The Archaeology of the Yakima ValleySmith, Harlan Ingersoll
History
The Archaeology of the Yakima Valley
Smith, Harlan Ingersoll
Yakima River Valley (Wash.) -- Antiquities
Fig. 29 is the first of those showing the longer type of pestle from the
Yakima region. This specimen was found at Satus on the Yakima
Reservation near Old Yakima and is in the collection of Mr. York. The
top is somewhat spherical and the body elongated. Its conoid shape may
class it with the one shown in Fig. 24. It somewhat reminds us of the
pestles of the Santa Catalina Islands of California, but until we have a
more definite knowledge of the forms in the vast intervening area, this
resemblance must be considered as merely a coincidence, especially since
long simple conoid pestles are found in the Nez Perce region to the
east.[102] A somewhat similar pestle in Mr. York's collection is 408
mm. long, and has a tapering body, circular in sections, a knob at the
top about the size of the base and a convex striking face. It was found
at Fort Simcoe.
[102] Cf. Spinden, Plate VI, Figs. 8-10, Plate VIII, Fig. 6.
[Illustration: Fig. 26. Pestle made of Stone. From Yakima River five
miles below Old Yakima. 1/2 nat. size. (Drawn from a sketch. Original in
the collection of Mr. York.)]
[Illustration: Fig. 27. Pestle made of Stone. From a grave in the Yakima
Valley. About 1/2 nat. size. (Drawn from photograph 44454, 2-3. Original
in the collection of Mr. Janeck.)]
[Illustration: Fig. 28. Pestle made of Stone. From the surface in the
Yakima Valley within eight miles of North Yakima. About 1/2 nat. size.
(Drawn from photograph 44454, 2-3. Original in the collection of Mr.
Janeck.)]
The pestle shown in Fig. 30 is made of sandstone, was found at Priest
Rapids and is in the collection of Mrs. Hinman. The shaft is a long
cylinder, expanding somewhat towards the base which is only slightly
convex. Like the preceding, it has no striking head. It has a
hemispherical top, is unusually large and is decorated with an
encircling line of circles and dots. There is also a circle and dot in
the top. This decoration is again mentioned in the consideration of art
on p. 130.[103]
[103] Museum negative no. 44537, 9-3.
The pestle shown in Fig. 31 is 355 mm. long. It has a conoid body
perhaps more pronounced than the one shown in Fig. 29 but much less
typical than the one shown in Fig. 24. The top is apparently intended to
represent an animal head. It is made of very hard breccia and well
polished. At each side of the lower part of the body is a design made by
four parallel zigzag grooves, further discussed on p. 132. It was found
in the Yakima Valley, and is in the collection of Mr. Janeck.[104] A
pestle figured by Spinden, as from the Nez Perce Indians,[105] is
somewhat similar to this in that it has a knob protruding slightly to
one side, but there is a notch or groove made longitudinally in the top
of this knob.
[104] Museum negative no. 44502, 6-3.
[105] Spinden, Fig. 7, Plate VIII.
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