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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION—BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY.

ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE

OF A

PORTION OF THE COLLECTIONS MADE BY THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY

DURING THE

FIELD SEASON OF 1881.

WILLIAM H. HOLMES.

CONTENTS.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF A PORTION OF THE ETHNOLOGIC AND ARCHÆOLOGIC COLLECTIONS MADE BY THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY DURING THE YEAR 1881.

By William H. Holmes.

   COLLECTION MADE BY EDWARD PALMER, IN NORTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, AND ARKANSAS.

INTRODUCTORY.

Mr. Palmer began his explorations early in July, 1881, and continued with marked success until the end of the year.

He first paid a visit to the Cherokee Indians of North Carolina, and collected a large number of articles manufactured or used by this people, besides a number of antiquities from the same region.

From Carolina he crossed into Tennessee, and began work by opening a number of mounds in Cocke County. In September he opened a very important mound, which I have named the McMahan Mound. It is located in the vicinity of Sevierville, Sevier County. Afterwards mounds were opened on Fain's Island, at Dandridge, and at Kingston.

In September he crossed into Arkansas and made extensive explorations at Osceola, Pecan Point, Arkansas Post, and Indian Bay.

It has devolved upon the writer to examine and catalogue this fine collection.

In preparing the catalogue the plan of arrangement already adopted by the Bureau has been carried out; that is, a primary classification by locality and a secondary by material.

The descriptions of specimens are taken from the card catalogue prepared by the writer on first opening the collection, and will be given in full, excepting in cases where detailed descriptions have been furnished in separate papers, either in this or the preceding Annual Report. Cuts have been made of a number of the more interesting specimens. The localities are named in the order of their exploration.

COLLECTIONS FROM JACKSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA.

OBTAINED CHIEFLY FROM THE CHEROKEE INDIANS.

ARTICLES OF STONE.

62953. A small disk of dark-gray slate, 1¼ inches in diameter and 1½ inches in thickness. The form is symmetrical and the surface well polished. The sides are convex, slightly so near the center and abruptly so near the circumference. The rim or peripheral surface is squared by grinding, the circular form being accurately preserved. This specimen was obtained from an aged Cherokee, who stated that it had formerly been used by his people in playing some sort of game. It seems not improbable that this stone has been used for polishing pottery.

62952. A small subglobular pebble used as a polishing stone for pottery.

62954. A polishing stone similar to the above. This implement was seen in use by the collector.

62947. A hemispherical stone, probably used as a nut-cracker.

62944. A stone implement somewhat resembling a thick, round-pointed pick, 4½ inches in length and 1 inch in diameter. It is perforated exactly as an iron pick would be for the insertion of a handle. The perforation has been produced by boring from opposite sides; at the surface it is five-eighths of an inch in diameter, and midway about three-eighths. The material seems to be an indurated clay or soft slate.

The collector suggests that this specimen was probably used for smoothing bow-strings or straightening arrow-shafts.

62949. Eight arrow points of gray and blackish chalcedony.

62950. Pipe of gray, indurated steatite, of modern Cherokee manufacture.

62951. Pipe of dark greenstone, highly polished. It is well modeled, but of a recent type.

62888. Grooved ax of compact greenish sandstone; found near Bakersville, N. C.

ARTICLES OF CLAY.

Obtained from the Southern Band of Cherokees, Jackson County, North Carolina.

The manufacture of pottery, once so universally practiced by the Atlantic coast Indians, is still kept up by this tribe, rather, however, for the purpose of trade than for use in their domestic arts. The vessels are, to a great extent, modeled after the ware of the whites, but the methods of manufacture seem to be almost wholly aboriginal.

63070. A handled mug or cup of brownish ware. The form is not aboriginal. It is composed of clay, tempered, apparently, with pulverized shell. The surface has a slight polish produced by a polishing implement. The height is 4½ inches and the width nearly the same.

63068. Large flat-bottomed bowl, 6 inches in height, 11 inches in diameter at the top, and 8 at the base. Although made without a wheel, this vessel is quite symmetrical. The thickness is from one-fourth to one-half of an inch. The material has been a dark clay paste with tempering of powdered mica.

63066. A three-legged pot, with spherical body, resembling very closely in appearance the common iron cooking pot of the whites. The rim is 6 inches in diameter, and 1 inch high. The body is 9 inches in diameter. Two handles are attached to the upper part of the body. The form is symmetrical and the surface highly polished. The polishing stone has been used with so much skill that the effect of a glaze is well produced. The materials used were clay and pulverized mica. The color is dark brown.

63067. A strong, rudely made vessel shaped like a half cask. The walls are about one-half an inch in thickness. The surface is rough, the polishing stone having been very carelessly applied.

63068. A flat-bottomed bowl symmetrical in shape but rudely finished.

VEGETAL SUBSTANCES.

63063. Basket sieve said to be used to separate the finer from the coarser particles of pounded corn. The coarse meal thus obtained is boiled and allowed to ferment. This is used as food and is called connawhana. The sieve is made of split cane carefully smoothed; some of the strips are dyed red and others brown. A simple ornamental design is worked in these colors. The opening is square, with rounded corners, the sides measuring 14 inches. The depth is 5 inches. The bottom is flat and loosely woven.

63072. A bottle-shaped basket, with constricted neck and rectangular body, used by the Cherokees for carrying fish. Height, 11 inches; width of mouth, 4 inches; diameter of body, 6 inches. It is made of strips of white oak or hickory, one-fourth of an inch in thickness.

63073. Basket made of strips of white oak intended for the storage of seeds and for other household uses. The rim is about 5 inches in diameter; the body is 8 inches in diameter, the base being rectangular and flat.

63074. Basket, made of cane, used for storing seed.

63076. Two baskets, made of cane, probably used for household purposes. They are neatly ornamented with simple designs, produced by the use of colored strips. The rims are oval in shape, and the bases rectangular. The larger will hold about half a bushel, the smaller about a gallon.

63077. Small basket with a handle, made of splints of white oak. Yellow strips of hickory bark are used to ornament the rim. Other colors are obtained by using bark of different trees, maple, walnut, etc.

63078. Small cup or dish carved from laurel or cucumber wood. It is very neatly made. The depth is about 1 inch; the width 5 inches.

63064. Large spoon, carved from laurel or cucumber wood, used by the Cherokees in handling the connawhana, or fermented meal. The carving is neatly done. The heart-shaped bowl is 6 inches in length, 4 in width, and about 2 in depth. The handle is 12 inches long, and is embellished at the end by a knob and ring. The knob is carved to represent a turtle's or snake's head.

63065. A smaller spoon similar in shape to the above.

63087. A large, five-pronged fork carved from the wood of the Magnolia glauca (?). It resembles the iron forks of the whites.

63088. A small, three-pronged fork of the same pattern and material as the above.

63080. A wooden comb made in imitation of the shell combs used by white ladies for supporting and ornamenting the back hair. The carving is said to have been done with a knife. Considerable skill is shown in the ornamental design at the top. The wood is maple or beech.

63089. A walnut paddle or club, used to beat clothes in washing.

63059. Bow of locust wood, 5 feet long, one-half an inch thick, and 1½ inches wide in the middle, tapering at the ends to 1 inch. The back of the bow is undressed, the bark simply having been removed. The string, which resembles ordinary twine, is said to be made of wild hemp. The arrows are 40 inches in length. The shafts are made of hickory wood and have conical points. Stone and metal points are not used, as the country abounds in small game only, and heavy points are considered unnecessary. In trimming the arrow two feathers of the wild turkey are used; these are close clipped and fastened with sinew.

63057. Blow-gun used by the Cherokees to kill small game. This specimen is 7 feet in length, and is made of a large cane, probably the Arundinaria macrosperma. These guns are made from 5 to 15 feet in length, the diameter in large specimens reaching 1½ inches.