178 navAjo silversmiths. 



are greatly in demand among the Navajos and are extensively manu 

 factnred by them. Leather belts studded with large plates of silver 

 are favorite articles of apparel, and often contain metal to tlie value of 

 forty or fifty dollars. PI. XX represents an Indian wearing such a belt, 

 in which only three of the plates are shown. Single and double crosses 

 of silver are represented attached to his necklace. The cross is much 

 worn by the Navajos, among whom, I understand, it is not intended to 

 represent the " Cross of Christ," but is a symbol of the morning star. 

 The lengthening of the lower limb, however, is probably copied from the 

 usual form of the Christian emblem. These savage smiths also display 

 much ingenuity in working from models 'and from drawings of objects 

 entirely new to them. 



They are very wasteful of material. They usually preserve the 

 clippings and melt them in the crucible, or use them in soldering ; but 

 they make no attemj^t to save the metal carried oft' in filing, jiolishing, 

 and by oxidizing in the forge, all of which is considerable. In one arti- 

 cle of silver, for which, allowing for clippings saved, 830 grains were 

 given to the smith, and the work on which I watched so closely through- 

 out that I am certain none of the material was stolen, there was a loss 

 of 120 grains, or over 14 per cent. 



The smiths whom I have seen working had no dividers, square, meas- 

 ure, or any instrument of precision. As before stated, I have seen 

 scissors used as compasses, but as a rule they find approximate centers 

 with the eye, and cut all shapes and engrave all figures by the unaided 

 guidance of this unreliable organ. Often they cut out their designs in 

 paper first and from them mark off patterns on the metal. Even in the 

 matter of cutting patterns they do not seem to know the simple device 

 of doubling the paper in order to secure lateral uniformity. 



Here ends my description of the smithcraft of a rude but docile and 

 progressive people. I trust that it may serve not only to illustrate 

 some aspects of their mental condition, their inventive and imitative 

 talents, but possibly to shed some light on the condition and diffusion 

 of the art of the metalist in the prehistoric days of our continent, not- 

 withstanding the fact that some elements of their craft are of recent in- 

 troduction and others of doubtful origin. 



