18U2-93.] 



NOTES ON THE WESTERN DENIES. 



177 



The staple material was the hair of notable women. It was clipped 

 after death only, and arranged into the desired style on the occasion of 

 the grand final banquet commemorative of their death and cremation. 

 The hair of two women was required to make one wig. 



Even women could aspire to the rank of noble or fsckhha\ among the 

 Carriers. On the occasion of ceremonial dances they wore a head-dress 

 even more graceful and pretty in form, if not so imposing and weird in 

 material. This was called V«i-^> or " woven-feathers." It was crown- 

 shaped, and its principal component parts were stiff laps of fur skin^ 



generally of the weasel, and feathers. The 

 specimen herewith figured may be described as 

 follows : — A strip of tanned skin about one inch 

 in width and overlaid with three rows of dentalia 

 serves as the foundation or head band of the 

 crown. From this rise broad weasel skin strips 

 with edges folded lengthwise and sewed up in- 

 side. These are stiffened by means of large 

 feather quills or slender pieces of wood inserted 

 Hg. 165. therein. To further enhance the gracefulness of 



the head-dress, each skin is kept folded down at the top, thereby convert- 

 ing its tail into a flap. The skin laps are again retained in their upright 



position by a strip of dressed skin running, 

 on the inside, around the upper periphery of 

 the crown. Scalps of the red-headed wood- 

 pecker ( Ceopliletis ptleatus) are secured on the 

 folded part of each lap, while the tail feathers 

 of another variety of woodpecker (Sphyrapicus 

 varkis) are sewn, pointing upwards, on the 

 bottom and the middle of each upright piece 

 of fur skin. 



This head-dress was filled up, when in use,, 

 with down, which the wearer caused to escape 

 around through the jerking of the head pecu- 

 liar to the feminine style of dancing. 



The above had been written and fig. 165 

 drawn for some time when I received specimen 

 pages of a most important Bible Dictionary* 

 now in course of publication in France under 

 Fig. 166. the supervision of that learned orientalist, the 



Abbe Vigouroux, wherein I found the sketch of a Chaldaean king 



' Dictionnaire de la Bible, etc., par F. Vigouroux, Letouzey et Ane, Paris. 



