MODKHN PIEHLOS. J J J 



or from clay was placed iiiuhM- a cloth and siinji; over 

 until it was aniinated. 



Spider woman is the originator of the arts and the 

 wise counsellor of those in perplexity. With hvv live 

 twin grandsons, diminutive war gods, who in the 

 beginning rid the world of man-eating monsters, and 

 became the patrons of the warrior societies. The 

 weapons and arts of warfare w^ere given them by the 

 thunder who is believed to be bird-like with tail and 

 wing feathers of obsidian which makes the noise of 

 thunder attributed to it. 



The clouds, usually personified, are addressed when 

 rain is desired. The horned snake, frequently figured 

 on pottery, is a water being feared as well as worshiped 

 since it produces floods rather than helpful showers. 

 The w^orld quarters are frequently personified. 



The kachinas are a supernatural race superior to 

 men but inferior to the great nature gods. They live 

 as men do either in the neighborhood of the villages 

 or inside the sacred mountains. These, together with 

 the Koshare and the Cuirana of the Rio Grande peoples 

 benefit mankind by influencing the natural forces in 

 their favor, probably through the instrumentality of 

 ceremonies similar to those of mankind. 



For each ceremony there are divine pairs, like the 

 antelope man and maiden, who are looked upon as 

 the originators of the rites. 



One must remember, however, that these beings are 

 seldom definite and well formulated. On the contrary 

 there is much contradiction and confusion concerning 



