132 BULLETIN 139, UNITED STATES NATIONAL. MUSEUM 



Among several tribes of the American Indians whose customs have 

 been studied a functionary whose office is fire keeper has been noted. 

 This official, who may be termed a priest and who also may be con- 

 nected with the ancient duty of fire preservation, is best known 

 among the Iroquois. 



This office seems to be the same as that of the pipe keepers, an 

 office pretty generally found among the Indians.'® 



ALTARS 



As seen from previous instances, any fire may serve as a fire altar 

 at times and be ministered to by an extempore priest. The greater 

 fanes are surrounded with all the pomp with which man environs 

 sacred things. Among the Ilaida Indians of British Columbia the 

 fire is the way between men and gods, so that anything to be sent is 

 thrown in the fire and burnt." 



Among the Nahuas of Mexico stone altars, the top slab sometimes 

 hollowed, stood before the chapels, and on them fires were kept burn- 

 ing perpetually, it being considered a great calamity if the fire went 

 out. Six hundred of these braziers, from 2 to 5 feet high, were 

 installed around the great temple of Mexico.''^ 



Copal burnt in braziers was a favorite offering made by the Aztec 

 tribes to their gods.'^ 



The incense burner may be regarded as a special altar (see Incense). 

 The Kokona Tanguts had a fire altar among the obos which were 

 around the lake. "In another place there was a cylindrical stone in 

 which it was customary to make fires." ^° 



OFFERINGS 



The subject of fire offerings may draw upon innumerable instances 

 showing beliefs and customs regarding fire. The greater number of 

 these refer to offerings of food and drink to the supposed spirits of 

 the fire, and to various other materials which are burnt for the pro- 

 motion of agriculture, etc. Frequently the smoke is the offering and 

 the fire is only the means of making the offering. A curious instance 

 of this was observed in the dance for restoring health practiced by 

 the Wyandots of the Sandusky River, Ohio, in 1806: 



"At first Loughouse the prophet, rose, took a bunch of herbs that 

 to appearance had been bruised and dried, and cast it upon the fire. 

 He stood in a fixed position until the smoke had nearly all ascended; 

 he then sat on the ground, smoked his pipe, sat still, then rose and 



'« James Mooney. 14th (Pt. 2) Ann. Rept., Bur. Amer. Ethnol., 1896, p. 960. 



" Information by J. R. Swanton. 



" U. H. Bancroft, vol. 2, 1875, p. 584. 



" John O. Bourke. Amer. Anthrop., January, 1893. p. 67. 



8« Svea Hedin. Through Asia, vol 1, 1899, p. 1148. 



