I40 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IX. 



The Semi-circle and the Altar Foliage. 



Without formality the priests began working down the pieces of 

 sod (see Fig. 70), so that they caused the inner ends to meet and 

 thus form a complete semi-cricle around the skull. Three-Fingers 

 at this point brought in a large bundle of small bushes bearing red 

 berries, the ends of all of which had already been trimmed.* (See 

 Fig. 71.) From this bundle the assistant Chief Priest selected five. He 



took the Lodge- 

 maker's right hand 

 and together they 

 made a circular 

 motion and four 

 passes toward the 

 bushes. The 

 Lodge-maker was 

 directed to pick up 

 one of the bushes, 

 make four passes 

 toward the sod 

 semi-circle, and in- 

 sert it at the north- 

 east end, that is 

 into what was the first piece of sod. With similar movements the four 

 other bushes were picked up and inserted in the semi-circle, the order 

 of their insertion being the same as that followed in placing the five 

 pieces of sod about the skull. Thus the second piece was inserted 

 in the second piece of sod, and so on. The assistant Chief Priest and 

 the Lodge-maker retired, and the remaining bushes were inserted 

 without formality by the other priests in the semi-circle, so that when 

 finished it bore a closely set row of bushes. (See PI. XLV.) 



Black-Man brought into the lodge a young cottonwood sapling, 

 two young plum trees, and finally a second cottonwood. Without 

 formality he sharpened the bases of these, so as to make easier their 

 insertion into the ground at the proper time. The Lodge-maker's 

 wife donned her robe and belt, which she had laid aside when she had 

 resumed her place on the bed. She secured the digging stick used 

 to loosen the sods and with the usual assistance of Sage-Woman she 

 was directed to make the circular motion and the four passes, to take 

 up the digging stick (see Fig. 72) and with it to make a circular move- 

 ment and four passes and then to prepare the holes to receive the 



♦These bushes are symbolic of all vegetation, especially of all fruits. 



Fig. 71. Chief Priest directing the Lodge-maker. 



