The Archaeology of the Yakima ValleySmith, Harlan Ingersoll
History
The Archaeology of the Yakima Valley
Smith, Harlan Ingersoll
Yakima River Valley (Wash.) -- Antiquities
The pestle shown in Fig. 32 might perhaps be considered as a war club.
It was found at Priest Rapids and is in the collection of Mr. Mires. The
top is somewhat flat and smoothed. There is a groove around the specimen
near this end. From here it constricts gradually to the lower end which
is broken off. It was made from a triangular piece of gray basalt,
probably a column, the natural angles and parts of the faces of which
have been reduced by pecking.[106]
[106] Museum negative no. 44534, 8-12.
The specimen shown in Fig. 33 from the Yakima Valley, is in the
collection of Mr. Janeck and is 630 mm. long. The top apparently
represents an animal head indicated by three nipples the larger of which
is interpreted as representing the nose, the others as indicating the
ears. The body is of circular cross section and expands evenly to a
cylindrical striking head 70 mm. in diameter by 76 mm. long.[107]
[107] Museum negative no. 44502, 6-3.
A long pestle with a knob at the top which is divided into four
pyramidal or dome-shaped nipples was found at Five Mile Rapids on Snake
River and was seen in Mr. Owen's collection. The next figure represents
a stone pestle of somewhat similar shape but more specialized. It was
found in the Yakima Valley and is in the collection of Mr. Janeck. It is
590 mm. long. The top is roughly the form of the fustrum of a cone,
being circular in cross section and gradually expanding downward, but it
is somewhat celt-shaped, the sides for some distance being ground off
nearly flat. They approach each other more closely towards the front
than they do towards the back. In each of these surfaces there is an
incision which represents one side of an animal's mouth and a pecked dot
indicating an eye. The tip of the nose is broken off. Across the curved
part behind the flat surfaces or on the back of this animal head are
four incisions. Below this portion the object is circular in section
until near its middle, or 178 mm. from the top, where there is a band
roughly sub-pentagonal in section with rounded corners 88 mm. long.
Following this band it is nearly cylindrical, being 57 mm. in diameter
for 178 mm. until it expands suddenly into the striking head which is
unusually bulging, 108 mm. long by 64 mm. in diameter.[108]
[108] Museum negative no. 44502, 6-3.
[Illustration: Fig. 29. Pestle made of Stone. From Satus on the Yakima
Reservation near Old Yakima. 1/2 nat. size. (Drawn from a sketch.
Original in the collection of Mr. York.)]
[Illustration: Fig. 30. Pestle made of Sandstone. From Priest Rapids.
1/2 nat. size. (Drawn from photograph 44537, 9-3. Original in the
collection of Mrs. Hinman.)]
[Illustration: Fig. 31. Pestle made of Stone. From the Yakima Valley.
1/4 nat. size. (Drawn from photograph 44502, 6-3. Original in the
collection of Mr. Janeck.)]
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