Part 10

Fig. 80 illustrates a disk of bone about 1 mm. thick found in grave No. 31 (2) of a child in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek below Ellensburg. The edge is rounded, the perforation has straight sides and is slightly worn at the ends. This, together with certain faint parallel grooves running diagonally across the grain of the bone suggests that the object may be a portion of a factory-made button.

Pendants perforated at the end or edge are shown in Figs. 81 to 94, arranged according to material, as stone, copper, brass, iron and shell. Fig. 81a illustrates a pendant made of slate which was found with five others in a grave on McNeals Island near the mouth of the Yakima River by Mr. Janeck. It is 52 mm. long, 3 mm. thick by 24 mm. wide. The upper end is narrower than the lower and perforated closer to the end of the object than to the side edges. The perforation tapers from each side and shows striations caused by drilling. The lower end of the pendant is somewhat thicker than the upper end.[277] The pendant shown next in the figure bears the same catalogue number in Mr. Janeck's collection and was one of the same lot of six specimens. It is 70 mm. long by 19 mm. wide and 3 mm. thick, is made of slate and similar to the other five specimens except that it bears six notches spaced about equi-distant from each other on one edge, and that the perforation is irregular, apparently having been broken through rather than drilled. The edges of this pendant are rather flat and the lower end is bevelled off somewhat from each side like a celt. This pendant may have been made to represent the tooth of an animal.[278]

[277] It is No. 45 in the collection of Mr. Janeck and Museum negative no. 44503, 6-4.

[278] Museum negative no. 44503, 6-4.

A pendant made of steatite and bearing an incised design in which part of the lines and holes are colored with red paint (mercury) is shown in Fig. 119. This was found on the manubrium of an adult skeleton supposed to be that of a man, in a grave covered with rocks on a low ridge about two and a half miles south of Fort Simcoe. The object is not necessarily recent because the coloring matter being mineral may have lasted a long time. In outline, it is of the form of a tall truncated pyramid. It is only about 6 mm. thick and its edges are rounded or somewhat sharp. Across the base of the side shown in Fig. 119a extends a ridge which on the opposite side of the specimen is raised for only a short distance on the left. The Agency physician is of the opinion that the grave was very old and that steatite does not occur near by but that the material must have been brought from Puget Sound. As the character of the art more closely resembles that of the Thompson River region where steatite is frequently found, at least in the form of artifacts, it would seem that the material more likely came from there, if indeed it was not from a nearer source, perhaps in this very valley. The specimen is in the collection of Mrs. Lynch.

Fig. 82 illustrates a long pendant made of copper found about one foot deep among the rocks over grave 34 (5) of an infant in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek below Ellensburg. The perforation at the top is punched, which together with the fact that glass beads and a piece of iron were also found in this grave, suggests that the copper is factory-rolled. The edges are rounded and thinned, possibly by disintegration, to almost a cutting edge. The thong by which it was suspended is of skin and attached by being passed through the perforation and looped through a slit in the tip of the thong. Two somewhat similar pendants, (202-8235a, b) made of copper, were found near the legs in this same grave. The first is narrow at the top which is slightly concave in outline, and the perforation is punched. The sides are nearly straight. The lower end is about three times as wide as the top and is deeply concave in the middle and convex in outline from this concavity to the side edges. In each of the concavities is a notch. These suggest that they are worn out perforations from which other pendants may have been suspended. The second pendant is of almost the same size and shape as that shown in Fig. 82. It has a somewhat fluted lower end but this characteristic may be partly the result of worn and decomposed perforations or merely of decomposition. The perforation at the top was punched and still retains a fragment of a leather thong. A small triangular pendant only 18 mm. in length, made of copper, (202-8251) was found inside the skull of a child in grave No. 37 (8) in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek. It is perforated near the most acute angle and also through the base. The perforations seem to have been punched and the corners have been rounded, possibly by decomposition. Fig. 83 shows a thin disk-shaped pendant made of copper from the same grave as the one shown in Fig. 82. The perforation near the upper edge is also punched. A fragment of copper (202-8185) was found in the northwestern part of cremation circle No. 17 (12) on the terrace northwest of the mouth of the Naches River. This may be a fragment of a copper ornament. It, and the specimen found in circle No. 15 constitute the only finds of copper which were made in cremation circles. In its decomposed state it does not look like factory-rolled copper and may be native. The other fragment (202-8181) found in cremation circle No. 15 (10) at the same place may be factory-rolled copper. In the Nez Perce area to the east, small pieces of copper were attached to the dresses of women.[279]

[279] Spinden, p. 220.

The pendant shown in Fig. 84, also found near the one shown in Fig. 82 was made of brass. There are two perforations near the upper edge, the larger one of which is not circular, and a perforation tapering more from the concave side than from the other as well as a notch at the lower edge. The peculiarities of these perforations suggest that they were gouged out. The object is slightly concavo-convex. A skin thong is attached to the larger perforation at the upper edge by looping as in the case of the pendant shown in Fig. 82. On this is strung a cylindrical copper bead.

Fig. 85 illustrates a pendant made of iron found in grave No. 35 (6) of a youth in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. The next figure represents one of thirteen cone-shaped bangles or pendants also made of iron, found in the same grave. These were made by bending a thin sheet of the metal into the conical form.

The remaining pendants are all made of shell. The one shown in Fig. 87 is a natural olivella shell with the top of the cone missing and found in grave No. 39 (1) of a child in a rock-slide near the head of Priest Rapids. A shell somewhat similar to this made into a bead was found in the Nez Perce region.[280] The pendant shown in Fig. 88 was found in the grave of a child in a rock-slide west of the Columbia River near the head of Priest Rapids. It is made of a small marine clam shell (_Pectunculus_), probably a young _Pectunculus gigantea_. The perforation passes through the apex and has apparently been gouged from the outside. The ribs on the convex surface of the shell have been nearly effaced by grinding or polishing and the hinge also seems to have been smoothed so that only slight scars mark the depths of the teeth. This shell certainly came from the Pacific Coast either in its natural condition or after having been made into this form. It is the only object made of this kind of shell which I have seen in the whole northwest. The pendant shown in Fig. 89 is made of iridescent shell possibly unio but probably haliotis. If the latter, it must have come from the Pacific Coast. It was found in the same grave. This grave contained no objects of white man's manufacture or anything suggesting that it was modern. A list of its contents will be found on p. 169. This pendant is of the form of an isosceles triangle. It is perforated through the more acute angle by a small hole which tapers as if drilled from each side of the object. The edges of the pendant are rather sharp in places and the lower one is concave in outline. This object may be compared with the pendant made of bone, found at Lytton,[281] which was considered to be a sap scraper.[282]

[280] Spinden, Plate IX, Fig. 14.

[281] Smith, (d), Fig. 95.

[282] Smith, (c), p. 441; (b), Fig. 109.

The pendant shown in Fig. 90, from grave No. 37 (8) of a child in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek below Ellensburg, is made of haliotis shell which must have come from the coast and is rectangular in outline with slightly worn or rounded corners. The perforation at the top is larger at each end, while the one in the side is much larger on the convex side and only slightly larger on the concave side than in the middle. This perforation has been broken out. A somewhat similar pendant but smaller and with only an end perforation (202-8256) was found together with the shell pendant described on p. 98 near the lower jaw in the same grave. A larger pendant of this general rectangular form, with worn or rounded corners, perforated near the middle of one end, and with a second perforation lower down (202-8254) was found with this. One perforation is larger at one side of the object, the other at the other side. Three somewhat similar pendants or fragments of such pendants, one with the perforation broken out, another with a single perforation and still another with a double perforation like the one just described (202-8183) except two dentalium shells were the only shell ornaments found in cremation circle No. 17 (12) on the flat northwest of the mouth of the Naches River. These were in the northeastern part of the circle. In the northern and northwestern parts of cremation circle No. 15 (10) on this same flat were found a number of such pendants and fragments of pendants which have only one perforation so far as can be identified.

A much decomposed and fragmentary piece of shell, apparently of claw shape with a perforation at the base, several other pieces of similar shape and two triangular pieces of shell (202-8180-82) all of which were apparently burned, were found in cremation circle No. 14 (9) at the same place. A fragment of a shell ornament (202-8189) was also found in cremation circle No. 21 (16) at this place.

The pendant shown in Fig. 91 is nearly of disk form and made of haliotis shell. It is perforated at the more convex edge and was found with one very much like it in grave No. 34 (5) of an infant in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek. One was near the head and the other near the pelvis. Another specimen and a fragment of still another (202-8257a, b) and several other small fragments of decomposed shell (202-8258) were found near the lower jaw in grave No. 37 (8) in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek.

The pendant or nose ornament shown in Fig. 92 is made of shell which in its much decomposed condition appears to be haliotis. This object was found on the lower jaw of a very much decomposed skeleton of a child in the same grave. The fact that a piece of copper, apparently factory-rolled, (202 8251) was found inside the broken skull suggests that this grave was modern. The object is nearly circular in outline, although slightly wider than high. The sides have disintegrated or were rounded off, to a rather sharp edge. There were apparently three perforations near the upper edge of the object, and it is broken so that it is impossible to see whether they were perforations for suspension or were made merely as a means of cutting out a portion of the shell in such a way that it could be clasped on to the septum of the nose. Portions of this specimen and several other shell objects, found in the same grave were of a peculiar pink color.

The shell shown in Fig. 93 was found near the neck at the south side of an adult skeleton in grave No. 12 (7) covered with pebbles in the bluff on the north side of the Naches River about 12 miles above its mouth. It has two perforations and what appears to have been a third perforation now broken out. A somewhat similar circular shell pendant which appears to have been made from the shell of the oyster was found with this and is shown in Fig. 94. One of these pendants was at the south shoulder, the other at the south side of the skull. A piece of wood in this grave suggests that it may not be an old one and that these disks may have been obtained from traders. The grave was apparently unique. The lower part of the inner decoration on each side of the face shown in Fig. 121 probably represents a shell pendant for the ear or hair. Disks of haliotis shells were used as ear pendants in the Nez Perce region to the east.[283]

[283] Spinden, p. 220.

_Bracelets._ Bracelets are shown in Figs. 95 and 96. The one shown in 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.

_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.