Pictographs of the North American Indians. A preliminary paper: Fourth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1882-83, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1886, pages 3-256Mallery, Garrick
History
Pictographs of the North American Indians. A preliminary paper: Fourth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1882-83, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1886, pages 3-256
Mallery, Garrick
Haida Indians; Picture-writing, Indian; Tattooing
No. 1 represents a person weeping. The eyes have lines running down to
the breast, below the ends of which are three short lines on either
side. The arms and hands are in the exact position for making the
gesture for rain. It was evidently the intention of the artist to show
that the hands in this gesture should be passed downward over the face,
as probably suggested by the short lines upon the lower end of the
tears. This is a noticeable illustration of the general term used by
Indians when making the gesture for weeping; _i. e._, “eye-rain.” It is
evident that sorrow is portrayed in this illustration, grief based upon
the sufferings of others who are shown in connection therewith.
Nos. 2, 3, 4. Six individuals apparently making the gesture for
“hunger,” by passing the hands towards and backward from the sides of
the body, denoting a “gnawing sensation,” as expressed by Indians.
No. 4 occupying a horizontal position, may possibly denote a “dead
man,” dead of starvation, this position being adopted by the Ojibwa,
Blackfeet, and others as a common way of representing a dead person.
The varying lengths of head ornaments denote different degrees of
position as warriors or chiefs.
Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are individuals in various shapes making gestures
for negation, or more specifically _nothing_, _nothing here_, a natural
and universal gesture made by throwing one or both hands outward toward
either side of the body. The hands are extended also, and, to make the
action apparently more emphatic, the extended toes are also shown on
Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 9. The several lines upon the leg of No. 9 refer
evidently to trimmings upon the leggings.
No. 10 is strikingly similar to the Alaskan pictographs (see No. 1 of
Figure 55, page 153) indicating _self_ with the right hand, and the
left pointing away, signifying _to go_.
No. 11 is an ornamented head with body and legs, and is unintelligible.
This may probably refer to a Shaman, the head being similar to like
personages as represented by the Ojibwa and Iroquois.
Similar drawings occur at a distance of about 10 miles southeast of
this locality, as well as at other places toward the northwest, and
it appears probable that the present record was made by a portion
of a tribe which had advanced for the purpose of selecting a new
camping place, but failing to find the necessary quantities of food
for sustenance, this notice was erected to advise their successors of
their misfortune and ultimate departure toward the northwest. It is
noticeable, also, that the picture is so placed upon the rock that the
extended arm of No. 10 points toward the north.
The foregoing description is substantially the same as published by Dr.
Hoffman in Transactions of the Anthropological Society, Washington, II,
1883, pages 128-132.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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