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).
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. ½ 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.
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 (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. ½ nat. size.
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]
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]
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.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.
Fig. 73. Comb made of Antler. From a grave at Fort Simcoe. ½ 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]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.
Fig. 74 (202-8233). Beads made of Copper, Glass and Sections of Dentalium Shells. From neck, arms and legs of skeleton in grave No. 34 (5) in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. ½ nat. size.
The tubular bead shown in Fig. 75 is made of brass, proving conclusively that it is recent. It was found in grave No. 1 of the Yakima ridge, which contained a number of other objects that might characterize the grave as ancient were it not for the presence of brass beads. A smaller but slightly shorter brass bead was found with this. It contained a piece of stick, but this may be merely the remains of a rootlet many of which had penetrated into the grave. The edges of the outer fold as well as the ends of the bead are irregular and thinned out similar to the corresponding parts of the copper beads shown in Fig. 74. This suggests that the brass may have been pounded into sheets by the natives or at least that factory-rolled brass was pounded by them in manufacturing the bead. It also shows that this characteristic of the edges of copper objects, while it may suggest that they were beaten out of native copper and are consequently ancient, does not prove it. Tubular copper beads with short sections of dentalium shell were found mixed all the way from the top to the bottom of grave number 10 (5) in a rock-slide on the north side of the Naches River about half a mile above its mouth. Some of these were slightly larger than those shown in Fig. 74.
Fig. 75 (202-8148). Bead made of Brass. From grave No. 1 in a rock-slide of the Yakima Ridge. Nat. size.
The bone tubes shown in Figs. 97 and 98 and those described on p. 105 under games, may possibly have been intended for beads or ornaments. Beads were made of bones of birds in the Nez Perce region to the east.[265] The perforated cylinder made of serpentine or steatite shown in Fig. 99 may also have been used as a bead or ornament instead of for gambling. Shell beads of disk shape such as are shown in Fig. 76 were found in three places. Those figured were among the refuse of a grave in a rock-slide near the head of Priest Rapids. Two were found in grave No. 7 (4) in a rock-slide on the northern side of the Yakima Ridge. A brass button and three glass beads were found with them. Twenty-eight of them were found in the grave of a child in a rock-slide on the west side of the Columbia River near the head of Priest Rapids. All these beads seem to be drilled from both sides or at least each end of the bore is slightly larger than the middle. Somewhat similar disk-shaped beads, apparently made of shell are found in the Nez Perce region to the east,[266] the Thompson area to the north[267] and in the Fraser Delta[268] of the coast country to the west.
Fig. 76 (202-8384). Beads made of Shell. From refuse of a grave in a rock-slide near the head of Priest Rapids. Nat. size.
Dentalium Shells. Dentalium shells, some broken or cut into short sections, were found in twelve of the graves of this region. Two of these graves were in domes of volcanic ash and probably old; five of them were cremation circles, also ancient, while five were rock-slide graves of which three were surely modern, and two probably so. It will be seen that the dentalia beads are found in about equal proportions in old and recent graves, there being seven examples of the former and five of the latter. One lot of dentalia found in a cremation circle was charred. None of the dentalia found in the rock-slide graves were incised while in one of the graves in a dome of volcanic ash incised dentalia were found together with the sculptured human form in antler shown in Fig. 121 on which are represented what appear to be dentalium shells forming parts of ear or hair pendants. Incised dentalia were also found in two of the five cremation circles containing dentalium shells. Some of the incised designs on dentalium shells are shown in Figs. 117 and 118. An idea of how the dentalium shells may have been used as ornaments on arm bands and headdresses may be had by reference to Fig. 121 and p. 101. Somewhat similarly incised dentalium shells were found at the large burial place at Kamloops in the southern interior of British Columbia to the north,[269] and in the Nez Perce region to the east bits of engraved dentalium shells are found in the graves of children.[270] Strings of them were hung from the ears or fastened to the braids of hair and dentalia were attached to the dresses of the women.[271] Among antiquities they are found as far east as central Wyoming. There are some dentalium shells decorated with windings along lines somewhat similar in the collections from the Hupa of California. Dentalium shells used as nose ornaments, ear pendants or parts of ornaments and as beads were also found in the Thompson region.[272] A few were found on the coast in the Fraser Delta,[273] but while they are to be seen in collections from living Indians and recent graves they were not found among antiquities elsewhere on the coast of British Columbia and Washington.[274] It seems noteworthy that while the shells are plentiful on the coast where they are used by the modern people they could only have been obtained in the Thompson River region and the Yakima Valley by barter. In the north, they were imported until recently through the Chilcotin country from the region north of Vancouver Island.[275] In the Yakima Valley, however, they were probably brought in by a more southern route and from places further south on the coast. My impression is that the Fraser Valley was not used as a route for the importation.
Fig. 77 (202-8152). Drilled and Perforated Disk made of Slate. From grave No. 1 in a rock-slide of the Yakima Ridge. Nat. size.
Pendants. Somewhat circular objects which might possibly be considered as beads are shown in Figs. 77 to 80 and are considered as pendants perforated near the centre. The first is a slightly asymmetrical disk, made of slate, which was found in grave No. 1 in a rock-slide of the Yakima Ridge. It is perforated at the centre with a large hole and at each end with a small hole. These perforations taper from each end and were apparently drilled. On each side there are four conoid pits about equi-distant from each other and the end holes arranged to form an oval about parallel with the edge of the object. On the reverse, there are only two of these pits, one on each side. The disk is 3 mm. thick.
Fig. 78 illustrates a thin square of copper with rounded corners, a thong of skin and a copper bead, found in grave No. 34 (5) of an infant in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek below Ellensburg. The hole in the centre of this little pendant has been punched. The presence of glass beads and iron in the same grave suggests that possibly this copper pendant was made of factory-rolled metal.
Fig. 78 (202-8238). Pendant made of Copper, Thong and Copper Bead. From grave No. 34 (5) of an infant in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. Nat. size.
Fig. 79. Button made of Shell with Attached Bead made of Metal. From an Indian at Ellensburg. Nat. size. (Drawn from photograph 44506, 6-7. Original in the collection of Mr. McCandless.)
Fig. 80 (202-8227). Perforated Disk made of Bone. From grave No. 31 (2) of a child in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. Nat. size. The object shown in Fig. 79 is a sort of button made of shell attached to which is a metal bead. It was secured from an Indian at Ellensburg and is in the collection of Mr. McCandless.[276] The edge of the shell disk is rounded. There are two perforations through the disk, one a short distance from the centre. The other is in the centre, into which the metal bead is welded. The hole in the bead is parallel to the surface of the shell disk but does not go through the bead.
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.
Fig. 81. Pendants made of Slate. From McNeals Island near the mouth of Yakima River. ½ nat. size. (Drawn from photograph 44503, 6-4. Original catalogue No. 45 in the collection of Mr. Janeck.)
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]
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]
Fig. 82 (202-8246). Pendant made of Copper. From about one foot deep among the rocks over grave No. 34 (5) of an infant in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. ½ nat. size.
Fig. 83 (202-8239). Pendant made of Copper. From grave No. 34 (5) of an infant in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. Nat. size.
Fig. 84 (202-8245). Pendant made of Brass and Bead made of Copper. From about one foot deep among the rocks over grave No. 34 (5) of an infant in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. ½ nat. size.
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.
Fig. 85 (202-8249a). Pendant made of Iron. From grave No. 35 (6) of a youth in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. ½ nat. size.
Fig. 86 (202-8248a). Pendant made of Iron. From grave No. 35 (6) of a youth in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. ½ nat. size.
Fig. 87 (202-8393). Pendant or Bead made of an Olivella Shell. From grave No. 39 (1) of a child in a rock-slide near the head of Priest Rapids. Nat. size.
Fig. 88 (202-8388). Pendant made of (Pectunculus) Shell. From grave of a child in a rock-slide west of Columbia River, near the head of Priest Rapids. Nat. size.
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]
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.
Fig. 89 (202-8386). Pendant made of Iridescent Shell. From the grave of a child in a rock-slide west of Columbia River near the head of Priest Rapids. Nat. size.
Fig. 90 (202-8255). Pendant made of (Haliotis) Shell. From grave No. 37 (8) of a child in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. Nat. size.
Fig. 91 (202-8234b). Pendant made of (Haliotis) Shell. From grave No. 34 (5) of an infant in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. Nat. size.
Fig. 92 (202-8252). Pendant or Nose Ornament, made of (Haliotis) Shell. From grave No. 37 (8) of a child in a rock-slide near the mouth of Cherry Creek, below Ellensburg. ½ nat. size.
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.
Fig. 93 (202-8171). Pendant made of Shell. From near neck at south side of adult skeleton in grave No. 12 (7) covered with pebbles in bluff on north side of Naches River about twelve miles above its mouth. Nat. size.
Fig. 94 (202-8170). Pendant made of Oyster Shell. From near neck at south side of adult skeleton in grave No. 12 (7) covered with pebbles in bluff on north side of Naches River about twelve miles above its mouth. Nat. size.
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]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.
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. ½ nat. size.
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. ½ 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.
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.
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.
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]
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.
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.
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]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]
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