the grand canyon of arizona-第33章

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f　their　work　are　to　be　seen。　These　collections　generally　consist　of　cape　and　body　blankets　made　of　the　wool　of　the　white　mountain…goat。　The　colors　are　white；　black；　blue　and　yellow。　The　black　is　a　rich　sepia；　obtained　from　the　devil…fish；　the　blue　and　yellow　colors　coming　from　two　barks　grown　in　the　Alexandrian　archipelago。　The　white　is　the　native　color　and　the　fringe　of　both　cape　and　blanket　is　undyed。　To　strengthen　and　give　solidity　to　the　garment；　the　fibrous　bark　of　the　yellow　root　is　twisted　into　the　warp。



CHAPTER　XVIII。　Pueblo　And　Navaho　Pottery　And　Silverware

Primitive　Processes。　The　primitive　industries　of　a　primitive　people　are　always　interesting　to　the　student。　They　are　more；　they　often　reveal　more　than　appears　at　first　sight。　We；　with　our　present　knowledge　of　improved　mechanical　methods；　stand　and　watch　an　Indian　silversmith　or　potter；　and　we　laugh　at　the　crudity　of　the　methods　employed；　naturally　comparing　them　with　our　own。　But　this　is　not　the　proper　way　to　look　upon　the　work　of　the　aborigine。　Rather　let　the　gazer　imagine　himself　without　any　of　his　advanced　knowledge。　Let　him　project　himself　into　past　ages；　and　find　himself　groping　his　way　out　of　the　darkness　of　primitive　ignorance。　He　will　find　himself　seeking　for　many　centuries；　ere　he　invents　and　discovers　even　the　rude　processes　used　today　by　the　Indian。　As　an　inventor；　the　aborigine　has　laid　us　under　great　obligation；　for　he　discovered　the　first　steps　of　mechanical　progress；　without　which　all　later　steps　would　have　been　impossible。

Hopi　Pottery。　In　the　Hopi　House；　the　processes　of　making　pottery　and　silverware　by　primitive　methods　may　be　seen　in　active　operation；　though　in　the　manufacture　of　silver；　some　modern　appliances　have　taken　the　place　of　the　ancient　ones。　In　the　pottery；　however；　everything　is　exactly　as　it　used　to　be　before　the　white　race　appeared　on　the　American　continent。　The　Hopi　woman　brings　her　clay　with　her　from　some　pit　or　quarry　in　Hopiland；　where　experience　has　demonstrated　a　good　pottery　clay　is　found。

After　thoroughly　washing；　pulverizing　and　crushing；　it　is　ready　to　be　worked　up　into　domestic　and　other　utensils。　Squatted　upon　the　ground；　the　potter　places　in　her　lap　a　small　basket；　wood；　or　pottery　base；　upon　which　she　places　a　〃dab〃　of　clay。　This　she　thumbs　and　pats；　until　it　forms　the　basis　of　the　new　vessel。　Then　another　piece　of　clay　is　rapidly　rolled　between　her　hands；　until　it　is　in　the　form　of　along　rope。　This　rope　is　then　coiled　around　the　edge　of　the　base　already　made；　pressed　well　into　it　and　then　smoothed　down。　After　four　or　five　coils　of　clay　are　thus　added；　the　potter　takes　a　small　〃spat；〃　generally　a　piece　of　dried　gourd　skin；　dips　it　into　water；　and　proceeds　to　smooth　out　and　make　thin　the　clay　coils。　As　quickly　and　dexterously　as　can　be；　her　hands　and　the　spat　manipulate　the　vessel；　until　it　has　the　desired　shape。　More　coils　of　clay　are　then　added；　and　the　shaping　continues　until　the　vessel　is　complete。　Now　it　is　put　out　into　the　sun　to　dry；　and　when　reasonably　solid；　it　is　ready　for　the　painting　and　decoration。　With　a　rude　brush　made　of　horsehair　or　yucca　fibre；　and　paints　gathered　and　ground　by　herself；　she　works　out　the　design　that　her　imagination　has　already　created　and　pictured　upon　her　piece　of　work。　Some　of　these　designs　represent　conventionalized　objects　of　naturebirds；　clouds；　mountains；　rain；　corn；　lightning；　tadpoles；　dragon…flies；　horned　toads；　serpents　and　the　like；　others　are　purely　geometrical；　and　the　variety　and　extent　of　them　are　more　wonderful　than　any　except　the　experts　realize。　In　a　monograph　upon　the　ancient　pottery　of　these　people；　Dr。　Fewkes　pictures　every　known　geometrical　figure　of　ancient　and　modern　times；　all　of　which　were　copied　by　him　from　vessels　that　have　been　excavated　from　ancient　ruins　and　graves。

The　Pottery　of　Nampeyo。　Every　village　has　its　own　style　of　pottery。　Among　the　Hopis；　the　finest　potter　is　a　resident　of　Tewa　or　Hano；　Nampeyo　by　name。　Her　ware　is　characterized　by　beauty　of　shape；　perfection　of　form；　dignity　and　character　in　design；　and　a　general　appearance　that　is　pleasing　and　artistic。　Zuni　pottery　is　of　a　superior　quality　to　that　of　Acoma；　Laguna；　and　the　other　villages　near　by；　and　often　contains　in　its　designs　the　deer；　with　its　peculiar　red　line　of　throat　leading　to　the　heart。

Black　Pottery。　At　Santa　Domingo　and　Santa　Clara；　pueblos　on　the　Rio　Grande；　a　black　ware　is　produced　that　is　effective　and　strongly　decorative　in　certain　pieces。

Ancient　Varieties。　Ancient　ware；　dug　from　ruins　and　graves；　is　exceedingly　rare　and　commands　a　high　price。　There　are　three　distinguishable　varieties；　among　others；　that　denote　comparative　age。　The　earliest　type　is　of　the　corrugated　ware；　in　which　the　thumb　and　finger　marks；　denoting　the　pressure　of　the　coils；　one　upon　another；　are　clearly　in　evidence。　Some　pottery　was　made　in　basket　matrices；　and　marks　of　the　basket　are　clearly　outlined　upon　the　outside　of　the　vessels　so　made。

The　second　type　is　the　plain　black　and　white　ware；　and　the　third　is　the　red　ware　painted　with　black　designs。

Both　ancient　and　modern　ware；　the　latter　in　large　variety；　may　be　seen　and　purchased　at　the　Hopi　House。

Navaho　Silverware。　Of　equal　interest　is　the　making　of　silverware　by　the　Navaho　peshlikai；　or　silversmith；　whose　primitive　forge　is　in　the　first　room　entered　at　the　Hopi　House。

Fondness　for　Silver。　The　innate　desire　of　a　primitive　people　for　personal　adornment　early　led　the　pueblo　Indians　to　a　use　of　metal。　When　the　Spaniards　and　Mexicans　came　among　them；　the　iron；　brass　and　copper　of　the　conquerors　were　soon　added　to　the　dried　seeds；　shell　beads；　pieces　of　turquoise　and　coral　they　had　hitherto　used。　But　silver　has　ever　been　their　favorite　metallic　ornament。　Long　ago　they　formed　an　ideal　in　the　Spanish　don　or　Mexican　vaquero；　with　his　personal　apparel　adorned　with　silver；　his　horse's　bridle　trapped　out　with　silver　belts；　buckles　and　buttons；　and　his　saddle　and　its　equipment　studded　with　silver　nails　and　other　fanciful　expressions　of　adornment。　From　the　Mexican　and　the　pueblo　Indian　he　rapidly　picked　up　the　necessary　knowledge；　and　practice　soon　gave　the　skill　to　fashion　the　silver　into　every　desired　shape。

Navahos　Used　Silver　Three　Centuries　Ago。　Cushing　contends　that　the　Zunis　knew　how　to　smelt　metals　before　the　Spanish　conquest；　but　the　statement　is　strongly　disputed。　There　can　be　no　question；　however；　but　that　the　large　use　of　silver　ornaments　by　both　pueblo　and　Navaho　Indians　dates　from　three　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago；　after　Coronado's　conquistadores　had　found　out　that　this　was　no　land　of　gold　and　precious　metals；　as　was　Peru。

In　almost　every　pueblo　of　Arizona　and　New　Mexico；　and　in　many　a　Navaho　hogan；　one　may　find　the　primitive　silversmith　at　work。　There　is　no　silversmith's　shop；　but　generally　in　a　corner　of　the　quaint　pueblo　house；　or　in　an　adjunct　to　the　Navaho　hogan；　the　worker　quietly　pursues　his　important　avocation；　for　in　a　community　whose　members　have　no　other　metallic　arts；　the　silversmith　is　an　important　man；　and　sees　to　it　that　his　profession　is　regarded　with　the　high　dignity　it　deserves。

Method　of　Working。　With　a　rude　mud　forge；the　bellows　of　which；　though　primitive；　is　as　ingenious　as　any　patent　bellows　invented；a　hammer；　a　piece　of　railroad　steel　for　an　anvil；　a　three…cornered　file；　one　or　two　punches；　a　crucible　which　he　understands　how　to　make　as　well　as　the　best　metallurgist　in　the　land；　and　a　bit　of　solder；　he　goes　to　work。　Sometimes　he　runs　his　melted　Mexican　dollars　into　primitive　moulds；　again　he　hammers　the　metal　into　the　shape　he　requires。　He　creates　rings；　some　of　them　containing　rude　pieces　of　turquoise；　garnet；　etc。；　well　designed　bracelets；　belt…disks；　large　and　small　silver　buttons　（some　of　which　are　admirably　adapted　for　belt…buckles）；　earrings；　necklaces；　crosses；　beads；　bangles；　clasps　of　silver　for　bridles；　etc。

Ornaments　and　jewelry。　The　two　most　cherished　objects　are　the　waist…belt　and　the　necklace；　though　far　more　rings　and　bracelets　are　to　be　found。　But　this　is　on　account　of　the　great　expense　of　the　former。　The　waist　belts　generally　consist　of　eight　moulded　plates；　either　circular　or　oval；　with　filleted　border　and　scalloped　edges；　each　plate　weighing　from　two　to　four　ounces。　The