THE USE OF BROKEN POTTERY AMONG INDIANS. 
EDWARD PALMER. 
In exploring Indian mounds along the Mississippi and Arkansas 
rivers and in Tennessee I have found, as is usually the case, broken 
pots of various sizes and designs associated with whole ones placed 
near the human remains; and in cases where the whole mound 
has been carefully examined without finding the missing fragments 
it is evident that they were used in the broken state no doubt as 
receptacles of food, medicine, or other objects belonging to the oc- 
cupants of the mound, or placed therein as offerings by the friends. 
Water vessels are always to be found. 
In seeking the explanation of any custom among primitive peo- 
ples the simplest is most likely the true one, and having observed 
among the Tarahumara Indians the very numerous uses to which 
fragments of pottery are put, it has occurred to me that to similar 
usages among the mound-builders we owe many of the fragments 
found therein. 
In a dwelling of the Tarahumaras there may often be seen the 
half of a large water vessel or cooking pot inverted over a pile of 
ashes on the hearth—the housewife desiring to preserve her fire 
during absence takes this effectual method of doing it, for their 
houses being generally open the wind would otherwise blow away 
the ashes and uncover the fire. Parts of pots are often used as 
plates to hold portions of food, and parts of small ones ‘sometimes 
are made to serve as spoons. If for any purpose an ointment is 
desired, a fragment of pottery will answer as a receptacle. The 
part of a large broken pot serves the Indian housekeeper as a ve- 
hicle for removing the ashes or dirt from her house. 
As covers for vessels containing any substance liable to injury 
from exposure to the air or insects a fragment or half of a small 
vessel is used, tied on to make a tight fit by a rag or piece of buck- 
skin, or by corn husks. At other times a flat piece is ground round 
and cemented, or something tied over it to keep it in place. 
The earthen pot in which the Indian cooks his food has no cover, 
so part of another pot serves a good purpose especially when the 
cook’s back is turned, for otherwise the dogs and chickens, always 
privileged parlor boarders in an Indian’s hut, would steal the con- 
tents—if they were not boiling hot. 
On the roofs at certain seasons may be seen parts of broken pots 
of various sizes containing beans, corn, water-melon, pumpkin and 
other seeds in process of drying for next year’s planting. The chick- 
