush, stitched together with twisted cord. From under the pelvis
of skeleton in grave No. 33 (4) in a rock-slide, near the mouth of
Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. _b_ Diagram of Stitch of _a_. 1/2 nat.
size.]
Matting (202-8162) made of tule stalks stitched together with cords
twisted to the right, but made of large stalks was found in a recent
grave, No. 10 (5) in the rock-slide on the north side of the Naches
River, half a mile above its mouth. Part of this was of a similar type
and stitched with similar cords and part was of the more common form of
sewed matting such as is shown in Fig. 70. This grave had been rifled,
and the presence of bark, a portion of a fire drill (202-8157), part of
a wooden bow (202-8159), two pieces of a finely woven basket (202-8160)
and copper tubes apparently of rolled copper, suggest that it was
modern.
Fig. 72 illustrates the technique of a piece of matting of open twine
weaving made of rush which was found under the pelvis of the skeleton in
grave No. 33 (4) of a youth in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry
Creek, below Ellensburg. Spinden states that mats were made in the Nez
Perce area, of cat-tail stalks held together by two twined cords and
that mats were used for house and floor coverings and as sheets upon
which to dry berries.[252]
[252] Spinden, p. 195.
The string of all these fragments of matting was too much decayed or
fragmentary for determination. It will be remembered that both sewed and
woven matting were found in the graves of the Thompson River
region,[253] as well as among the living Indians. It seems probable that
these mats were made and used one above the other like great shingles
for covering the summer house, for beds and for wrapping the dead, while
the thinner pieces may have served for garments. Food was probably
spread on them to dry and they no doubt served many other purposes. The
art of weaving was practised to a considerable extent in the Nez Perce
region to the east, although it had very slight development in the
Plains area, still further east.[254]
[253] Smith (c), p. 423.
[254] Spinden, p. 190.
Cord made of vegetable fibre (202-8233) found in grave No. 34 (5)
(99-4329) in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below
Ellensburg, upon which copper and shell beads were strung was made of
two strands, some twisted to the right, others, to the left and in some
cases a single cord was used for stringing the beads, while in other
cases three cords were used.
A roll of birch bark (202-8392) was found in grave No. 38 (1) (99-4333)
in a rock-slide, on the west side of the Columbia River near the head of
Priest Rapids. It is the only specimen of this kind that was found by us
in the whole area although it will be remembered[255] that such rolls of
birch bark were frequently found in graves of the Thompson River region.
As stated on p. 84, we considered this grave to be modern.
[255] Smith, (d), Fig. 117.
[Illustration: Fig. 72 (202-8230). Fragment of Open-Twine Matting, made
of Rush. From under the pelvis of skeleton in grave No. 33 (4) of a
youth in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg.
1/2 nat. size.]
_Ornaments._ A great variety of ornaments was found, but most of these
were in graves considered to be modern. Among the finds which appear to
be old, none of them having been found in graves considered to be
modern, none of them appearing to be made of commercial material and all
of which seem to be of native technique are perforated disks of stone
(202-8152), and bone, (202-8227), a perforated and engraved sea shell
(202-8388), and haliotis shell from the Pacific Ocean (202-8393), both
plain and polished dentalium shells, pendants made of what is apparently
haliotis shell, a nose ornament also apparently made of haliotis shell
(202-8252), and beads made of shell.
Red and yellow ochre, blue copper clay, and white earth, which may have
been used for paint such as was found in the Thompson River region[256]
were not seen by us in this area. Although charcoal, which may have been
mixed with grease and used for paint, was frequently found there was no
evidence of such use.
[256] Smith, (d), p. 150; (c), p. 424.
[Illustration: Fig. 73. Comb made of Antler. From a grave at Fort
Simcoe. 1/2 nat. size. (Drawn from photograph 44510, 6-12. Original in
the collection of Mrs. Lynch.)]
_Combs._ Only one comb was seen and nowhere throughout the area were
found any objects known to have been used as head scratchers such as
were not uncommon in the Thompson River region.[257] The comb (Fig. 73)
is made of antler and was found where a creek had washed it out of an
old grave at Fort Simcoe. The teeth are convex in outline, the back is
nearly straight but not quite parallel with the line of the teeth and
the ends convex, the rear end being shorter than the other. The
nineteen teeth (one perhaps being rather wide to be considered) are set
out from each other by grooves on each side of the comb. This edge of
the object is somewhat sharpened making the lower end of each tooth
resemble the shape of a celt or wedge. Near the back of the comb are
three perforations, one in the middle and one at each end, the latter
being about equi-distant from both the back and the end of the comb. The
hole near the short end of the comb was drilled tapering from the
reverse, while the two other holes were drilled tapering part way
through from each side, but slightly farther from the reverse than the
obverse. The specimen is in the collection of Mrs. Jay Lynch at Fort
Simcoe.[258] A comb made of antler was found by us at Lytton[259] but
none were seen among archaeological finds from the other parts of the
Thompson River region,[260] although wooden combs are found among the
Indians there, as in the Nez Perce region where modern combs were made
of narrow strips of wood lashed together.[261] A comb of antler was
found by us in the main shell heap at Eburne in the Fraser Delta.[262]
[257] Smith, (c), p. 424; Teit (a), p. 312.
[258] Museum negative no. 44510, 6-12.
[259] Smith, (d), Fig. 83.
[260] Smith, (c), p. 424.
[261] Spinden, p. 221.
[262] Smith, (a), Fig. 12.
_Beads._ Among beads, some made of glass are certainly modern. Judging
from these glass beads, others found associated with them or with things
of white manufacture in the same grave are also modern; while some seem
to be old and from sites believed to be ancient. Besides objects truly
of the shape of beads, there are others, as for instance the tubes of
copper such as are shown in Figs. 74 and 78, some of which were found
strung with simple bead forms. Otherwise, they might possibly not have
been considered as beads. Fig. 121 suggests how such tubular beads of
copper may have been worn on armlets and headdresses. In Fig. 74 are
illustrated two fragmentary strings of several types of beads from a
number which were found on the neck, arms and legs of a skeleton in
grave number 34 (5) in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek below
Ellensburg. The short cylinders are sections of dentalium shells, longer
sections appearing occasionally. The longest cylinders are sheet copper
rolled into cylindrical form. The lapping edge, in most of the beads
illustrated is irregular and varies in thickness, which suggests that
they were beaten out of native copper rather than cut out of
factory-rolled copper. Of course this appearance might be given to the
latter by beating it. Such rolled beads made of copper are found in the
Nez Perce region to the east[263] and in the Thompson River area to the
north.[264] These shell and copper beads consequently might be
considered ancient from their individual appearance, but on the shorter
string are some more or less spherical beads made of glass which of
course shows that all these beads were used in comparatively recent
times. The beads on the longer string are strung upon coarse plant fiber
twisted into a two strand string while the shorter string is upon a much
smaller fiber also of two strands which are twisted. Some of the other
beads in this lot were strung upon thongs.
[263] Spinden, Plate IX, Figs. 16-18.
[264] Smith, (c), Fig. 371.