An Introduction to the Mortuary Customs of the North American Indians | Page 6

ridge-pole, so
that they are declining like the roof of a house. These being very thick
placed, they cover them many times double with bark; then they throw
the earth thereon that came out of the grave and beat it down very firm.
By this means the dead body lies in a vault, nothing touching him.
After a time the body is taken up, the bones cleaned, and deposited in
an ossuary called the Quiogozon."
Dr Fordyce Grinnell, physician to the Wichita Agency, Indian Territory,
furnishes the following description of the burial ceremonies of the
Wichita Indians, who call themselves. "_Kitty-la- tats_" or those of the
tattooed eyelids.
"When a Wichita dies the town-crier goes up and down through the
village and announces the fact. Preparations are immediately made for
the burial, and the body is taken without delay to the grave prepared for
it reception. If the grave is some distance from the village the body is
carried thither on the back of a pony, being first wrapped in blankets
and then laid prone across the saddle, one walking on either side to

support it. The grave is dug from 3 to 4 feet deep and of sufficient
length for the extended body. First blankets and buffalo robes are laid
in the bottom of the grave, then the body, being taken from the horse
and unwrapped, is dressed in its best apparel and with ornaments is
placed upon a couch of blankets and robes, with the head towards the
west and the feet to the east; the valuables belonging to the deceased
are placed with the body in the grave. With the man are deposited his
bows and arrows or gun, and with the woman her cooking utensils and
other implements of her toil. Over the body sticks are placed six or
eight inches deep and grass over these, so that when the earth is filled
in it need not come in contact with the body or its trappings. After the
grave is filled with earth a pen of poles is built around it, or, as is
frequently the case, stakes are driven so that they cross each other from
either side about midway over the grave, thus forming a complete
protection from the invasion of wild animals. After all this is done, the
grass or other debris is carefully scraped from about the grave for
several feet, so that the ground is left smooth and clean. It is seldom the
case that the relatives accompany the remains to the grave, but they
more often employ others to bury the body for them, usually women.
Mourning is similar in this tribe as in others, and consists in cutting off
the hair, fasting, &c. Horses are also killed at the grave."
The Caddoes, _Ascena_, or Timber Indians, as they call themselves,
follow nearly the same mode of burial as the Wichitas, but one custom
prevailing is worthy of mention.
"If a Caddo is killed in battle, the body is never buried, but is left to be
devoured by beasts or birds of prey and the condition of such
individuals in the other world is considered to be far better than that of
persons dying a natural death."
In a work by Bruhier [Footnote: L'incertitude des Signes de la Mort,
1740, tom 1, p. 430] the following remarks, freely translated by the
writer, may be found, which note a custom having great similarity to
the exposure of bodies to wild beasts mentioned above.
"The ancient Persians threw out the bodies of their dead on the roads,
and if they were promptly devoured by wild beasts it was esteemed a
great honor, a misfortune if not. Sometimes they interred, always
wrapping the dead in a wax cloth to prevent odor."
M. Pierre Muret, [Footnote: Rites of Funeral, Ancient and Modern,

1683, p 45] from whose book Bruhier probably obtained his
information, gives at considerable length an account of this peculiar
method of treating the dead among the Persians, as follows:
"It is a matter of astonishment, considering the Persians have ever had
the renown of being one of the most civilized Nations in the world, that
notwithstanding they should have used such barbarous customs about
the Dead as are set down in the Writings of some Historians, and the
rather because at this day there are still to be seen among them those
remains of Antiquity, which do fully satisfie us, that their Tombs have
been very magnificent. And yet nevertheless, if we will give credit to
Procopius and _Agathias_, the Persians were never wont to bury their
Dead Bodies, so far were they from bestowing any Funeral Honours
upon them. But, as these Authors tell us, they exposed them stark
naked in the open fields, which is the greatest shame our Laws do