Archeology of the lower Mimbres valley, New MexicoFewkes, Jesse Walter
History
Archeology of the lower Mimbres valley, New Mexico
Fewkes, Jesse Walter
Mimbres River Valley (N.M.) -- Antiquities
By far the most unusual group of human forms consists of two figures,
one male, the other female, depicted on another bowl. The action in
which these two are engaged is evident. The female figure has dependent
breasts and wears a girdle. One hand is raised and brought to the face
and the other carries a triangular object. The female figure has three
parallel marks on the cheek, like the Hopi war-god. Behind the woman
are several curved lines depicting unidentified objects.
The figure shown on one bowl (fig. 18) has several marked features, but
the author is unable to suggest any theory of identification. It seems
to be a seated figure with a human head, arms, and legs, the toes and
fingers being like hands and feet. The forearm is drawn on the shoulder
in the same way as in the one of the hunters (fig. 13). The eye, nose,
and mouth are also human, but the body is more like that of an animal.
The appendages back of the head are similar to those interpreted as
feathers on the heads of certain animal designs.
[Illustration: FIG. 18.—Unidentified animal and bowl of unusual form.
Oldtown Ruin. (Osborn collection.)]
On the theory that this is a seated human figure it is interesting
to speculate on the meaning of the curved object represented on the
surface of the bowl, extending from one hand to the foot. This object
has the general form of a rabbit stick or boomerang, still used by the
Hopi in rabbit hunting.[34]
The well-drawn figure painted on a bowl (pl. 1, fig. 2) from Oldtown
ruin represents a man with knees extended and arms raised as if
dancing. This picture has characteristic markings on the face, but
otherwise is not distinctive.
QUADRUPEDS
_Wolf._—Although there are not sufficiently characteristic features
represented in the next figure (pl. 2, fig. 1)[35] to identify it
satisfactorily, the form of the head, tail, mouth, and ears suggests
a wolf.[36] The square design[37] covering one side of the body seems
to the author not to belong to the animal itself, for an Indian who
could represent an animal as faithfully as those here pictured would
not place on it such markings unless for a purpose. It resembles the
small blankets sometimes worn by pet dogs or horses among white people,
which is a lame explanation, as dog and horse blankets were unknown
among Indians. The only theory the author has formed regarding this
geometrical figure is that it is a variant of the Sikyatki habit of
accompanying a figure of an animal with a representation of his shrine.
This bowl is of black and white ware and is eleven inches in diameter
by five and one-half inches deep.
[Illustration: FIG. 19.—Antelope. (Osborn collection.) Diam. 10″.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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