LXXXVI EEPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ETHXOLOGY 



tions of the peoples among whom they are Ibmid. Accord- 

 inolv. tlie studies bv Jlrs Stevenson and Mr Cusliing- of the 

 mythology of the Pueblo tribes, particularly that of the Ziiiii, 

 are of utmost importance in American anthropology. 



Having completed his work in arranging the exhibits of the 

 Bm-eau of Ethnology at the World's Fair, Mr Frank Hamilton 

 Gushing returned to AVashington and resu:ned researches in 

 mythology about the middle of September. Almost continu- 

 ously since that time he has, in conjunction with Mr Stewart 

 Culin, of the University of Pennsylvania, whose attention has 

 long been devoted to the games of the Orient, carried forward 

 a study of the origin of aboriginal games, based on his intimate 

 acquaintance with the games of the Zuui and a knowledge 

 gained by his investigations at the Columbian Exposition. 



A study of these primitive games reveals the fact that they 

 were not plaved pruiiarilv for amusement, as among civilized 

 peoples, but chiefly for divination, which was practiced in con- 

 nection with industi-ies and enterprises of all sorts; so that 

 di%'inatory games occupied a prominent place in the thoughts 

 and exercised an important influence on the dailv life of these 

 people. It was found also that in the Orient the games were 

 actually played with arrows and were still recognized as arroAv 

 games by the 23layers themselves as late as the eleventh or 

 twelfth centuries B. C, thus giving historic evidence of the 

 arrow origin of lot and dice games in the Orient, and conflrin- 

 ing, in Mr Cidin's estimation, Mr Cushing's hypothesis as to the 

 identical origin of such games in America. These researches 

 have also brought to lig-ht many significant facts bearino- on 

 the iisages, beliefs, and ethnic relations of early peoples. Mr 

 (yushing was greatly aided in this work bv Mr Louis C. Mocte- 

 zixma, an educated young Mexican, from whom he obtained 

 much information regarding the Indian games of his couutr}^. 



Mr Gushing has not allowed his researches relating to divin- 

 atory games completely to interrupt his more general studies 

 relating to Zuiii mvtholoo-v, and during- the vear has g-iven 

 special attention to the origin and primitive use of fire. Fire 

 nnths are nearly universal, and fii'e worship common among 

 primitive peoples; and it is the possession <)f the fire art which, 



