Picture-Writing of the American Indians: Tenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1888-89, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1893, pages 3-822Mallery, Garrick
History
Picture-Writing of the American Indians: Tenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1888-89, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1893, pages 3-822
Mallery, Garrick
Picture-writing, Indian
On the south bank of the Holston, 5 miles above the mouth of
French Broad, is a bluff of limestone opposite the mounds and a
cave in it. The bluff is 100 feet in height. On it are painted in
red colors, like those on the Paint rock, the sun and moon, a man,
birds, fishes, etc. The paintings have in part faded within a few
years. Tradition says these paintings were made by the Cherokees,
who were accustomed in their journeys to rest at this place.
Wherever on the rivers of Tennessee are perpendicular bluffs, on
the sides, and especially if caves be near, are often found mounds
near them, inclosed in intrenchments, with the sun and moon painted
on the rocks, and charcoal and ashes in the smaller mounds. These
tokens seem to be evincive of a connection between the mounds, the
charcoal and ashes, the paintings and the caves.
TEXAS.
Mr. J. R. Bartlett (_b_) gives the following account:
About 30 miles from El Paso del Norte, in Texas, very near the
boundary line of Mexico, there is an overhanging rock, extending
for some distance, the whole surface of which is covered with rude
paintings and sculptures, representing men, animals, birds, snakes,
and fantastic figures. The colors used are black, red, white, and
a brownish yellow. The sculptures are mere peckings with a sharp
instrument just below the surface of the rock. The accompanying
engravings [reproduced in Fig. 80] show the character of the figures
and the taste of the designers. Hundreds of similar ones are painted
on the rocks at this place. Some of them, evidently of great age,
had been partly defaced to make room for more recent devices.
The overhanging rock, beneath which we encamped, seemed to have
been a favorite place of resort for the Indians, as it is at the
present day for all passing travelers. The recess formed by this
rock is about 15 feet in length by 10 in width. Its entire surface
is covered with paintings, one laid on over the other, so that it is
difficult to make out those which belong to the aborigines. I copied
a portion of these figures, about which there can be no doubt as to
the origin. They represent Indians with shields and bows, painted
with a brownish earth; horses, with their riders; uncouth looking
animals, and a large rattlesnake. Similar devices cover the rock in
every part, but are much defaced. Near this overhanging rock is the
largest and finest tank or pool of water to be found about here. It
is only reached by clambering on the hands and knees 15 or 20 feet
up a steep rock. Over it projects a gigantic bowlder, which, resting
on or wedged between other rocks, leaves a space of about 4 feet
above the surface of the water. On the underside of this bowlder are
fantastic designs in red paint, which could only have been made by
persons lying on their backs in this cool and sheltered spot.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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