Illustrated Catalogue of the Collections Obtained from the Indians of New Mexico and Arizona in 187 | Page 5

some instances sandstone is employed; the
most desirable stone is porous lava. These stones are sometimes carried
with families of the Pueblos moving short distances to the valleys of
streams in which they have farms in cultivation. In the permanent
villages they are arranged in small rectangular bins (see Fig. 508), each
about 20 inches wide and deep, the whole series ranging from 5 to 10
feet in length, according to the number of bins or divisions. The walls
are usually of sandstone. In each compartment one of these metates or
grinding stones is firmly set at a proper angle to make it convenient to
the kneeling female grinder. In this arrangement of the slabs those of
different degrees of texture are so placed as to produce an increased
degree of fineness to the meal or flour as it is passed from one to the
other. But a small number of these slabs were collected on account of
their great weight. Accompanying these metates are long, slim, flat
stones, which are rubbed up and down the slabs, thus crushing the grain.
These hand-stones are worn longitudinally into various shapes; some
have two flat sides, while the third side remains oval. The same variety
exists in regard to the texture of these rubbing-stones, as in the concave
grinders.
The pueblo of Zuñi, from which the most important portion of the

collection was obtained, is situated in New Mexico, near the western
border, about two hundred miles southwest from Santa Fé.
At the time of Coronado's visit to this country the pueblo was located at
what is now known as "Old Zuñi," on the summit of a high mesa. The
modern Zuñi is situated upon a knoll in the valley of the Zuñi River,
about two miles from the site of the old town. Certain writers have
regarded Zuñi, or rather "Old Zuñi," as one of the "Seven Cities of
Cibola." The evidences found at and around both the old and present
Zuñi are certainly not sufficient to warrant this view, and further and
more careful investigations are necessary.
Zuñi, although lying on the line of travel of military expeditions,
emigrant trains, and trade between the Pacific coast and the Rio Grande,
the foreigners visiting them have seldom remained long in their village;
nor has the advancing wave of Caucasian settlement approached
sufficiently near to exert any marked influence on their manners and
customs; at least the form and decoration of their pottery bear no
marked evidence of the influence of the more highly civilized races.
The collection made here by the expedition was more extensive than
that from any other place, and numbers about fifteen hundred objects,
of which by far the larger part is composed of earthenware articles.
These include large and small water vases, canteens of various sizes
and shapes, cooking cups, and pottery baskets used in their dances,
paint-pots, ladles, water jugs, eating bowls, spoons, pepper and salt
boxes, pitchers, bread-bowls, Navajo water jugs, treasure boxes, water
vases, cups, cooking pots, skillets, ancient pottery, animals, and
grotesque images. It belongs mostly to the variety of cream-white
pottery, decorated in black and brown colors; a portion is red ware,
with color decorations in black. There are also several pieces without
ornamentation, and one or two pieces of black ware, but the latter were
most probably obtained from other tribes, and possibly the same is true
in reference to a few pieces of other kinds which present unusual
figures or forms.
A slight glance at the figures depicted on the tinajas, or water vases,
will suffice to show any one who has examined the older pottery of this

region, specimens and fragments of which are found among the ruins,
that a marked change has taken place in their ideas of beauty. Although
the rigid, angular, zigzag, and geometric figures are yet found in their
decorations, they have largely given way to carved lines, rounded
figures, and attempts to represent natural objects.
A few apparently conventional figures are still generally retained, as
around the outside of the necks of the vases and on the outer surface of
the bowls, probably suggested originally by the rigid outlines of their
arid country, and in fact by their buildings. The figure of the elk or deer
is a very marked feature in the ornamentation of their white ware, and
is often found under an arch. Another very common figure is that of a
grotesquely-shaped bird, found also on the necks of water vases and the
outer surface of bowls.
ARTICLES OF CLAY.
Tinajas, or water vases, are called in the Zuñi tongue
tk[-a]h-wi-n[-a]-k[-a]-t[-e]hl-le. They are usually from 8 to 12 inches
in height, and from 12 to 15 in diameter. A smaller size of the same
form of vessels, which are from 5 to 7 inches