JEANCON] EXCAVATIONS IN THE CHAMA VALLEY 67 
of one of my workmen while we were in camp, during childbirth. 
The exact use to which it was put was not told me, but the woman 
declared that she wore it in her belt over the abdomen and that it - 
helped her wonderfully. The figurine is 62 mm. high, 24 mm. at the 
broadest part, and 27 mm. from the back to the end of the abdomen. 
The material is a typical biscuit-ware paste, but it has not been very 
well baked. Running the full length of the back is a groove 17 mm. 
wide, 45 mm. long, and 5mm. deep. Special medicines were mixed 
and placed in the groove; the figurine was then tipped up and the 
medicine allowed to run into the mouth. Fetishes similar in appear- 
ance to this one have been found in Porto Rico and are elaborately 
described and discussed by Dr. J. W. Fewkes in the Twenty-fifth 
Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology. From the 
information at hand it would seem that this is the first figurine of its 
kind that has been found in the United States. 
That curious natural formations were frequently used as fetishes 
is too well known to need any comment, and on Plate 55 are shown 
a number of these found at Po-shu. Some still show traces of paint. 
That selenite objects were also used ceremonially is indicated by the 
finding of the objects shown on Plate 57. A is the blade of a knife 
made of selenite, which could have no practical use, as the cutting 
edge has not the strength or sharpness to cut anything. B, same 
plate, has a cross on two sides of it. The crosses may have been 
intended for stars. C, same plate, could easily be interpreted as a 
sun symbol. The base of this specimen has been rubbed flat so as 
toset level, and the radiating crystals might have suggested the rays 
of the rismg sun. Many other handsome mineral specimens were 
found and were probably used as fetishes or on the altars during cere- 
monies. (Pl. 58.) 
KosHARE FETISH 
This is a very curious object made of lava. At first it appeared to 
be a smoothing stone of some kind, but the horns show no sign of 
use such as would appear if they had been grasped in smoothing. 
The bottom shows a very little polish, and after showing it to several 
men who are versed in the ancient ceremonial objects they all said 
that it was a sign or symbol of the fraternity known as the Koshare. 
In all of the dances where the Koshare appear they wear tufts of 
corn husk on the head arranged as horns. Sometimes the head man 
of the fraternity actually wears two horns, one on either side of the 
head. The stone object found is said by my informants to represent 
these horns. It was found in a room in company with many other 
ceremonial objects, and therefore the statement of the informants 
seems correct. (Pl. 59, A.) 
