Pictographs of the North American Indians. A preliminary paper

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY.

PIOTOGRAPHS

NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS

A PRELIMINARY PA ^{P E R}

GARRICK MALLERY.

3-4

<

'OXTEXTS.

Paga

Listofillustrations 7

Introductory 13

Distribution ofpetroglyphsin NorthAmerica 19

Northeastern rock-carvings IS)

Rock-carvingsinPennsylvania 20

in Ohio 21

inWestVirginia 22

in theSouthernStates 22

in Iowa 2;J

in Minnesota 23

inWyomingand Idaho 24

inNevada 24

inOregonandWashingtonTerritory 25

inUtah 26

in Colorado 27

in New Mexico 28

inArizona 28

inCalifornia 30

inColored dictographsonrocks 33

Foreign petroglyphs ₃₈

Petroglyphsin South America 38

in BritishGuiana 40

in Brazil 44

PictograpbsinPeru 45

Objectsrepresentedin pictographs 46

Instrumentsusediupictography 48

Instruments for carving 48

fordrawing 48

forpainting 48

fortattooing 49

Colorsand methodsof application 50

IntheUnitedStates 50

In BritishGuiana 53

Significanceofcolors 53

Materials uponwhich pictographs are made 58

Naturalobjects 58

Bone ₅₉

Livingtree 59

Wood

59

Bark : 59

Skins _CO

Feathers 60

Gourds 60

Horse-hair 60

Shells, including

wampum

60

Earth ud sand 60

Thehumanperson 61

Taiut onthehumanperson 61

Tattooing 63

Tattoomarksof theHaidaIndians 66

TattooingiuthePacific Islands 73

5

*)

CONTENTS.

Page.

Materials upon winch]>ln>lo-ir:iplisurn made ^>iontinued.

Artificialobjects 7-

Mnemonic ^T'.i

The quipu ofthe Peruvians 79

Notched sticks -1

Orderofsongs 82

Traditions ^-I

Treaties ^->

War

^-7

Time

TheDakota Winter Counts. 89

TheCorbusier Winter('mints 127

Notification 147

Noticeofdeparture anddirection 147

condition ₁₅₂

Warningand guidance 155

Chartsofgeographic features 157

Claimordemand 159

Messagesand communications 160

Record of expedition 164

Totemic 165

Tribaldesignations 165

Gentileorclandesignations H',7

Personal designations 168

Insigniaortokens of authority 168

Personalname 169

AnOgalala roster 174

Red-Cloud's census 176

Property marks ₁₈₂

Statusof the individual 183

Signs of particular achievements 183

Religious 188

Mythic personages 188

Shamanism 190

Dancesandceremonies 194

Mortuarypractices _ 197

Grave-posts 198

Charmsandfetiches 201

Customs ₂₀₃

Associations 20:!

Daily lifeandhabits 205

Tribal history 207

Biographic 208

Continuousrecord ofeventsinlife 208

Particular exploitsandevents 21-1

Ideographs 219

Abstract ideas 219

Symbolism 221

Identificationof thepictographers 224

Generalstyleortypo 225

Presence of characteristicobjects 230

Modesof interpretation 233

Homomorphsand syinmorpbs 239

Conventionalizing 244

Errorsand frauds 247

Seggestionstocollaborators 254

IT.

LUSTRATIONS.

r.T.'p.

Platk I.—Colored pictograplisin Sauta Barbara County,California.. 34

II.—ColoredpiotographainSanta. Barbara County, California.

.

35

III.—

New

^{Zealandtattooed heads '6}

IV.—O.jibwaMedasong ^s2

V.

—

^Penn

^wampum

^{belt ° '}

VI.—Winter count on ^buffalorobe ^"'' VII.—Dakota winter counts: for 1786-'87 to 1792-'93 100 VIII.—Dakota winter counts^: for 1793-'94 to 1799-1800 101

IX.—Dakotawintercounts^: for1800-01 to 1802-'03 103

X.—

^Dakotawinter counts^{: for}1803-04 to 1805-'06 104

XI.—Dakotawinter counts^: for 180C-'07 to 1808-'09 105 XII.—Dakotawinter counts^: for 1809-'10 to 1811-'12 106 XIII.—Dakota^{wintercounts: for1812-13 to1814-'15 108} XIV.—^Dakotawinter counts: for 1815-'16 to 1817-'18 109 XV.—Dakota winter counts^{: for}1816-19to ¹-(20-21

HO

XVI.—^{Dakotawintercounts: for}1821-'22 to 1823-'24

HI

XVII.—Dakotawinter counts: ^for1824-25to 1826-'27 113 XVIII.—Dakota^{wintercounts:} for 1827-'28 to 1829-'30 114

XIX.—Dakotawinter counts: for1830-31 tol><32-'33 115

XX.—

^{Dakotawintercounts:} for 1833-'34 to 1835-'36 116

XXL—

^{Dakotawintercounts:} for 1836-'37 to 1838-'39 117 XXII.—Dakota^{wintercounts: for1839-M0}to 1841-'42 117

XX1IL—

^{Dakotawintercounts: for1842-43}to 1844-'45 118

XXI V.—^{Dakotawintercounts: for1845-46to 1847-48}

H9 XXV.—

^{Dakotawintercounts: for1848-49to1850-51 120}

XXVL—

^{Dakotawintercounts:} for 1851-'52 to1853-54 120

XXVIL—

^{Dakotawintercounts: forl854-'55}to 1856-'57 121

XXVIIL—

^{Dakotawintercounts:} for 1857-'58 to 1859-'60 122 XXIX. -Dakota^{wintercounts: for1860-61} to 1862-'6J 123

XXX.—

^Dakotawinter counts^: for 1863-'64 to 1865-'66 124

XXXL—

^{Dakotawintercounts: for1866-'67}to 1868-'69 125 XXXII.

—

Dakotawinter counts: for 1869-'70 to1870-71 126 XXXIII.

—

^Dakota winter counts: for1871-'72to 1876-'77 127

XXXIV.—

^{Corbusierwintercounts:"for 1775-76to1780-81 130}

XXX

^V.—Corbusierwinter counts^: for 1781-'82 to 1786-'87 131

XXX

VI.—Corbusier winter counts^{: for}1787-88to 1792-'93 132

XXXVIL—

Corbusier winter counts^{: for}1793-94 to 1798-'99 133

XXXVIIL—

Corbusier wintercounts^{: for}1799-1800to 1804-'05 134

XXXIX.—

^{Corbusierwintercounts: for 1805-06}to 1810-'ll 134

XL.—

Corbusierwintercounts: for1811-12to 1816-'17 135

XLL—

^{Corbusierwintercounts:} for 1817-'18 to 1822-'23 136

XLIL—

^{Corbusierwintercounts:} for 1823-'24 to1828-29 ¹³⁷ XLIII.—^{Corbusier wintercounts: for1829-30to 1834-35 138} XLIV.—Corbusier winter counts^: for l835-'36 to1840-M1 ¹³⁹

fc [LLUSTRATI0N8.

Page.

Plate XLV.

—

Corbusier winter counts: for1841-'42 to 1846-'47 140

XLVI.—Corbusier winter connts: for 1847-"48to l852-'53 142 XLVII.

—

^{Corbnsier winterconnts: forl853-'54 to 1,858 '59 143}

XLVIII.—Corbusierwinterconnts^: for 1859-'60to l864-'65 ^11::

XLIX.—Corbusier winterc its: for 1865-'GG In 1-70-'71 Ml

L.

—

Corbusier winter counts^: for1871-72to 1876-'77 145

LI.—Corbusier winter counts: for 1877 '78 to l878-'79 140 LII.

—

AuOgalalaroster: Big-Road ami hand 174

LIII.

—

^{AnOgalalaroster:} Low-Dogand band 174

LIV.

—

^{An Ogalalaroster: The}Bear Spares-him and band 174 LV.

—

Au^Ogalalaroster: liasaWar-club and baud 174 LVI.

—

^{AuOgalalaroster: Wall-Dog}andband 174 LVII.

—

AnOgalalaroster: Iron-Crowand band 174

L

VIII.—An Ogalalaroster^: Little-Hawkandband 174 LIX.

—

Red-Cloud's census: Red-Cloud'sband 176 LX.

—

Red-Cloud's census: Red-Cloud'sband 17ti

LXI.—Red-Cloud's census: Red-Cloud's band 176 LXII.

—

Red-Cloud's census: Red-Cloud'sband 171!

LXIII.

—

Red-Cloud's census: Red-Cloud'sband 17G

LXIV.

—

Red-Cloud's census: Red-Cloud's band 17(1

LXV.

—

Red-Cloud's census: Red-Cloud'sband 176

LXVI.

—

Red-Cloud's census: Red-Cloud'sband 176

LXVII.

—

Red-Cloud's census: Red-Shirt'sbaud 176

LXVII^I.—Red-Cloud'scensus: Red-Shirt'sband 176 LXIX.

—

Red-Cloud's census: Red-Shirt'sband 176

LXX.--Red-Cloud's census: Black- Deer'sbaud 176

LXXI.—Red-Cloud'scensus: Black-Deer'sbaud 176 LXXII.

—

Red-Cloud's census^: Black-Deer'sbaud 176

LXXI1I.—Red-Cloud'scensus: Red-Hawk's baud 176

LXXIV.

—

Red-Cloud'scensus: Red-Hawk's baud 176

LXXV.—

Red-Cloud's census^: High-Wolf'sband 176

LXXV

^I.—Red-Cloud'scensus: High-Wolf'sbaud 176

LXXVII.

—

Red-Cloud's census: Gun'sband 176

LXX

VIII.—Red-Cloud'scensus: Gnu'sbaud 176

LXXIX.

—

Red-Cloud's census: Second Black-Deer's baud 176

LXXX.

—

^{RockPaintingin}Azuza Caiiou, California 156 LXXXI.

—

^{Moki masksetchedou}rocks. Arizona 194

LXXXII.

—

Buffalo-headmonument 195

LXXXIII.

—

^Ojibwagrave-posts

W9

Figure^1.

—

PetroglyphsatOakley Spriugs,Arizona 30

2.

—

^{DeepcarvingsinGuiana} 42

3.

—

^{ShallowcarvingsinGuiana} 43

4.

—

^{RocketchingsatOakley} Springs, Arizona: Beaver 47 5.

—

^RocketchingsatOakleySprings, Arizona^: Bear 47

6.

—

^RocketchingsatOakleySprings, Arizona: Mountainsheep 47 7.

—

^{Rocketchingsat}Oakley Springs, Arizona: ThreeWolfheads 47 8.

—

^{RocketchingsatOakleySprings, Arizona:} Three Jackassrabbits. 47 9.

—

^{Rocketchingsat} OakleySprings,Arizona: Cotton-tail rabbit 47 10.

—

Rocketchingsat Oakley Springs,Arizona: Beartracks 47 11.

—

^{Rocketchingsat}Oakley Springs,Arizona: Eagle 47 12.

—

^{Rocketchingsat OakleySpriugs, Arizona: Eagletails} 47 13.

—

^RocketchingsatOakley Springs,Arizona^: Turkeytail 47 14.

—

^{RocketchingsatOakleySpriugs, Arizona:} Hornedtoads 47

ILLUSTRATIONS. 9

Page.

Fig. 15,

—

^Eooketchings atOakleySprings, Arizona: Lizaids 47

1(1.

—

^{RooketchingsatOakleySprings, Arizona: Butterfly 47}

17.

—

RocketchingsatOakleySprings, Arizona^: Snakes 47 18.

—

^{Rjcketchings atOakleySprings,Arizona:} Rattlesnake 47

lit.

—

^Rocketchings atOakleySprings, Arizona: Deertrack 47 20.

—

^{RocketchingsatOakleySprings,Arizona: Three}Bird tracks 47 '21.—RocketchingsatOakleySprings,Arizona^: Bitterns 47 22.

—

^{Bronze head fromthe}necropolis of Marzabotto, Italy 62

23.

—

^{Fragmentofbowl fromTroja 63}

24.

—

Haida totem post,Queen Charlotte'sIsland 66

25.— Haidaman, tattooed 69

26.

—

Haida woman,tattooed 69

27.

—

Haida woman,tattooed 70

28.

—

^{Haidaman, tattooed 70}

29.—Skulpin (rightleg of Fig. 26) 71

30.—Frog(leftlegofFig. 26) 71

31.—Cod(breastofFig. 25) ^. 71

32—Squid(Octopus), (thighs of Fig. 25) 71

33.—Wolf, enlarged (back ofFig. 28) 71

34.

—

^{Tattoodesignsonbone, from}

^New

^{Zealand 74}

35.

—

New Zealandtattooedhead andchinmark 75

36.

— ^New

^{Zealandtattooed}woman ⁷⁵

37.

—

^Australiangrave and carvedtrees 76

38.—Osage chart 86

39.

—

Device denotingsuccession of time. Dakota 88 40.

—

Device denotingsuccession oftime. Dakota 89

41.

—

^{MeaslesorSmallpox. Dakota} 110

42.

—

^{Meteor. Dakota Ill}

43.—Riverfreshet. Dakota 113

44.

—

^{Meteoric shower. Dakota} 116

45.—The-Teal-broke-his-leg. Dakota 119

46.

—

Magic Arrow. Dakota 141

47.

—

Notice of hunt. Alaska 147

48.

—

Notice of departure. Alaska 148

49.—Notice of hunt. Alaska 149

50.

—

^{Notice ofdirection. Alaska 149}

51.

—

^{Notice ofdirection. Alaska 150}

52.

—

^{Notice ofdirection. Alaska 150}

53.—Notice ofdistress. Alaska 152

54.

—

^{Noticeofdepartureand refuge. Alaska 152}

55.

—

^{Notice ofdepartureto}relieve distress. Alaska 153

56.

—

^{Ammunition wanted. Alaska 154}

57.

—

^{Assistancewantedin}hunt. Alaska 154

58.

—

Starving hunters. Alaska ^' 154

59.

—

^{Starvinghunters. Alaska 155}

60.—LeanWolf'smap. Hidatsa, 158

61.

—

Letter^to"Little-man" fromhis father. Cheyenne 160

62.

—

^{Drawingofsmokes'gnal.} Alaska 161

63.

—

Tesuque Diplomatic Packet 162

64.

—

Tesuque Diplomatic Packet 162

65.

—

Tesuque Diplomatic Packet 162

66.

—

Tesuque Diplomatic Packet 163

67.

—

Tesuque Diplomatic Packet 163

68.

—

^Dakotapictograph: forKaiowa 165

69.

—

Dakotapietogroph^: forArikara 166

10

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page.

Fig. 70.

—

^{Dakotapictograph: forO.naha 166}

71.

—

Dakotapictograph: forPawnee 166

7v!.

—

Dakotapictograph: forAssiniboioe 166

73.

—

^I>:iU<>t;i pictograph^: forGroaVentre 106

74.

—

^Lean-Wolfas "Partisan" 168

75.-Two-sirikc as "Partisan" 169

70.

—

^Lean-Wolf|personal name) ^IT'.'

77.—Pointer. Dakota 172

78.

—

^shallow. Dakota ^it.!

79.—Loud-Talker. Dakota 173

80.—Boat Paddle. Ankara 182

31. African propertymark 182

82.

—

^{llidatsafeathermarks:} First to strikeenemy 184

83.

—

lliilatsaleathermarks^: Secondtostrike'enemy 184

-1,—llidatsa feathermarks^: Thirdtostrikeenemy ^1-1

85.

—

llidatsa feathermarks^: I'ourllito strikeenemy ^I-J

86.

—

^{lliilatsa feather}marks^: Woundedbyanenemy ¹⁸⁴

87.

—

llidatsa feathermarks^: Killed a woman 1-1

—

^I.

—

Dakota feather marks: Killed anenemy 185 89.

—

^{Dakotafeather marks: Cut throatandscalped 185}

90.

—

^{Dakotafeather marks:} Cut enemy'sthroat 185

91.

—

¹lakota feather marks: Thirdto strike 185

92.

—

^{Dakotafeather marks:} Fourth to strike 185 93.

—

^{Dakota feathermarks: Fifth tostrike 185}

94.

—

^{Dakotafeather marks:} Many wounds 185

95.

—

^{Successful defense. Hidatsa, etc 186}

96.

— ^Two

^{successfuldefenses,} llidatsa, etc 186

97.

—

^{Capturedahorse. Hidatsa, etc 186}

9h.

—

First to strikean enemy, llidatsa 187

99.

—

^{Secondto strike an enemy, llidatsa 187}

100.

—

^{Thirdto strikean enemy, llidatsa 1-7}

101.

—

^{Fourthtostrikean enemy, llidatsa 187}

102.

—

Fifth to strikean enemy. Arikara 187

103.

—

^Struckfour enemies, llidatsa 187

104.—Thunderbird. Dakota 188

105.—Thunderbird. Dakota 189

100.—Thunderbird (wingless). Dakota 189

107.—Thunderbird (inbeads'!. Dakota 189

108.—Thunderbird. Haida 190

109.—Thunderbird. Twana 190

110—Dory record, Shamanexorcisingdemon. Alaska 191

111.

—

^Ivoryrecord. Supplicationfor success. Alaska 192

Ilia.

—

^{Shaman's Lodge. Alaska 190}

112.

—

^{Alaska votiveoffering 197}

113.

—

^{Alaskagrave-post 198}

111.

—

^{Alaskagrave-post 199}

115.

—

^{Alaskavillage}and burialgrounds 199

116.

— ^New

Zealand grave effigy 200

117.

—

^{New Zealand grave-post 201}

118.

—

New^Zealand house posts 201

119.

—

Mdewakantawanfetich 20

i

120.

—

^{Ottawapipe-stem 204}

121.—Walrus hunter. Alaska 205

122.

—

^{Alaskacarving with records 205}

123.—OriginofBrule". Dakota 207

ILLUSTRATIONS.

¹

1

Page.

FlG. 124.

—

RunningAntelope: Killedone Arikara 208 125.—RunningAntelope: Shotandscalpedan Arikara ²⁰⁹

126.—RunningAntelope: Shot an Arikara ²⁰⁹

127.—RunningAntelope: Killed twowarriors 210 128.

—

^{RunningAntelope: Killed tenmenand threewomen 210}

129.

—

^{RunningAntelope: Killed twochiefs 211}

130.—Running^{Antelope: Killed oneArikara 211}

131.—RunningAntelope: Killed one Arikara 212

132.—RunningAntelope: KilledtwoArikara hunters 212 133.

—

Running^{Antelope: KilledliveArikara 213}

134.

—

^{RunningAntelope:} Killed an Arikara 213

135.—Recordof hunt. Alaska ²¹⁴

136.

—

^{Shoshoni horseraid 21:>}

137.—Drawingon lmffalo shoulder-blade. Camanche ²¹⁶

138.—Cross-Bear'sdeath ²¹⁷

139.—Barkrecordfrom RedLake, Minnesota ^{- 218}

140.— Signfor pipe. Dakota ²¹⁹

141.—Plentybuffalo meat, Dakota ²¹⁹

142.—Plentybuffalo meat. Dakota ²²⁰

143.—Pictograph^forTrade. Dakota ²²⁰

144.—Starvation. Dakota ²²⁰

145.—Starvation. Ottawa and Pottawatomi ²²¹

146.—^Pain. Diedof "Whistle." Dakota. ²²¹ 147.—ExampleofAlgonkianpetroglyphs,fromMillsborough,Pennsylvania. 224 14*.—ExampleofAlgonkiaupetroglyphs,fromHamiltonFarm,WestVir-

giuui -—

'

149.—ExampleofAlgoukianpetroglyphs,fromSafeHarbor, Pennsylvania

.

226 150.—Example^of Western Algonkianpetroglyphs,fromWyoming. ²²⁷ 151.—ExampleofShoshonianpetroglyphs, from Idaho 228 152.

—

^{ExampleofShoshonian}petroglyphs,from Idaho ²²⁹ 153.—ExampleofShoshonianpetroglyphs,from Utah ²³⁰

154.

—

^ExampleofShoshonian rockpainting,from Utah 230 155.

—

^{Rockpainting,from Tule} River, California 235

156.

—

^{SacredinclosurefromArizona. Moki 23'}

157.

—

^Cerimonialhead-dress. Moki ^23/

158.

—

^{Houses. Moki}

159.

—

Burden-sticks. Moki ²³⁸

160.

—

^{Arrows. Moki *38}

161.—Blossoms. Moki ²³⁸

162.—Lightning. Moki ²³⁸

163.—Clouds. Moki ^{' '-'::-}

164.—Clouds withrain. Moki ²³⁸

165.—Stars. Moki ²³⁸

166.—Sun. Moki ²³⁹

167.—^Sunrise. Moki ^23'J

168.—DrawingofDakotalodges,byHidatsa ²⁴⁰

169.

—

^Drawingofearth lodges,byHidatsa 240 170.

—

^Drawingofwhite man'shouse,by Hidatsa 240

171.

—

Hidatsati, thehomeofthe.Hidatsa ²⁴⁰

172.

—

^{Horsesand man. Arikara 240}

173.—Dead man. Arikara ²⁴⁰

174.

—

^{Secondtostrikeenemy. Hidatsa 240}

175.—Third^tostrikeenemy. Hidatsa ²⁴⁰

176.—Scalp taken. Hidatsa ²⁴⁰

177.

—

^{Enemystruckandguncaptured. Hidatsa v. 240}

12 ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page.

Fig. ^178.

—

Meudotadrawing. Dakota -Ml

179.

—

Symbolof war. Dakota 241

180.—Captives. Dakota 242

181.—Circle of men. Dakota 242

182.

—

^{Shootingfrom riverbanks. Dakota 242}

L83—Panther. Haida 242

184.—Wolfbead. Haida 24:s

185.

—

^Drawingson anAfrican knife 243

18(5.

—

Conventionalcharacters^: Men. Arikara 244

187.

—

Conventionalcharacters: Man. Innnit 244 188.

—

Conventionalcharacters^: Dead man. ^Satsika 244 189.

—

Conventionalcharacters: Man^addressed. Innnit 244 190.— Conventionalcharacters^: Man. Innnit 244 191.

—

Conventionalcharacters: Man. FromTuleRiver, California 244 192.

—

Conventionalcharacters: Man. From TuleRiver, California 244

19'.5.

—

Conventionalcharacters^: Disabledman^. Ojibwa 244

194.—Conventional characters^: Shaman. Innnit 245 195.

—

Conventionalcharacters: Supplication. Innnit 245 196.

—

Conventional characters: Man. Ojibwa 245 197.

—

Conventionalcharacters: Spiritually enlightenedman. Ojibwa... 245 198.

—

Conventionalcharacters: Awabeuo. Ojibwa 245 199.

—

Conventional characters: An evilMeda. Ojibwa 245 200.

—

Conventional characters^:

A

Meda. Ojibwa 245 201.

—

Conventionalcharacters: Man. Hidatsa 245 202.

—

Conventionalcharacters: Headless body. Ojibwa 245 203.

—

Conventional characters: Headlessbody. Ojibwa 245

204.

—

Conventionalcharacters: Man. Moki 245

205.

—

Conventionalcharacters^: Man. FromSiberia 245 206.

—

Conventionalcharacters^: Superiorknowledge. Ojibwa 246 207.

—

Conventionalcharacters^: AnAmerican. Ojibwa 246

208.

—

^Specimenof imitatedpictograph 249

209.

—

^{Symbolsofcross 252}

ON THE PICTOGRAPHS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN

INDIANS.

By Gareiok Mallery.

INTIIOnrC'TORY.

A

^{pictographis a writingby picture. Itconveysand records anidea}

or occurrence

by

graphic

means

without the use of words or letters.

The

execution of the pictures of which ^{it is}

composed

often exhibits the first crude efforts of graphic ^art, and their study in that relation is of value.

When

pictures are

employed

as writingthe conception intended tobepresented ^is generallyanalyzed,and only its most essen- tial pointsare indicated, with the result that the characters

when

fre-

quentlyrepeated

become

conventional,

and

in their later forms cease to be recognizable as objective portraitures. This exhibition of con- ventionalizing also hasits

own

import in the history ofart.

Pictographsare considered in the present paper chietly in reference to their significance asone form of thought-writing directly addressed to the sight, gesture-language being the other

and

probably earlier form. So ^far as they are true ideographs they are the permanent,

direct, visibleexpressionof ideas of which gesture-language gives the transient expression.

When

adopted ^for syllabaries or alphabets, which is

known

tobe the historical course of evolution inthat regard, they haveceased tobe thedirect

and

have

become

the indirect expres- sion of theideasframed inoral speech.

The

^writing

common

^{in civili-}

zationrecordssoundsdirectly,not primarily thoughts, thelatter having

firstbeentranslatedintosounds.

The

traceof pictographs in the latter use shows the earlier

and

predominantconceptions.

The

importanceofthestudyof pictographsdepends

upon

their exam- ination as aphase ⁱⁿthe evolution of

human

culture, or as containing valuableinformation to beascertained

by

interpretation.

The

invention of alphabetic writing being by general admission the great step

marking

the change from barbarism into civilization, the historyofitsearlierdevelopment

must

bevaluable. It isinferred from internal evidence that picture-writing preceded

and

originated the graphic systems of Egypt, Nineveh,

and

China, but in North

America

itsuseis still

modern and

current. Itcanbestudiedthere, withoutany

13

1 I

PICTOGRAPHS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN

^INDIANS.

requirement of inference or hypothesis, in actual existence as applied torecords

and

communications. Furthermore, itstransition intosigns of sound^isapparentin the Aztecandthe

Maya

characters,inwhichstageit

was onlyarrested by foreigu conquest.

The

earliest lessonsof thebirth and growth of culture in this most important branch of investigation cantherefore be best learned from the

Western

Hemisphere. In this connection it

may

lienoticed that picture-writing is found in sustained rigoron the

same

continent where sign-language has prevailedor con- tinued in active operation to an ^extent

unknown

in other parts of the world. These

modes

of expression, i.e., transient and permanent idea- writing, are so correlated in their origin and development that neither canbe studied with advantage to the exclusion of the other.

The

limits assigned to this paper allow only of its

comprehending

the Indians north of .Mexico,except ^as the pictographs of other peoples areintroducedforcomparison.

Among

these nodiscovery has ^\et been

made

of any of the several devices, such as the rebus, or the initial,

adopted elsewhere, by which the element of sound apart from signifi-

cance hasbeen introduced.

The

first stage of picture-writingasrecognized

among

the Egyptians

was

the representation of a material object in such styleor connection asdetermined itnot to bea mere portraiture ofthat object, but figura- tive of

some

otherobjectorperson. This stage is abundantlyexhibited

among

theIndians. Indeed, their personal and tribal

names

thus ob- jectivelyrepresented constitute the largest part of theirpicture-writing

so farthoroughly understood.

The

second step gained by the Egyptians

was when

the picture be-

came

used as a symbol ^of

some

quality or characteristic. It can be readily seen

how

a

hawk

with bright eye

and

lofty flight might be se- lected asa symbol of divinityand royalty,

and

thatthecrocodile should denote darkness, whilea slightlyfurther stepinmetaphysicalsymbolism

made

the ostrich feather, from the equalityof its filaments, typical of truth. Itis evident fromexamples given inthe presentpaper thatthe North

American

tribes at the time of the

Columbian

discovery

had

entered

upon

this second step of picture-writing, though with

marked

inequality between tribes

and

regions in advance therein.

None

of

them

appearto have reached suchproficiency in the expression of con- nected ideas

by

pictureasis

shown

in thesign-languageexisting

among some

of them, in which even conjunctions and prepositions are indi- cated. Still

many

truly ideographic pictures arc known.

A

consideration relative to the antiquity of mystic symbolism, and

its position in the several culture-periods, arises in thisconnection. It

appears to have been an outgrowthof

human

thought, perhapsin the nature of an excrescence, useful for a time, but

abandoned

afteracer- tain stage of advancement.

A

^criticism hasbeen

made

^on the whole subject of pictography

by

Dr. Richard Andree,who, in his work, Ethnographische Parallelen

und

Yergleiche,Stuttgart, 1S7S,has described and figured alarge

number

of

MAi.Fiivl

SIGNIFICANCE OF PICTOGRAPHY 15

examples ofpetroglyphs, a

name

given

by

bim to rock-drawings and adopted by the present ^writer. His view appears ^tobe that these figures are frequently the idle

marks

which,

among

^civilized people, boys ^<>r ignorant persons cut with their pen-knives on the desks

and

walls of school-rooms, or scrawl on the walls of lanes and re- tired places.

From

this criticism, however, Dr.

Andree

carefully ex- cludes the pictographs of theNorth

American

Indians, his conclusion being that those found inother parts of the world generally occupy a transition stage lower than thatconceded for the Indians. It is possi- ble that significance

may

^yet be ascertained in

many

of the characters found in otherregions,

and

perhaps this

may

beaided

by

the study of those inNorthAmerica^: butnodoubt should existthat the latter have purpose and meaning.

Any

attempt at the relegation of such picto- graphsas aredescribed inthepresent paper, and

have

been the subject of the study of the presentwriter, to

any

trivial origin can be

met by

a thorough

knowledge

of the labor

and

pains which were necessary in the production of

some

of the petroglyphs described.

All criticism in question with regard to the actual significanceof North

American

pictographs is still better

met by

theirpractical use

by

historic Indians forimportant purposes, asimportant to

them

astheart of writing, of whichthe presentpaperpresents a large

number

of con- clusive examples. It is also

known

that

when

they

now make

^picto- graphs it isgenerally done with intention

and

significance.

Even when

this

work

isundertakento supply the

demand

forpainted robes as articles oftradeit is a seriousmanufacture,though sometimes imitative in character and not intrinsically significant. All otherin-

stances

known

in which pictures are

made

without original design, as indicated under the severalclassifications of thispaper, are

when

they arepurely ornamental; but in suchcases they areoften elaborate

and

artistic,never theidle scrawlsabovementioned.

A

mainobjectofthis paperis to call attention to the subject in other parts of the world,and

to ascertain whether thepractice of pictography does notstill exist in

some

corresponding

manner beyond what

is

now

published.

A

^generaldeduction

made

^after several years ofstudy of pictographs of all kinds found

among

^the North

American

Indians is that they exhibitvery little trace of mysticism or of esotericism in any form.

They

^are objective representations,

and

cannot be treated as ciphers or cryptographs in any attemptat their interpretation.

A ^knowledge

^of

the customs, costumes, including arrangement of hair, paint,

and

all tribal designations,

and

of their histories

and

traditions is essential to the understanding of their drawings, forwhich reason

some

of those particulars

known

to

have

influenced pictography are set forth in this paper,

and

others aresuggested which possibly

had

asimilar influence.

Comparatively fewoftheirpicture signshave

become

merelyconven- tional.

A

^still smaller proportion are eithersymbolical oremblematic, butsomeof these arenoted.

By

^farthelargerpart of

them

aremerely

16 PICTOGRAPHS OF THE NOETH AMERICAN

^INDIANS.

mnemonic

recordsand aretreated ofin connection with material objects formerly and, perhaps, still used mnemonically.

It is believed that the interpretation of the ancient forms is to be ob- tained, if at all, not by ^{the discovery of} any hermenentic key, bat by an understandingof the

modern

forms,

some

of which fortunately can be interpreted by ^living

men

; and

when

^{this is} not the case the.

more

recentforms can be

made

intelligibleat leastin part by thorough knowl- edge of the historic tribes, including their sociology, philosophy, and

aits, such as^is

now

becomingacquired, and oftheirsign-language.

It is notbelievetl that

any

considerable information of value ⁱⁿ an historical point ofview will beobtained directlyfromthe interpretation of the pictographs in North America.

The

only pictureswhich can ^lie of great antiquity arerock-carvings and those in shell or similar sub- stances resistingthe action of time, which have been ^or

may

be found

in mounds.

The

greater partofthose already

known

are simply peck- ings, etchings, or paintings delineating natural objects, very often animals, and illustrate the beginningof pictorial art. It is, however, probable that otherswereintended to

commemorate

eventsor to repre- sent ideas entertained

by

their authors,but the events which to

them

were of

moment

^{are oflittleimportance} as history.

They

referred gen- erallyto

some

insignificant fight or

some

season of plenty or offamine, or to other circumstances the evident consequence ofwhich has long ceased.

While, however,it is not supposed that old inscriptions exist directly recording substantively important events, it ishoped that

some

mate- rials forhistorycanbe gatheredfrom thecharactersina

manner

^similar

to the triumph ofcomparative philologyin resurrecting the life-history

and culture of the ancientAryans.

The

significance of thecharacters being granted, they exhibit

what

chiefly interested their authors, and thoseparticulars

may

beof anthropologic consequence.

The

study has so faradvanced^that,independentof thesignificanceofindividual char- acters, several distinct types of execution are noted which

may

^be ex- pected to disclose data regarding priscan habitat

and

migration. In this connection it

may

be mentioned that recent discoveries render ^it probable that

some

ofthe pictographswere intended as guide-marks to point out^{trails,springs,}and ^fords,

and some

others are supposed to in-

dicate at least the localityof

mounds

and graves, and ^{possiblytorecord}

specific statements concerning them.

A

^{comparison of} typical forms

may

also usefullybe

made

with theobjectsofart

now exhumed

ⁱⁿ large

numbers

from the mounds.

Ample

evidence exists that

many

of the pictographs, both ancient and modern, are connected with the mythology

and

religious practices of theirmakers.

The

interpretations obtained during the present year of

some

of those

among

the Mold, Zuni, and Navajo, throw

new

and stronglight on thissubject. Itisregretted that the mostvaluable

and

novel part ofthis informationcannot beincluded in the present paper,

mali-ehv.J HISTORIC

AND MYTHIC

SIGNIFICANCE.

17

;is it is in the possession ofthe

Bureau

ofEthnology ^{iu a} shapenot yet

arrangedforpublication,orformspart oftheforthcoming'volumeofthe Transactions of the Anthropological Society ofWashington, wbieh

may

not he anticipated.

The

following general remarks of Schoolcraft, Vol. 1,p. 351, are of

siHue value, though they apply with any accuracy only to the Ojibwa

and

are tinctured with a fondness for the mysterious:

Furtheirpictographic devices theNorthAmerican Indianshavetwoterms,namely, Kekeewin, orsuch things as are generally understood bythe tribe; and Kekeenourin, or teachings oftilt; medasor priests, anAjossakeedsorprophets. The knowledgeofthe latterischieflyconfined to personswho areversed in their systemofmagic medi- eine. or their religion, and maybedeemedhieratic. Theformerconsistsofthecom- mon figurative signs,suchasare employed at placesof sepulture, orby hunting or travelingparties. It is also employed in the mtizzindbiks,or rock-writings. Many

of the figures are common to both, andare seen in thedrawings generally; but it is tobeunderstood thatthis resultsfrom the figure-alphabetbeing precisely the same iuboth, while the devices of the nugamoons,ormedicine, wabino, hunting, and war songs,are knownsolely tothe ^initiateswhohavelearnedthem,and whoalways pay highto the nativeprofessors for thisknowledge.

It must, however, be admitted,as above suggested, that

many

ofthe pictographs found are not of the historic or mythologic significance once supposed. For instance, theexamination ot the rock carvings in several parts of the country has

shown

^that

some

of

them

were

mere

records of the visitsof individuals toimportant springs or tofords on regularly established trails. In this respect there seems tohave been, in the intention of the Indians, very

much

the

same

spirit as induces thecivilized

man

torecordhisinitials

upon

objectsintheneighborhoodof places of generalresort.

At

OakleySprings, ArizonaTerritory,totemic

marks

have been found, evidently

made

by ^the

same

individual at successive visits,

showing

thaton the

number

of occasions indicated he

had

passed

by

those springs, probably

camping

^there,

and

such record

was

the habit of the neighboring Indians at that time.

The same

repetition of totemic

names

^lias been found iu great

numbers

iu the pipestone quarries of Dakota,

and

also at

some

old fordsin

West

^Vir-

ginia.

But

these totemic

marks

are so designed

and

executed as to have intrinsic significance

and

value, wholly different in this respect from vulgar

names

in alphabetic form. It shouldalso be

remembered

that meregraffitiarerecognizedas ofvalue by thehistorian, the anthro- pologist, aud theartist.

One

very

marked

peculiarity of the drawingsof the Indians is that within each particularsystem, such as

may

becalled atribal system, of pictography, every Indian

draws

in precisely the

same

manner.

The

figures of a

man,

of a horse,

and

of every other object delineated, are

made by

every one

who

attempts to

make any

such figure with all the identityofwhichtheir mechanical skill iscapable, thus showing ^their conception aud motive to bethe same.

The

intention of the present

work

^is not to present at this time a view of the whole subject of pictography, though the writer hasbeen

i

eth

²

18 P1CT0GBAPHS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN

INDIANS.

preparing materials with a reference ^to that more ambitious project.

The

paper ^is limited to the presentation of the most important

known

pictographsof theNorth American Indians, with such classification as has been found convenient to the writer, and, for that reason,

may

be so to collaborators.

The scheme

of the paper lias been to givevery simplyoneor

more

examples, with illustrations, in connection with each one of the headings or titles of the classifications designated. This plan lias involved a considerable

amount

ofcross reference, because, in

many

^{cases, a} character, or a group of characters, could be ^c sidered with reference to a

number

of noticeable characteristics, and ^it was a

question of choice under which one of the headings ^{it should be} pre- sented, involving reference ^{to it} from the otherdivisions of the paper.

An

amount ^of space disproportionate to the mere subdivision of

Time

undertheclassof

Mnemonics,

isoccupied bythe

Dakota

WinterCounts, but itis not believed thatany apologyisnecessaryfortheirfull present- ation, asthey not onlyexhibit thedevicementioned inreferencetotheir use as calendars, but furnish a repertory for all points connected with the graphic portrayal ^{of ideas.}

Attention is invited to the

employment

of the heraldic scheme of designating ^colors by lines, dots,etc., in those instances in the illustra- tions where ^color appeared to have significance, while it

was

not prac- ticable to produce the coloration of the originals. In

many

cases,

however, the figuresare too minute topermitthe successful use ofthat scheme, and the text

must

be referred tofor explanation.

Thanks

are due and rendered for valuable assistance to correspond- entsandespeciallyto officersoftheBureauofEthnology

and

theUnited StatesGeological Survey,

whose names

are generally mentioned ^{in con-} uectionwith theirseveralcontributions.

Acknowledgment

^isalso

made

now and

throughout the paper toDr.

W.

J.

Hoffman who

has officially assisted the present writer during several years by researches in the field,

and

by drawing nearly all the illustrations presented.