22 



PRIMITIVE ART 



On an Arapaho moccasin (Case 20 li), a wide stripe embroidered 

 on the instep represents the path on which the wearer travels. 

 The two pieces of the transverse stripe, which duplicate in minia- 

 ture a part of the main stripe, are insects 

 or worms which the wearer desires to avoid, 

 and which, for this reason, are placed by the 

 side of his path. The upper portion of the 

 large stripe is light blue, which signifies, 

 as in many other cases, haze. The red and 

 dark-blue bands that edge the white por- 

 tion of the stripe represent day and night. 

 The winged triangle, which appears twice, 

 signifies sunrise, and also the passage over a 

 mountain. 



The explanation of painted designs of the Arapaho is quite 

 similar to that of beaded designs. Thus, on one hide bag (Case 

 19 c) three wide blue stripes represent rivers, both form and color 

 being symbolic. The red rectangles in them are islands, and 

 the white border around these is sand. The triangles are 

 bears' feet; the red portions of the triangles represent the 

 bare skin of the sole of the foot; the projections at the 

 base of the triangles are the 

 claws. The unpainted back- 

 ground represents the prairie; 

 the black spots in them are 

 coyotes. Blue lines enclosing 

 the whole design are buffalo- 

 paths; the white lines between 

 them, antelope-paths; the yel- 

 low line is an elk-path ; and red 

 lines are deer-paths. 



It will thus be seen that the 

 interpretation of the designs 

 given by the Arapaho is partly 

 realistic, while a part of the de- 

 signs express abstract ideas. 

 The morning star, the life symbol, the path of life and other 

 concepts which are intimately associated with the religious ideas 



