THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 



sonal adornment, which have been hammered out from 

 Mexican silver currency, together with the implements used 

 in manufacture, are installed. 



The Pima and Papago devote considerable attention to 

 agriculture. They raise corn, beans, melons, etc., utilizing 

 irrigation when necessary. Both these peoples make pot- 

 tery vessels by applying successive rounds of clay rolled 

 into a long cylinder. After drying in the sun, the vessel is 

 polished and given a coat of red shale or white earth. The 

 firing is done in a small pit. After the first firing the de- 

 signs are painted with mesquite gum, which becomes black 

 when subjected to a slight refiring. Their basketry is 

 usually of the coiled type. The coiled tray, when turned 

 wrong side up, also serves as a drum on ceremonial occa- 

 sions or when the medicine man is treating his patients by 

 magic. 



The Yurok, Hupa and Shasta tribes are represented by 

 articles of every-day use, costumes worn in their ceremo- 

 nials, dances, games, etc. 



The currency of the Indians of northern California and 

 the coast north to Alaska consisted of the shells of a small 

 mollusk (Dentalium). Their value was estimated accord- 

 ing to their length. The individual pieces were measured 

 by the creases on the fingers, each man having his own 

 determined measure, and entire strings were measured on 

 the arm from the thumbnail to a series of tattooed marks 

 on the forearm. The California Indians were ignorant of 

 the true origin of dentalium, and they have many stories 



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