A Pre-Columbian Dinner 163 



had vessels of several gallons' capacity. All 

 these are broken now, but, happily, fragments 

 of the same dish are often found together, 

 and so we can reconstruct them. 



But what did the Indians eat ? Quaint old 

 Gabriel Thomas, writing about 1696, tells 

 us that " they live chiefly on Maze or Indian 

 Corn rosted in the Ashes, sometimes beaten 

 boyl'd with Water, called Homine. They 

 have cakes, not unpleasant ; also Beans and 

 Pease, which nourish much, but the Woods 

 and Rivers afford them their provision ; they 

 eat morning and evening, their Seats and 

 Tables on the ground." 



In a great measure this same story of The 

 Indians' food supply was told by the scattered 

 bits found mingled with the ashes of an ancient 

 hearth. Such fireplaces or cooking sites were 

 simple in construction, but none the less 

 readily recognized as to their purpose. A few 

 flat pebbles had been brought from the bed of 

 the river near by, and a small paved area some 

 two feet square was placed upon or very near 

 the surface of the ground. Upon this the 

 fire was built, and in time a thick bed of 

 ashes accumulated. Just how they cooked 

 can only be conjeftured, but the discovery of 



