IROQUOIS USES OF MAIZE 47 



black oak. To conform to the proportions specified by custom the 

 log was reduced to a diameter of 20 inches and then a section 22 

 inches long was cut or sawed off. A fire was built in the center of the 

 end naturally uppermost and when it had eaten its way into the block 

 for half an inch or thereabouts, the charcoal was carefully scraped 

 out to give a fresh surface to a new fire which ate its way still deeper. 

 The process was repeated until the bowlike hollow was of the de- 

 sired depth, generally about 12 inches. 1 In this hollow was placed 

 the corn to be pulverized. The relative values of mortars depended 

 on their freeclom from cracking and the grinding quality of the wood. 



The use of the mortar 2 and pestle is shown in plates n, 12 and 

 20. In the same illustrations is shown the corn strung or braided 

 for convenience in handling, after the old Indian style now univer- 

 sally adopted by farmers. 



The wooden mortar and pestle are found among most of the east- 

 ern Indians. The styles and shapes differed greatly. The Cherokee, 

 for example, had a shallow saucerlike depression in the top of their 

 mortars and a socket in the center. Their pestles were bulbous at the 

 top but the grinding end was small and of a size designed to fit the 

 socket loosely. As the meal was pounded it rose to the top and 

 settled around the " saucer " top where it could easily be swept or 

 scooped into a receptacle. Cherokee mortars like the Iroquois were 

 made upright. The Pottawatomie, Chippewa and some others had 

 horizontal mortars, that is the cavity was made in the side of the 

 mortar log. The Seminole not content with one cavity made three 

 or four in the side of a fallen tree. The Nanticoke made their 

 mortars vase-shaped with a supporting base and the Choctaw chopped 

 their mortar vases to a point to hold them stationary. Dr Speck 

 found an odd mortar among the Connecticut Mohegan. It had been 

 carved so as to resemble somewhat an hour glass. He was not able 



1 Adair describes the process as follows, "... cautiously burned 

 a large log to a proper level and length, placed fire a-top, and with mortar 

 [clay] around it, in order to give the utensil proper form, and when the 

 fire was extinguished or occasion required, they chopped the inside with 

 their stone instruments, patiently continuing the slow process till they 

 finished the machine to the intended purpose." Adair, p. 416. Lond. 1725. 

 Cf. DePratz. Paris 1724, 2:177. 



2 " The Indians always used mortars instead of mills and had them with 

 almost every other convenience when first opened to trade." Adair, p. 416. 



" They pound it in a hollow tree." De Vries. Second Voyage. Hoorn 

 1655, p. 107. N. Y. Hist. Soc. Col. Sen 2, v. 3, pt i. 



