CHESS AND PLAYING-CARDS. 



687 



Fig. 7. 



STAVES FOR ZOHN AHL. 



Length, 10 inches. 

 Kiowa Indians, Indian Territory. 



Cat. No. 16636, Museum of Archseology, University of Pennsylv.iiii: 

 From Korean Games, 



The incised designs, painted red, yellow, green, and blue, are in part 

 easily recognizable as the calumet with primer, bow and arrow, the 

 lightning, and the symbols of the Four Directions on the uppermost 

 arrow (Plate 3), which are ])ainted from left to right with the colors 

 red, green, blue, and yellow. Mr. Gushing identified others as the war 

 staff", or standard, and 

 shield; day or dawn 

 signs with turkey tracks ; 

 day signs with stars; 

 horse tracks, and the 

 "man" sign. Mr. 



Moouey, in reply to my 

 inquiry, informed me 

 that the Kiowa attacli 

 no special significance to 

 these carved arrows, and 

 were unable to explain 

 the designs. 



These arrows, carved 

 and painted with cosmical emblems, are here introduced to illustrate 

 the use of a veritable arrow, specialized for the purpose of a game, 

 among the American Indians. 



3. ZoHN AHL,' commonly known as the "Awl Game." Kiowa Indians, 

 Indian Territory, United States. 



{a) A cloth, called the " awl cloth." 



(b) Two awls. 



(c) Flat bowlder, called the " awl stone." 



{d) Four prepared staves, called ahl or " wood." 



((?) Eight other sticks, to be used as counters.' 



The " awl cloth " (fig. 6) is divided into points by which the game is 

 counted. The curved lines upon it are called " knees," because they 

 are like the knees of the players. 



The space between the parallel lines 1 and 1 and 20 and 20 is called 

 "the creek," and the corresponding s])aces between the parallel lines 

 at right angles are called the " dry branches." 



Three of the ^^ ahl sticks" (fig. 7) have a red strijje running down 

 the middle and one has a blue stripe. They are held by the player in 

 one hand and struck downward, so that their ends come on the " ahl 

 stone " with considerable force. If all the sticks fall with the sides 

 without grooves up[)ermost, the play is called " white," and counts ten. 

 If all the grooved sides come uppermost, it is called '' red," and counts 

 five. Both of these throws entitle the player to another throw. If one 

 grooved side is uppermost, it counts one; two grooved sides, two, and 

 three grooved sides, three. The game is played by any even number 



^ Zohn, "creek;" ahl, ''wood." 



-Nos. 1653.5, 16536, Mus. Arch. Univ. Penn. Collected l.y Lieut. H. L. Scott, U. S. A., 

 who kindly furnished the description of the game. 



