JEANCON ] EXCAVATIONS IN THE CHAMA VALLEY 65 
the top is a small hole for inserting the prayer feather. The smaller 
end was put in the sand of the altar or shrine. 
BISCUIT WARE SHERDS AND HANDLES 
Plate 52 shows some unusual decorations on biscuit ware sherds. 
Plate 53 illustrates a variety of biscuit ware handles found in the 
ruin. 
FETISHES 
It is still the custom among the Pueblos to carry, in their fetish 
bags, small bits of copper ore, agate, and almost any kind of a small 
polished stone. The exact purpose of these is not known, but the 
general supposition is that they bring good luck to the one who car- 
ries them. Many of these polished stones were found in the ruin and 
a few are shown in Plate 54, EF, F, G, H. 
All through the ruin were found pieces of calcite crystals accom- 
panying other articles which indicate their use as ceremonial objects. 
These crystals were in many cases beautifully stained with mineral 
matter, and from the coloring produced upon the primitive mind of 
the Indian a suggestion of being something more than ordinary stone. 
Very often pieces or sheets of selenite accompanied these crystals, and 
as in modern times things of this kind are still used on the altars of 
the Hopi and other Pueblo Indians, it is safe to assume that they 
were used in ceremonies and therefore were more or less precious. 
It has been suggested that some of the larger sheets of selenite were 
used as panes in the windows, but none of them was found in such 
position. 
In room 16, location 10, were found a large number of reniform 
hematite concretions. (P1.55.) No remains of an altar or anything 
suggesting it were found where these concretions lay, but there is no 
question that they were fetishes and used assuch. They have often 
been seen on Hopi and Zufii altars. Their eccentric forms would 
naturally cause them to be looked upon as coming from some super- 
natural source. In color they are all of a brownish cast. The two 
shown on Plate 56, A, are highly polished and very beautiful in appear- 
ance. One informant from Santa Clara told the following about 
the polished ones: ‘‘ This kind of stone is very good luck. Now I 
carry him in my pocketbook (bolsa) with my money ’cause he bring 
other money to me. In old time, men carry it in a buckskin bag 
with other things for make pujocante (magic). When they go to. 
fight they put it in the mouth and it make him brave; and when a 
man he is going to run long way, he keep it in his mouth and it make 
him strong. This kind of stone is very good magic.’’'® The informant 
16Statement by ——— Tafoya, Given name unknown. 
