Fig. 95 represents four of about the same size, all made of copper and
from the arm of the skeleton found in grave No. 34 (5) of an infant in a
rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek. The presence of glass beads
in this grave suggests that the bracelets may be of drawn copper. They
are not made of wire but seem to be rolled out of rather thick sheet
copper. The edges of the fold are somewhat irregular but I do not
consider that this proves the material to be native copper. The bracelet
shown in Fig. 96 is one of three made of iron found in grave No. 31 (2)
of a child in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek. The use of
armlets of skin decorated with shells or quills is suggested by the
incisions on the arms of the costumed human figure made of antler shown
in Fig. 121. In the Nez Perce region to the east arm and leg bands were
worn[284] while in the Thompson area dentalium shells were sometimes
fastened parallel to each other on arm bands.
[284] Spinden, p. 219.
[Illustration: Fig. 95 (202-8236b). Bracelet made of Copper. From arm of
skeleton No. 34 (5) of an infant in a rock-slide near the mouth of
Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. 1/2 nat. size.]
[Illustration: Fig. 96 (202-8226). Bracelet made of Iron. From grave No.
31 (2) of a child in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below
Ellensburg. 1/2 nat. size.]
_A Costumed Human Figure._ A costumed human figure made of antler[285]
is shown in Fig. 121. It was found in grave No. 25[286] in a dome of
volcanic ash near Tampico. There was nothing to indicate that the grave
was recent and so this gives an idea of the costume, but possibly merely
of ceremonial costume as formerly worn in this region. It apparently
shows a feather headdress like that of the present Indians of the region
and as far east as the Dakotas; the hair dressed and ornamented with
dentalium shells, the arms, body, legs and feet apparently bare and
ornamented with ceremonial paintings and about the waist a fringed
apron. The general style of the costume indicated is unlike that of the
northwest coast but resembles that of the plateaus to the south and the
Plains to the east. Above the face is a zigzag line which may represent
tattooing, painting or a head-ring. Spinden says that tattooing was not
practised in the Nez Perce region to the east[287] but Teit reports it
as practised in the Thompson River region[288] where he supposed that
when applied to the wrists the custom was derived from the coast
tribes.[289] Head-rings among the Thompson River Indians were decorated
with dentalium shells.[290] In the Nez Perce region[291] the face and
body were painted, red and yellow being much used for this purpose. In
the Thompson River area[292] the face and body were painted with several
shades of red, head-bands being painted across the brows.
[285] Cf. p. 127.
[286] See Plate X.
[287] Spinden, p. 222.
[288] Teit (a), pp. 228 and 321.
[289] See Report of the British Association for the Advancement of
Science, 1890 p. 590.
[290] Teit, (a), 351.
[291] Spinden, p. 222.
[292] _Ibid._, pp. 228 and 268.
The zigzag is a common form of decoration of the head-bands among the
Sioux. Above the zigzag arranged in a semi-circular row, are certain
oblong forms which indicate feathers. The middle form, however, is
marked with a circle. Both above and below this row are three incised
lines forming an ark. Based on the outer one of these incisions are
isosceles triangles slightly in relief. If these triangles represent the
feathers of the headdress, they are certainly in the correct position.
Between them are incised arks forming hachure parallel to the arks
previously mentioned. Two of these extend above the tips of the
triangles. Beyond this, much of the object is missing, but to the right
may be seen a surface similar to the areas interpreted later on as hair
ornaments. Further evidence of the use of such a headdress is offered by
the red and white pictographs and by the petroglyphs of this region,
samples of which are shown in Plates XI, XIV-XVI.
On each side of the face is what is apparently a hair ornament, perhaps
made of buckskin, which was attached to the rolled up braids or curls of
the front hair on each side of the head and hung down as in this
representation. The three horizontal bands of vertical lines apparently
represent dentalium shells although they may be intended for tubular
copper or bone beads, while the oval figure at the bottom of each of
these flaps probably represents a pendant of haliotis shell. Shell
ornaments in the Thompson River region were sometimes of similar
proportions and shape. Such hair ornaments were used until recently in
the Thompson River region to the north where they were of different
types and differed in the richness and style of their ornamentation. One
of the common styles was to cover the flap of buckskin thickly with rows
of the largest dentalia placed vertically side by side. Mr. James Teit
informs me that the outer portion of the figure, bearing five bands of
vertical lines, evidently represents part of the headdress and the
buckskin flaps such as were worn in the Thompson River region attached
to the sides of the head-bands. These were ornamented generally with
dentalia among the women and more commonly with designs embroidered with
quills or made with paint among the men. In the Nez Perce region[293]
ear pendants in the form of disks were made from haliotis shells and
strings of dentalia were hung from the ears or fastened to the braids of
hair and dentalia and small pieces of copper were attached to the
dresses of women. These vertical bands, however, may represent the lines
of attachment of additional hair by means of glue covered with lime in
which manner the hair is dressed by some Plains tribes. Below the nose
are faint suggestions of an ornament possibly similar to the shell
pendant shown in Fig. 92.
[293] Spinden, p. 220.
The two ridges, extending from near the chin to the shoulders, seem to
indicate collar bones. The body is thin and narrows downward. Paint or
tattooing, representing the ribs, or the ribs themselves, are indicated
by ridges. There are horizontal hachure on the body above the waist. The
arms are separated from the body by incisions made from both the front
and the back, and the outer edges of the object, being rounded off, are
like portions of a carving. A bracelet, band, or figure painted or
tattooed, on the apparently bare arm is indicated in the middle of each
by vertical hachure connecting pairs of parallel lines. The vertical
arrangement of lines of the horizontal band suggests that these were arm
bands, bearing vertically arranged copper or shell beads, if not
dentalium shells similar to those which are supposed to be represented
by the bands of vertical lines on the headdress on each side of the
face. Mr. Teit considers the bands around the elbows as representing
armlets of skin embroidered with dentalia or quills like those formerly
used in the Thompson River region, although the Indians there were in
the habit of painting their bodies in imitation of clothing. Head-bands
were painted across the brows, fringed kilts or aprons around the middle
and upper part of the legs and fringed short leggings along the lower
part of the legs. The fringes were represented as long. Imitations of
wristlets, armlets and anklets were also painted on the body. As before
mentioned, arm and leg bands were worn by the Nez Perce Indians[294] and
as indicated by the previously described specimens, bracelets were worn
in the Yakima area. At the wrist is a slight horizontal incision, where
the hand expands somewhat sidewise. The fingers and thumb are separated
by four vertical incisions. Below these and extending across the body
are four horizontal lines, the space between the two in the middle being
slightly wider than the other two spaces. These lines seem to indicate
the upper edge of an apron which is covered by vertical hachure.
[294] Spinden, p. 219.
The legs begin at the bottom of the apron from which they are set off by
two horizontal incisions. The apron at the outline of the object
projects slightly beyond them. On each leg are five incised isosceles
triangles,--three at the top and two at the bottom, with their long
points extending towards the knees. At each side of the lower triangles
is one line which seems to represent a continuation of the designs
around the legs. On each triangle are horizontal hachure. On both knees
are faint traces of two concentric incisions, forming figures with
rounded corners and bulging sides. Between these are radiating hachure.
Close inside is a concentric incised line and there may be seen two
parallel lines, nearly horizontal, above the right knee and one below
it, and one above the left knee. The triangles may be considered as
pointing from these concentric designs rather than towards them, and in
that case the lines, suggesting the continuation of the design around
the leg, appear at the top instead of the bottom. It does not seem
probable that these triangles represent part of a circular design
radiating from the knees, the sides of which are folded around the legs,
but rather that the two series of triangles extend horizontally. The
incisions on the legs probably represent painting or tattooing, since
the designs seem to be horizontal and to extend all around the legs,
while on leggings the patterns are usually vertical and on a flap at the
outer side of the leg, the knee being disregarded. Catlin[295] figures
paintings on the arms and legs of the Mandan similar to the patterns on
this carving. The custom is not rare, especially in connection with
elaborate ceremonial costumes such as are no doubt represented by this
figure. The vertical incisions on the feet probably represent the toes,
or designs painted or tattooed on the feet. These lines argue against
any idea that the feet are encased in moccasins, unless bead or quill
work on, or improbable wrinkles in, the moccasins are indicated by them.
Porcupine quills, embroidery, beadwork and painting on moccasins were
used in the general plateau region of which this is a part.[296]
[295] Catlin, Plates V and VI.
[296] Lewis, p. 190.
Lewis suggests[297] that the tribes depending largely on the hunt, would
be better supplied with skins for clothing than those subsisting
generally on fish, and that in most of the plateau region, the scanty
vegetation makes clothing from plant materials difficult, if not
practically out of the question. In this connection, it will be
remembered that this carving of antler which gives us our general
archaeological information regarding ancient costume, comes from the
higher or hunting region of the valley. It will also be remembered that
sage brush and other plant materials were used for clothing in the
Thompson River region to the north, where the vegetation is nearly as
scanty as in the Yakima Valley.
[297] Lewis, p. 189.
Perhaps some suggestion as to the sex of the individual which this
figure was intended to represent may be gleaned from the fact that in
the Nez Perce region the costume of the men differed greatly from that
of the women. The former wore moccasins, leggings, breech clout, shirt,
blanket, and also the war-bonnet, while the latter wore moccasins, a
long loose gown and a fez-shaped cap made of basketry, also occasionally
leggings and less decoration on their costume than on that of the men.
The ornamentation consisted of fringes, bead and quill work, shells, elk
teeth, beads, and copper.[298] The men's clothing was decorated with
fringes, and some with beads, porcupine quills and paint. Considering
this figure from these facts it would seem that it was clearly intended
to represent a man.
[298] Spinden, p. 216.
Some feathers of the flicker (202-8243) were found in grave No. 34 (3)
in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek. One of them had bound to
its tip a little piece of fabric, another a bit of fur. These may have
been part of a costume or ceremonial paraphernalia.
Of the different articles of clothing worn by the Nez Perce, Lewis
says,[299] "These are formed of various skins and are in all respects
like those particularly described of the Shoshones." Along the Columbia,
the similarity was not so complete,[300] but as far down as the Upper
Chinook many articles described as similar to those of the Shoshone were
found.[301] All these, however, they declared were, obtained by trade
from other tribes and from those who sometimes visit the Missouri.[302]
According to Lewis,[303] the clothing and equipment of the Shoshone
living on Lemhi and Salmon Rivers in Idaho were much the same as the
Plains type, and it is quite probable that they had formerly lived
farther east. There are two certain indications that this extensive
introduction of eastern clothing took place about the time of Lewis and
Clark's visit. When they went down the Columbia in 1805, they found the
women wore quite a different dress, consisting merely of a breech clout
of buckskin with occasionally the addition of a small robe of skin.[304]
This is exactly the same dress as was worn by the Chinook women above
the mouth of the Willamette.[305] When these explorers returned up the
Columbia the following year they found the Indians particularly the
women, much better dressed, and in the eastern or Shoshone style.[306] A
few years later, Cox[307] mentioned the older type of dress as found
only among a few miserable tribes along the Columbia, above the mouth of
the Yakima.[308]
[299] Lewis and Clark, V, p. 30.
[300] _Ibid._, III, p. 125, IV, p. 317.
[301] _Ibid._, IV, pp. 239, 284, 289.
[302] _Ibid._, IV, 303.
[303] Lewis, p. 188.
[304] Lewis and Clark, III, pp. 125-137, and 143.
[305] Lewis, p. 189.
[306] Lewis and Clark, IV, pp. 322 and 337.
[307] Cox, p. 229.
[308] Lewis, pp. 188-189.
_Deformation._ All of the skulls secured in this area by our party
showed antero-posterior deformation, although not so extreme as is found
in the Lower Columbia region. Accompanying this in many cases was a
concave depression in the anterior parietal region. The flattening of
the head was practised to a limited extent by tribes living along the
Columbia River above the Chinook, but limited, according to Lewis,
almost entirely to the women, and gradually died out towards the
east.[309]
[309] Lewis, p. 150; Lewis and Clark, III, pp. 125 and 137; IV, p.
324; Hale. p. 213; Whitman, pp. 91 and 95 (1891).
GAMES, AMUSEMENTS AND NARCOTICS.
_Games._ Dice made of beaver teeth or woodchuck teeth, such as were
found in the Thompson River region,[310] but which were not found in the
shell heaps of the Lower Fraser, or in fact, in any of those of the
coast of Washington or British Columbia, were absent among our finds in
this region although a beaver tooth was seen in the cremation rectangle
No. 21 (16) near the mouth of the Naches River.
[310] Smith, (d), Fig. 100; (c), p. 428.
A number of small tubes, made of bone which may have been used in
gambling, were found here. Four of them, about 42 mm. long and 9 mm. in
diameter, with the ends ground squarely across, but with the edges
somewhat rounded possibly by wear, were found in the east northeastern
part of the bottom of grave No. 10 (5) in a rock-slide on the north side
of the Naches River about half a mile above its mouth. Fig. 97 shows one
of two other bone tubes of similar size and shape, the ends ground
somewhat more perfectly flat, which were found in grave No. 1, in the
rock-slide on the north side of the Yakima Ridge to the southeast of the
Yakima River. Another bone tube from this same grave (Fig. 98) is 43 mm.
long and 12 mm. in diameter, and the ends are ground off flat. This
bears nine about equi-distant incised lines, which run around it in such
a way that the lower end of each line is on the opposite side of the
bone from its upper end. It is charred. Such bone tubes were found at
Lytton,[311] in pouches in the graves, in other parts of the Thompson
River region[312] to the north and in the shell heaps of the Lower
Fraser River[313] to the west. In the Nez Perce region dice and gaming
pieces were commonly made of bone.[314] Cylindrical sections of the long
bone of the deer were used in gambling,[315] and whistles were made of
the long bones of the sand hill crane.[316]
[311] Smith, (d), p. 154.
[312] Teit, (a), p. 275.
[313] Smith, (a), p. 180.
[314] Spinden, p. 189.
[315] Spinden, p. 254.
[316] Spinden, p. 189.
[Illustration: Fig. 97 (202-8150). Bone Tube. From grave No. 1, in a
rock-slide of the Yakima Ridge. 1/2 nat. size.]
[Illustration: Fig. 98 (202-8151). Bone Tube, bearing Incised Lines,
Charred. From grave No. 1 in a rock-slide of the Yakima Ridge. 1/2 nat.
size.]
[Illustration: Fig. 99 (202-8166). Perforated Cylinder made of Steatite.
From near centre of grave No. 10 (5) in a rock-slide near the mouth of
Naches River. 1/2 nat. size.]
[Illustration: Fig. 100. Tubular Pipe made of Steatite. From Yakima
Indians. 1/2 nat. size. (Drawn from photograph 44506, 6-7. Original
Catalogue No. 215 in the collection of Mr. McCandless.)]
The perforated cylinder shown in Fig. 99, made of serpentine is 44 mm.
long and 8 mm. in diameter, rounded at the edges and was found in about
the centre of grave No. 10 (5). There are five small pits about
equi-distant from each other around this cylinder near the top, and four
near the bottom. There are two transverse incised lines just below the
five pits, and there is an incision about 12 mm. above the bottom of the
specimen, below which the diameter is perhaps half a mm. greater than at
the top. Near the middle of the object it is pierced by a hole which
tapers from each end. While this object also may have been used in
gambling, it seems possible that it may be an amulet.
_Narcotics._ Pipes of seven distinct types were found in this region; a
tube, a simple bowl, a disk with both bowl and stem made in the
periphery, an elbow form, a modern inlaid pipe similar to the typical
form of the catlinite pipe of the Plains, a tomahawk-pipe in stone, and
a pipe carved in the art of the North Pacific coast.
[Illustration: Fig. 101. Tubular Pipe made of Green Stone with Stem.
From Lemhi River, Idaho. (Reproduced from p. 342, Vol. II, Lewis and
Clark. Bowl about 2-1/2 inches long.)]
A tubular pipe made of steatite is shown in Fig. 100. It was collected
by Mr. Frank N. McCandless from the Yakima Indians. Mr. McCandless
says the stone differs from that found at the head of Wenatchee Lake,
which is sometimes used for pipes in this region. This pipe is No. 215
in his collection deposited in the Ferry Museum in the City Hall at
Tacoma. It is 51 mm. long and the bowl has been broken off irregularly,
about half of it apparently having been broken away. The bowl flares
rather more abruptly than is the case in the pipes usually found either
in this region or that of the Thompson River. In this respect it
resembles the tubular pipes made of steatite, found on the coast of
British Columbia.[317] In outline, it is nearly straight, while most
pipes of this type have bowls convexly curved in a form characteristic
of the type found in the interior of British Columbia and of Washington.
The bowl has been gouged out. There is a ridge or ring around the pipe
where the bowl meets the stem. Oblique incisions slanting downward from
left to right, at an angle of about 45°, mark this ridge, making it
suggest a twisted cord. The end of the stem is similarly marked. These
lines are again mentioned under art on p. 125. The stem expands from the
ridge to the end. The outline of the stem is rather straight or slightly
concave, while most pipes of this type have more slender or nearly
cylindrical stems. The interior of the stem was apparently formed by
whittling. The pipe is stained by tobacco which suggests that while it
may be old, it has nevertheless been recently smoked.[318] In the Nez
Perce region to the east the earliest form of pipe, according to
Spinden, was doubtless the straight tubular type.[319] One of the pipes
figured by him has a flange for a mouthpiece similar to those found in
the Thompson River region, and this flange is perforated near one end.
This particular type of pipe is also found in Oregon.[320] A pipe of
this type, but which much more nearly resembles the typical form of
tubular pipe of this region, especially the shorter specimens, is
reproduced in Fig. 101 from Lewis and Clark.[321] This specimen which is
made of green stone and has a stem, was seen among the Shoshone Indians
at the headwaters of the Lemhi River, Idaho, by Lewis, August
thirteenth, 1805. It marks the eastern limits of the occurrence of this
type of pipe, so far as I am aware at present, the short forms having
been found at Fulford Harbor, North Saanich, Sidney[322] and Port
Hammond,[323] on the southern coast of British Columbia, Damon[324] on
the coast of Washington, Lytton[325] in the interior of British
Columbia, Umatilla[326] and Blalock Island,[327] near Umatilla, both in
the interior of Washington. In the Journal for Tuesday, August 13, 1805,
Lewis refers to this pipe, as follows:--"the chief then lit his pipe at
the fire kindled in this little magic circle ... pointed the stem to the
four cardinal points of the heavens first beginning at the East and
ending with the North. He now presented the pipe to me, as if desirous
that I should smoke, but when I reached my hand to receive it, he drew
it back and repeated the same c[e]remony three times, after which he
pointed the stem first to the heavens then to the center of the magic
circle smoked himself with three whifs and held the pipe until I took as
many as I thought proper; he then held it to each of the white persons
and then gave it to be consumed by his warriors. This pipe was made of a
dense semi-transparent green stone very highly polished about 2-1/2
inches long and of an oval figure, the bowl being in the same direction
with the stem. A small piece of birned clay is placed in the bottom of
the bowl to seperate the tobacco from the end of the stem and is of an
irregularly rounded figure not fitting the tube perfectly close in order
that the smoke may pass. This is the form of the pipe. Their tobacco is
of the same kind of that used by the Minnetares Mandans and Ricares of
the Missouri. The Shoshonees do not cultivate this plant, but obtain it
from the Rocky mountain Indians and some of the bands of their own
nation who live further south."[328]
[317] Smith, (a), Figs. 48 and 55; (b), Fig. 139.
[318] Museum negative no. 44506, 6-7.
[319] Spinden, p. 188, Figs. 4 and 5, Plate IX.
[320] Moorehead, Fig. 457, p. 316, Figs. 9, 17, 22 and 25.
[321] Lewis and Clark, II, p. 342.
[322] Smith, (b), Fig. 139.
[323] Smith, (a), Fig. 48.
[324] Smith, (b), Fig. 139.
[325] Smith, (h), p. 34.
[326] _Ibid._, Fig. 7.
[327] _Ibid._, p. 36.
[328] Lewis and Clark. II, p. 341.
Mr. James Teit informs me that a flange like the end of a spool at the
mouth of the stem of a tubular pipe, makes it of a type which seems to
him peculiarly characteristic of the Thompson River region. In some
cases this peculiarity is carried over into the stems of pipes of the
modern or elbow type, which have wooden stems, as is shown in Fig. 102.
Mr. Teit has never seen or heard of tubular pipes from the Thompson
River region with holes through the flanges. It seems possible that the
hole in such specimens as one from Umatilla, Oregon,[329] may have been
made for the attachment of ornaments or symbolic material such as
feathers or for a cleaner. Ornaments were sometimes attached to pipes of
the elbow type in the Thompson River region. This was done by tying in
a hole bored through the hatchet-shaped piece underneath the shank close
to the elbow. Pipes of the simple bowl type often had an extension at
the foot of the bowl, sometimes perforated, to which ornaments could be
attached. On the other hand, the hole may have been to facilitate
attaching the pipe to its wooden stem. The pipes that have been
perforated through the flange,[330] however, seem to have too small a
bore for a wooden stem; yet, a pipe of this type with a wooden stem has
been shown in Fig. 101. One reason given Mr. Teit by the Indians for the
making of the flange or other thickening at the mouth of the pipe stem
was to prevent the string used in attaching the pipe to the wooden stem
slipping off. According to all of them, wooden stems were always used
with tubular pipes as with elbow and simple bowl pipes; for a person
cannot smoke any kind of stone pipe more than a few draws before it
becomes too hot for the lips. To Mr. Teit's mind, no matter how small
the bore of the pipe, a regular stem must have been used for smoking.
[329] Smith, (h), Fig. 7a.
[330] Smith, (h), Fig. 4.
[Illustration: Fig. 102. Pipe made of Steatite used by the Thompson
River Indians at Spences Bridge in 1895. About 1/2 nat. size. (Drawn
from a sketch by Mr. James Teit.)]