Art in Shell of the Ancient Americans: Second annual report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1880-81, pages 179-306Holmes, William Henry
History
Art in Shell of the Ancient Americans: Second annual report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1880-81, pages 179-306
Holmes, William Henry
Indian art; Indians -- Antiquities
The magnificent belt shown in Plate XLII, is probably the finest example
in existence. It is fifteen rows wide and six hundred and fifty in
length, making the enormous total of nine thousand seven hundred and
fifty beads. Mr. Beauchamp believes that this belt, or one like it, has
been described as representing the formation of the League. From
Webster's[120] statement, that it was "made by George Washington," he
surmises that it is a belt memorizing a covenant between the Indians and
the government. In the center is a house which has three gables and
three compartments. Next the house on either side are two pictographic
men, who appear to stand beneath protecting arms which pass over their
heads, connect with the house, and grasp the hands of the first
personages immediately on the right and left. In all there are fifteen
figures of men, two being connected with the house; of the others, six
stand on the right and seven on the left of the central group. It is
suggested by Mr. Beauchamp that these figures may represent the thirteen
colonies.
[Illustration: PL. XLII--WAMPUM BELT BELONGING TO THE ONONDAGAS.]
Six other belts are shown in the photographs procured by General Price.
One of them is thirteen rows wide and two hundred and fifty beads in
length. The light ground is decorated with groups of triple chevrons.
This belt is somewhat fragmentary. Another is forty-nine rows wide,
being the widest example known. The original length cannot be
determined, but at present it is two hundred and forty beads in length,
and hence contains about twelve thousand beads. The pattern is simple,
consisting of a dark ground notched at the edges with triangular figures
of white. As the four remaining belts of this fine collection have no
features of especial interest, they need not be described here.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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