194 THE ABORIGINES OF PORTO RICO [eth. ann. io 



AA'ot)l>KN Ob.TEC'TS 

 CASSAVA (i RATERS 



The iiborig'ines of Porto Kico were essentially agriculturists and 

 raised great ([uantities of manioc, the root of which was eaten after 

 having- been ground and the poison extracted. The meal of this root, 

 made into cassava bread, was the food of the islanders, as it was univer- 

 sall}' used b}^ the West Indian aborigines. Its use as a food is still com- 

 mon among the pooi'er people, and the processes of manufacture now 

 followed are practically the same as those employed by the prehistoric 

 people, except that a metal plate has been substituted for the former 

 frying- stone, and the implement used in gi-ating- the root is now made of 

 iron instead of wood. (Jassa\a moal and bread are still sold in market 

 places all over Santo Domingo and in Porto Rico, and cassava sieves 

 and strainers are objects' in common use. No aboriginal cassava 

 graters have been collected in Porto Rico. l)ut a few were seen in col- 

 lections in Santo Domino-i), and there is every probabilit}' that these 



imjilements had practi- 

 cally the same form in 

 the two islands. Senor 

 Desangles of Santo Do- 

 mingo has one of these 

 ancient cassava graters, 

 and there is another 

 owned by Seiior Cam- 

 biaso, of the same city. 

 The Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution has another speci- 

 men from Haiti. 

 These graters were flat 

 or slightly curved boards, sometimes having handles, with the surface 

 covered with sharp stones, often set in geometrical figures, fastened 

 by means of vegetable gums. It is said that stone graters were some- 

 times used, but none of these exist in the collections examined, 

 although there are rubbing stones without attached sharp stones that 

 may have served the same purpose as the more ornamental graters. 



DANCE OB.IECT 



Mr Yunghannis of Bayamon, near San Juan, Porto Rico, has in his 

 collection a stone object which shows good evidence that it was attached 

 to a start' and carried in processions or dances. 



This unii[ue specimen, figure 37, represents a bird without legs, but 

 with head and well marked wings. It has a flat, slightly curved base 

 and was apparently bound to a stick by strings passing through holes 

 near the rim, as is shown in the figure. 



. 37. Stone bird. 



