Pl. CLXII. The Antelope Altar. 



The altar shown on this Plate is one that was reproduced by the author for 

 the Field Columbian Museum. In the rear is a sand-ridge, into the centre of 

 which is placed a rectangular medicine bowl. Behind this stand four single black 

 bdhos. At each end of the ridge is inserted a tiponi, and behind it a row of buz- 

 zard feathers. On each side of the sand mosaic stands a row of crooks and 

 straight sticks, the first probably representing life in its various stages, the latter 

 departed ancestors of the Antelope Fraternity. At the head of each row stands 

 an antelope head, the symbol of the Fraternity. The colors of the border of the 

 mosaic are arranged in the same manner as those on the previous Plate. The 

 semicircles at the base of the picture represent cloud symbols, the lines emanat- 

 ing from the clouds, rays of lightning. In front of the altar stands a medicine 

 bowl surrounded by the six ceremonial corn-ears, yellow, blue, red, white, black, 

 and sweet corn. By the side of each ear lies its husband, a hollow stick wound 

 with cotton twine and feathers. On one side of the bowl may be seen a cloud 

 blower, a cone-shaped pipe, on the other side a honey pot, tray with meal, and the 

 long feather used for discharming purposes. Unfortunately, this illustration, in 

 preparing it, has also become reversed so that what is the right side of the altar is 

 here shown as the left side. The feathers on the Antelope heads and on some of 

 the sticks are the ndkwas, worn on the head by the dancers. 



