1

INTRODUCTION

Tales of caves loaded with the treasures of.the ancient Indians

of California are so common as to make any person concerned with check-
ing their authenticity skeptical each time he hears a repetition of the
familiar story.

One of the distinctive features shared by many of these accounts
is the report that the caves are virtually inaccessible, or that they
may no longer exist. The story of Bowers Cave is unusual in that for
sixty-five years artifacts said to have been recovered from a cave in

the San Martin Mountains in northern Los Angeles County have been known
to exist, although the exact location of the cave itself remained a

mystery. A collection of specimens from the cave was purchased from
Reverend Stephen Bowers by the Peabody Museum of Harvard University

and are briefly described in the Annual Report of that institution for
1887. They were part, or all, of a collection said to have been ac-

quired in 1885, or a short time before, by Rev. Bowers. The cave was

reported as having dimensions of about 12 by 16 feet, and to have con-
tained nine baskets which ranged from 6 to 20 inches in diameter.

Apparently the larger baskets were used as receptacles for a number of
other specimens which, together with these baskets, are the subject of
the present report. The cave gave no evidence of having been used for

any purpose other than as a depository for these articles. At the time
of their acquisition in 1887, it was not known what period, prehistoric
or historic, was represented by the specimens. Rev. Bowers suggested
that they may have been there for centuries.

After the specimens finally came to rest at the Peabody Museum,
several of them became relatively well-known from published descrip-
tions. In 1887, for example, three stone specimens from Bowers Cave

were figured and described by Henshaw (1887:29) in a discussion of the
aboriginal use of perforated stones in California, and Mason's (1904,
pl. 201) monumental report on basketry illustrated two coiled baskets
which were found in the cave.

Apart from these references and the tantalizing but superficial
description by Bowers (1885) in a journal which he himself edited, the
specimens received little study or attention until relatively recently.
This neglect was unfortunate for the collection, taken as a whole,

appears to be of considerable value in filling in some of the gaps of

our knowledge of the late prehistoric,or early historic Chumash culture

2

in the Santa Barbara region. It is seldom, indeed, in California that
what seems to have been an intact mass of ceremonial objects is encoun-
tered in a situation which suggests that they refer to a specific and

limited time period. This time period is implied by the nature of the
artifacts themselves, but another circumstance has added interest and
information concerning the time of placement of the collection in the
cave.

About twelve years ago, the late Richard van Valkenburgh was
engaged in archaeological-field work in Los Angeles County. An old

local resident, while looking at van Valkenburgh's collection, recalled
that a friend of his had found in a cave, many years before, a number

of storage baskets which contained feathered robes and some clubs. Van
Valkenburgh evidently surmised that this might be a reference to the
Bowers Cave collection, and when he finally interviewed the old man,

who was named Everett Pyle, van Valkenburgh learned that a cave had been
discovered in the San Martin Mountains in 1884 and Pyle and his brother

had removed a great number of Indian relics from the place. Subsequently,
these relics were sold to Bowers, who in turn sold part of them to the
Peabody Museum (van Valkenburgh 1952:7).

Bowers stated in his 1885 article that he himself had visited the
cave and excavated there, finding several artifacts.   It is not known
whether he meant to represent himself as the original collector of the

entire lot of material. In any case, Pyle, supposedly the original dis-
coverer, gave van Valkenburgh specific directions on how to get to the
cave, which was situated in extremely difficult terrain far off any
well-traveled trails in the San Martin range.

When the cave was revisited in 1951 or thereabouts, evidence was
found which indicated that Pyle's story was true. Additional digging

brought to light fragments of basketry which are apparently similar to
some specimens in the original Bowers collection. The finding of some

blue and rose-colored glass trade beads near the spot where the,original
cache was probably located suggests, but does not prove, that the time

of placing the material in the cave was around 1800 A.D. The glass beads
found in 1951 are not, however, associated with certainty with the Bowers
material since the two lots were collected by different persons working

sixty-five years or so apart.   If glass trade beads had been contained in
the baskets acquired by Bowers, they would presumably have been saved and
thus be part of the collection. We assume, therefore, that two temporally
separate events account for the lack of association of the glass beads and
*the deposition of the baskets in the cave. The baskets themselves and
their placement in the cave may date from the post-Spanish or mission

period (i.e. 1770 or later), but we cannot affirm or deny this with the

3

information now available. Some pottery fragments of Verde black-on-gray
ware, dated in the Southwest from the thirteenth century, were also dis-

covered (van Valkenburgh 1952:8).   These were obviously trade pieces, and
there is nd way of knowing why they were deposited in the cave or even if
they were directly associated with the cache allegedly found by Pyle.

Although the roof of the cave was blackened as if by the smoke of
old fires, no hearths were found in van Valkenburgh' s excavations, and

this, together with the almost inaccessible location of the place, serves
to mark it as a hideaway rather than as a cave frequently visited or used
as a regular camping site.

Despite the heightened interest which resulted from van Valkenburgh's
discovery in the early 1950's, it was not until the summer of 1960 that it

became possible for the present authors to complete the study of the Bowers
collection.  Dribbles of minor published or unpublished references to the

collection had been accumulating for a number of years in the Department of
Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley, but a final visit
to the Peabody Museum was necessary before the project of describing the

collection could be completed. Through the good offices of Dr. J. 0. Brew,
Director of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard

University, a long-delayed visit to the collection was made in July, 1960,

for the purpose of measuring and photographing the specimeas, some of which
are on semipermanent display at the Museum.   We wish to express our appre-
ciation to Dr. Brew for placing the entire collection at our disposal, and
for his encouragement in the completion of the study project.

We have mentioned the potential value of the Bowers Cave specimens
as a possible source of information about certain types of equipment or

implements observed to have been in use in ethnographic times, for example,
in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth centuries in California. Before
discussing this, however, we should like to point out some of the interpre-
tive problems presented by the cave cache, as indeed the Bowers collection
appears to have been.

First of all, the circumstances of the initial collection are quite
unclear, and we have no way of knowing whether all of the material repre-
sents a single event, or whether there may have been several.deposits of

material made at different times. Secondly, the suggestion by van Valken-
burgh that glass trade beads of the early historic period of California

were associated with this material cannot be fully acceptc I on the strength
of his circumstantial report.

What we are left with, then, are numerous speculations concerning
the identity of the types of artifacts found in the cave compared with

4

types definitely known to have been used in the general region in the

ethnographic period. Although Bowers Cave is located in territory which
could have been occupied either by the Chumash Indians of the hinterland
or by a Shoshonean-speaking and definitely noncoastal people, namely,

the Alliklik (see Kroeber 1925, pl. 48), it seems that where comparisons
are possible the Chumash are indicated as the group which once used the

specimens found in the cache. Unfortunately, to our knowledge little of
the material culture of the Alliklik has been preserved, and these com-
parisons are in a sense not very meaningful. Although one specimen, a
wooden object resembling a hook (pl. 6c) has a nautical look to it and
may therefore relate to the essentially maritime Chumash group, it is

also possible that this specimen was the kind of esoteric object which
could have been used equally well by the Chumash or Alliklik.

DESCRIPTIONS OF SPECIMENS

In the descriptions of the various categories of specimens pre-

sented here, we shall follow in most instances the plan of comnenting on
the possible age or areal relationships at the end of each section.

The material is subdivided as follows: basketry; feather bands; bone
whistles; bullroarers; stone clubs; and miscellaneous items.

Basketry

Nine baskets are contained in the Bowers collection. Of these,

five presumably are storage baskets. The remaining four are: one small,
well-made bowl-shaped specimen; one tray; and two straight-sided bowls.

Only one of the nine baskets is decorated; this is one of the finely-made
straight-sided specimens.

All of the baskets are coiled, but are not of the same detailed

construction. Besides variability in size and form, there are differences
among them, for example, in materials, type of stitching, and closeness of
coiling. In general., the large storage baskets are crudely constructed,

while the smaller baskets are carefully woven. In Table 1 (p. 10) we have

summarized data derived from measurements., together with analytical comments.
Below we present some observations on individual specimens. In these des-
criptions, the category "direction of work" is omitted since in all cases
where observation was possible the direction left to right was indicated.

The rims of the baskets can, except in one specimen, be character-

ized only as self-rims, since the final or completion coils of most of the
baskets are badly worn, or not even present in some cases, Specimen

5

39247* (pl. le, f) shows plain wrapping on its rim, alternating with the
regular interlocking stitching of the body of the basket.

Techniques of splint insertion and termination appear to be con-
stant in most of the specimens. In starting a new splint, this was

evidently pulled through the foundation until just enough of the fag end
remained, subsequently to be placed alongside the foundation and covered
by about 5 stitches of the now moving splint. The moving end of the

splint was in some cases simply tucked back under the already executed
splint, or was placed parallel along the foundation and covered or

secured with about 5 stitches of the newly inserted splint. Although
most of these insertions or terminations are easily noted in the crude

specimens, and seem to occur at random on either side of the basket, it
is noteworthy that in the one complete and finely made small basket
(39250; pl. 2e, f) the fag ends are quite evident on the outside or
working surface of the basket.

Materials of all the storage baskets are grass (Muhlenbergia [Epi-
campes] rigens), used as foundation bundles or rods, and rush (Juncus

sp.), used as the stitching material (splints). In the four remaining
baskets, E. rigens appears to have been used as the foundation of all

except the small bowl (39250) which has part of its foundation of grass
and part of rush (3 rods).   On both the decorated bowl (39246) and its

counterpart in form (39247) sumac (Rhus laurina ?) is employed as splint
material.

Storage basket no. 39240 (pl. la, b, d; see also Mason:1904, pi.
202, lower):- This is a conically-shaped specimen which was apparently
provided with a closely fitting cover. The latter, we judge, was orig-
inally the bottom of another basket.   It is in a semicrushed state and,

in addition to asphalt covering both sides (with a mixture of what seems
to be dust and food remains, perhaps acorn meal) and adhering to the

inside surface, it has several large repair or reinforcing splints of

Juncus covering from 2 to 8 coils. This cover measures about 32 cm. in
diameter and is 3.5 cm. deep. Its flat part and its wall or "rising"
portion show two different kinds of stitching, as follows:

Flat     Wall
Stitches per 10 cm.          30       46
Coils per 10 cm.             22       32

* All numbers shown are Peabody Museum numbers.

6

These figures are given here to emphasize one of the salient

features of the basketry in the Bowers collection, that is, the patches
and "composite" nature of many of the specimens. We incline to the
assumption that the storage baskets were looked upon as crude but

serviceable pieces, used over a period of years for a specific purpose,
in much the same manner that individuals in modern civilizations would
retain a battered storage trunk, adding reinforcement or sealing where
needed, and not replacing it with a new trunk for reasons of economy.

The basket proper is divided into three sections, designated as
follows (see table 1):   a, bottom, including 9 cm. of total depth of

basket; b, center, 23 cm. of depth; and c, top, 2.5 cm. of depth. In
Plate la, the top section, c, is hidden by the separate cover of the
basket. The top and bottom sections are of the same coarse coiling

while the center section is of relatively fine coiling. It seems clear
that this finer center section was originally part of another basket,

made in the conventional way, but, having lost its bottom, possibly by
being burnt, it was adapted as a storage basket by simply having added

to its wider diameter the crude coiling that was to form the new bottom
of the storage basket. In support of this idea is the observation that

where the coiling of this lower section reaches the part where incurving
occurs, it continues on, in coils of ever-decreasing size, until the
center of the bottom is reached. No starting knot is found at this

point. The technique of incoiling, as we term it here, is easily recog-
nizable when we observe the position of the point of insertion of the

splint with regard to the coils and the manner of the occasional split-
ting of a stitch. An example of this technique is shown in Plate 3c.

Careful examination of the tray-like specimen illustrated in

Plate 3e shows that the grass foundation bundles and occasional stitches
are split on their under sides, opposite to the side they would be split
in working out from the center of a basket. Evidently this method was

used predominantly in patching large baskets in the Santa Barbara region.
An archaeological specimen in the Lowie Museum of Anthropology of the

University of California, Berkeley, (1-14498), listed as being recovered
from a cave in the Cuyama Mountains, is a large, twined water jug (illus-
trated in Kroeber 1925, pl. 53d) with a coiled bottom. This bottom is

in the form of a large patch, with the first (and largest) coil evidently
applied to the twined lower portion of the jug, and successive (and
smaller) coils working toward the center of the new bottom.

About 5 courses from the top edge of the center portion of the

basket is what appears to be an encircling reinforcement. This is composed
of the same material (Juncus) as the heavy splints of the basket. It
extends over from 2 to 6 coiling courses. At irregular intervals the

7

essentially horizontal reinforcement (that running parallel to the

course of the coiling) gives way to a vertical herringbone pattern of
reinforcement, and asphalt is applied over the entire addition.

Storage basket no. 39241 (pl. 3d):- This specimen is similar in
workmanship to that described above (39240) and, like the latter, is

composed of three separate fragments, with the center piece (22 cm. of
total depth) of finer coiling than either the top or bottom sections

(6 and 12 cm. respectively of total depth). The top fragment is attached
to the center one by a separate splint with coarse stitching, while the

bottom fragment is attached to the center merely by a continuation of the
finer stitching of the lower course of the center to the bottom section.

In Table 1, a k_ and      refer to bottom  center, and top, in that order.

The patch on this basket is composed of 9 courses of the same type
of foundation as that found in the upper and lower parts of the basket.
These were added in hurriedly and irregularly, and the fag ends of some

of the splints can be seen tucked under about 3 stitches along the founda-
tion.

A circular, flat tray-like specimen (pl. 3f, 4a) accompanying this
storage basket in the collection probably served as its cover. It is 30

cm. in diameter, and has approximately the same construction as the lower
part of the basket proper. This specimen probably once served as the

bottom of another basket, perhaps a food basket since one side is freely
covered with asphalt while the other has what seems to be a mixture of
grit and acorn meal (?) thoroughly embedded in its coils. There is no

starting knot apparent in the center of this specimen, and the points of
insertion of the splints again indicate that we are dealing with an
incoiled specimen.

Two other flat, circular specimens in the collection, one unnum-

bered (pl. 3e) and'the other numbered 39249 (pl. 4b) could also have been
used as covers for the storage basket (39241), and are therefore described
here. Specimen 39249 is a fragment 22 cm. in diameter, of similar mater-
ial to the preceding specimen but more crude in construction (9 coils and
10 stitches per 10 cm.) and with occasional double and split stitches.

This fragment has a starting knot in its center, and appears to have been
coiled in the conventional manner-from the center outwards.

The unnumbered specimen illustrated in Plate 3e is the best example
of the incoiling technique in the collection. It is 24 cm. in diameter,

with 17 coils and 26 stitches per 10 cm. The material and techniques used
here are the same as in preceding specimens, except that this specimen

shows slightly closer coiling and also has a few interlocking stitches near
its outer edge.

8

Storage baskets nos   39242, 39243, 39244 (pls. lc, 3a, b, c; see
also illustration of 39242 in Mason 1904, pl 202 upper):- These three
specimens, unlike those previously described, are complete; they are not
made up of fragments which have been added to, presumably after being

damaged. All have asphaltum on their outer surfaces, especially on the
lower portions. Specimen 39244 has asphaltum on its inside also; the

other two baskets are clean inside-except for their bottoms, which are
partly covered with an agglomerate substance perhaps identifiable as

acorn mush mixed with fine sand or silt. The starts of these two baskets
are slightly reinforced by the sewing of a few stitches of grass at their
bottom centers. The start of specimen 39244 is obscured by the asphaltum.

The rims of these baskets, except that of specimen 39242 which is
missing but which was probably the same as the others, are of the type

called self rims, as stated above. The last coil of the basket is there-
fore much like the preceding coil in structure, except that the grass

foundation bundle is thinned down near its end. The moving end of the
last splint was secured simply by running it back under 5 or 6 stitches
and then passing it through the foundation itself.

Decorated basket no. 39245 (pl. 2c, d):- This specimen may be
described as a deep, open dish. It is the only decorated specimen in
the collection. The bottom of the basket is missing and its rim is

broken; hence there are certain features about its construction which

cannot be determined. This basket is of finer manufacture than the stor-
age baskets, as will be seen from the data in Tible 1. Also, its splint
material (sumac) is different from the Juncus stitching of the latter.

The decoration consists of twenty-one separate "block" or "step" designs
completely encircling the basket. The individual design elements run

diagonally from top to bottom, and are of 3 steps each, with the bottom

step obscured, possibly by excessive handling when the basket was in use.
We have examined ethnographic Chumash specimens in the Lowie Museum of
Anthropology at Berkeley and have found no designs which exactly match
this one, although the general step-design is common among Chumash
baskets (cf. Kroeber 1922).

The decorated splints (dyed black) and the undyed splints were
evidently carried along on the same coil where indicated. In the 2

stitches of the vertical "risers" of the step design, however, the dyed
splint was inserted for these 2 stitches only and was discontinued until
another vertical line pattern was reached, when another short piece was
inserted.

This specimen is one of those illustrated by Mason (1904, pl. 201,
upper). Decoration of the specimen is just barely discernible in Mason's

9

reproduction on the outside of the basket. Actually, the inside of the
basket shows the decoration to best advantage.

Straight-sided, deep dish type basket no. 39246 (pl. 2a, b; see

also Mason'1904, pl. 201 lower):- The largest intact part of this frag-
mentary specimen, comprising the sides and upper rim (a in table 1),

resembles the decorated specimen (39245) in shape. Other details of the
two baskets do not correspond, for example, in material of manufacture
and lack of decoration of basket 39246. When received at the Peabody

Museum, the inside of the specimen was covered with a heavy coating of
asphalt (Mason 1904:487) and other material; hence it could not be ade-
quately described. In its present partly-cleaned state, description
suffers because of the fragmentary nature (i.e. the loose fastening
together) of its three component parts.

Shallow tray or plaque no. 39247 (pl. le, f):- This basket con-

sists of two separate fragments, each of slightly different construction.
The larger part (a in table 1) shows a slight concavity which may be

referred to as the inside of the specimen. However, the inside of the

tray was covered with asphalt while the outside was free of this substance.
The only new feature encountered in this basket is the structure of the
rim, which is a modified self-rim, being composed of alternate wrapping
and interlocking stitches. The rim thus appears to have twice as many
stitches per 10 cm. as the body of the basket.

The small section of the basket which may once have been its

center has varying amounts of asphalt on both sides; in addition, one side
shows food remains.

Small, globe-shaped basket no. 39250 (pl. 2e, f ):- This is the

best preserved specimen in the entire collection of basketry from Bowers
Cave. The point of change in structure of the. foundation from grass

bundle to rods can be plainly seen in Plate 2e, about 4 coiling courses
from the bottom. When the rim of the basket was reached by the maker,

the grass bundle foundation was again utilized. Double stitphing occurs
here and there throughout the rod-foundation part of the basket (1 in
table 1), especially at the beginning near the lower one-third of the
specimen.

Discussion. We have already stated our belief that the specimens

from Bowers Cave are more likely to have been?used by the late prehistoric
or early historic Chumash rather than the Alliklik.   Comparisons of the
basketry with other specimens that have been found in the Chumash area

support this idea.  First of all, specimens in the Lowie Museum of Anthro-

10

TABLE 1

Summary of Basketry Data

Peabody   Max. (cm.)                                  Coils    Stitches

Museum    Dimensions              Coiling              per       per     Illus.

No.    Depth  Diam.            Technique             10 cm.    10 cm.  Plate

39240
39241

35     53     Single grass bundle foun-

dation split by noninter-
locking stitches

a
b
c

10
26
10

16
44
16
13
40
22

la, b
3d

44     45

Ditto

a 11
b 27
c 11

39242
39243
39244
39245

39246

39247

25     43
29     53
40     46

Ditto
Ditto
Ditto

11      24-26    lc

9-10

11     37     3-rod triangular, top

rod split by noninter-
locking stitches

11     36     a. Single grass bundle

foundation split by
noninterlocking
stitches

b. 3-rod triangular, top

rod split by noninter-
locking stitches
c. Same as a.

--     42     a. Single grass bundle

foundation split by

interlocking stitches

14     b. Same as a, but with non-

interlocking stitches

,11
30

30
29

28
21

35
30

22     3a, b
24     3c

72     2c, d

80     2a, b
70

52

20     le, f
65

40     2e, f

39250

7.2  10.3

a. Single grass bundle

foundation split by
noninterlocking
stitches

b. 3-rod triangular, top

rod split by noninter-
locking stitches

11

pology, listed as having been found in a cave in the Cuyama Mountains

(Kroeber 1925, pls. 53, 54), show coiling with grass bundle foundation

which is almost the exact duplicate of that in the storage baskets from
the Bowers collection. M. R. Harrington (1942:141) illustrates similar
coiled basketry discovered in. a cave near Sespe, which he refers to as
the site of a former Chumash village. The Sespe specimen also shows

several repairs or additions which were executed in a manner resembling
that used on the Bowers Cave storage baskets.

The baskets described by Heye (1926:193-198) were also recovered
from a cave in what was probably Chumash territory, El Blanco canyon in
the Sespe Mountains. Seven archaic baskets were found, and again the
crude coiling technique of the Bowers Cave specimens is represented,

for example, in a large storage basket (ibid., fig. 66). In another,
decorated, specimen (ibid., fig. 67), the block-step design appears.

Although this is only roughly equatable with the design on the one deco-
rated specimen from Bowers Cave, the identification of the motif itself
is suggestive of relationship.

Two Canalinio or late prehistoric Chumash coiled baskets, reported
by Rogers (1929:70) as being recovered from a rock shelter, appear also
to be similar to some of the Bowers Cave baskets. Both of Rogers'

specimens are decorated, one with the block-step design represented by
parallel diagonal elements, the other with a more complicated design
which cannot properly be called block-step and which, furthermore, is
not characterized by parallel diagonals.

Recently Kowta and Hurst (1960) have reviewed the subject of
coiled basketry in southern California. Their report refers to the

published material cited above, plus the available material on basketry
from Bowers Cave (Mason 1904), and adds descriptions of six fragments

of single coarse-grass-bundle foundation coiled basketry, each fragment
showing left to right direction of work. This basketry also was recov-
ered from a dry deposit-the Triunfo Rockshelter in the historic terri-
tory of the Ventureino Chumash.

Kowta and Hurst (1960:203) note that coiling on a foundation of

a bundle of grass is of wide distribution in California; Chumash, Coast
Salinan, Yokuts, Mono, and some Miwok are cited.   To this list may be

added the Cahuilla (Schumacher 1880). Kowta and Hurst (1960: 205) note
that this kind of coiling may "signify a trend diagnostic of a temporal

factor" so far as the relative use of the 3-rod foundation is concerned,

12

Kroeber's statement (1925:560) that the historic Chumash substi-
tuted the 3-rod for the grass bundle foundation characteristic of the
Shoshoneans of southern California may indicate that the grass bundle
foundation, being much more widespread, was the earlier of the two

types. However, since Bowers Cave offers evidence of both types of

foundation, our opinion is that no indication of a temporal difference
is to be inferred on the basis of a comparison of these two traits in
the Bowers Cave basketry.

There is certainly no doubt that the coarse coiling technique

has a wide distribution in the American Southwest and southern California,
and there is evidence that baskets employing split grass bundle founda-
tions were also used in these regions. Haury (1934:76) reported these
grass bundle foundations from a ruin in Arizona probably dating from

Pueblo III times and notes that this kind of foundation occurs in recent
Pima and Papago basketry.

Putnam (1879:243) also describes basketry fragments discovered in
an archaeological context on Santa Catalina Island. Evidently the single
grass bundle foundation again is represented, and again a parallel is
drawn between the archaeological specimens and those of the "present
Indians of some parts of California."

The application of melted asphalt to basketry, either for sealing
or repair purposes, may have been a widespread trait in California,
especially among coastal groups where asphalt was readily available

(Heizer 1940). The use of pebbles for lining baskets with asphalt is

attested by both the early and late archaeological periods known in the

Chumash region (Olson 1930:7); hence the presence of asphalt on the large
storage baskets from Bowers Cave is not unexpected.

We have noted that several of the Bowers Cave baskets must have
had lids. This may represent a late prehistoric or an early historic
trait, since J. P. Harrington (1942:23) was unable to find any modern

Chumash who reported lids used for baskets in aboriginal times. Kroeber

(1922:178) states that it is uncertain whether lids were made in historic
times for native use or only on baskets made for sale to Europeans.

Until provably pre-Spanish period baskets with lids are found archaeolog-
ically, there will be no means of settling the question of whether lids
are prehistoric or not.

In summary, we can only reiterate that all of the basketry from

Bowers Cave can easily fit into a Chumash context. Kroeber's (1922:177)

list of distinctions between (prehistoric) Chumash and (historic) Mission
baskets, and between the Chumash and surrounding groups such as the

13

Fernandeino and Gabrielino, would not seem to provide any basis for set-

ting apart the Bowers Cave specimens from the general Chumash type. Even
if there were no other chronological indications present at Bowers Cave,

we would hazard the guess that our specimens are not very much older than
the earliest historic Chumash baskets heretofore known-that they were

manufactured by the ancestors of the Chumash probably not more than fifty
years before effective white contact around 1770 A.D.

Feather Bands

In the relatively meager literature on feather bands, the designa-

tion "head bands" is usually applied, although it is known that in historic
times feather bands were used by the Chumash for other purposes. J. P.

Harrington (1942:17), for example, lists, besides use as bands worn on the
forehead, down the back, and as a bandolier, feather bands hung orn poles as
banners. For southern California in general, Hewes (1952:151) states that
among the Luiseino, flicker quill bands "poorly trimmed and of 'darker

feathers' were used to decorate outdoor dance enclosures for toloache or

jimsonweed initiation rites, but were not worn as part of the dance costume.
The Mountain Cahuilla and Cupeino did the same. Serrano did employ them as
veritable headbands as well as for belts and bandoliers."

Of the 33 specimens in the Bowers collection (selected examples are
illustrated in pl. 5a, b), 15 are obviously complete. Of these, 9 are

between 66 and 99 cm. long, 5 are between 104 and 129 cm., and 1 is 162 cm.
long. Of the 18 incomplete specimens, only 2 evidently were not usable
fragments (47 and 59 cm. respectively in length). The remainder may be

specimens which lack but a few centimeters of their original length; 11

are between 61 and 98 cm. long, 5 are over 100 cm., with the longest being
130 cm.  We have quoted these figures in order to indicate that the speci-

mens could have served any of the purposes indicated by Harrington or Hewes.
Presumably they would not all have been used as head bands, for in this

case a more nearly constant length would have been observed. Furthermore,
the majority of the complete specimens lack substantial tie strings at

their ends, which would ordinarily be u:;ed if the specimens were forehead
bands. Obviously, there are optimum leAgths for feather bands, depending
upon their use.  Merriam (1955, pls. 12, 13) illustrates.ethnographic Pomo
use of feather bands, showing variant lengths of forehead bands and those
which hang down the back of the wearer. The lengths of the forehead bands
are estimated at about 60 cm., while those extending from about the neck
to below the wearer's knees are about 120 cm. long.

If the function of the bands varied from region to region in ethno-
graphic California, at least it may be said that they were used most often

14

in formal ceremonies, although Hewes (1952) states that they were used
"in the western Great Basin in what seems to be a fairly modern, social
rather than religious dance." In any case, the details of construction
vary considerably, especially between central and southern California.

According to Hewes, "Costanoans, Salinans, Chumash and Gabrielino appar-
ently made flicker quill headbands resembling existing Luiseino museum
specimens-that is, with continuous, poorly trimmed tufts instead of

neatly trimmed tufts and tuftless quills." Kroeber (1925:665) has stated
that the yellowhanner forehead band typical of central California is not
found in most of the southern parts of the state. In an unpublished

manuscript on feather headbands, Kroeber (n.d.) observes that, while in
northern and central California quills are of the yellowhammer or red-
shafted flicker, in southern California feathers from other birds are
frequently used.

The Bowers Cave specimens certainly bear out Kroeber's observa-
tion, as here were found feathers from several avian species.

In the table that follows it will be noted that no tabula-

tion of the presence of wing or tail feathers has been made from the
Bowers Cave feather bands.   The reason for this is that although the

majority of the feathers apparently are wing feathers, there is a mixture
in some of the bands. Also, since some of the vanes have either been
trimmed at their tips or, in some cases, destroyed by insects, it is

often difficult to distinguish wing from tail feathers used in construc-
tion of the bands. Sometimes the relative curvature of the quill may be
used to make such distinctions, and, in the case of the flicker, there
is a color difference between the quills from the wing (red) and those
from the tail (red and some black).   Harwell (1939) presents data of

interest in a description of a flicker feather headband bought from an
Indian in Yosemite National Park, who had purchased it in turn from
another Indian:

"This dance ornament is twenty-six inches [66 cm.] long and six
and one-half inches [16.5 cm.] wide. Eighty-four tail feathers and

three hundred and twenty-eight wing feathers of the Red Shafted Flicker
are used in its construction. There are ten feathers in each flicker's
tail, only six of which are usable in this type of band because the two
outer feathers are one-sided and the two central ones are black-shafted
which would spoil the color pattern desired. Each flicker wing contains
seventeen primary feathers, the outer one of which is discarded because
too short, so the tails of fourteen of these woodpeckers had to be
secured and the wings of eleven for this one headband."

15

TABLE 2

Feathers Used in Bands

No. of Bands on Which     No. of Complete
Quills from                         Feathers Occur              Bands
Red-shafted flicker

(Colaptes cafer)                        16                      4

Crow

(Corvus brachyrhyncos)                  12                      2

Brown pelican

(Pelecanus occidentalis)                10                      5

Condor

(Gymnogyps californianus)               10                      2

Red- shouldered hawk

(Buteo lineatus)                         8                      5

Snowy egret

(Egretta thule)                          6                      *

Bald eagle

(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)               3                      *

Steller's jay

(Cyanocitta stelleri)                    2                      1

California bluejay

(Aphelocoma californica)                 1

Band-tailed pigeon         )

(Columba fasciata ?)                     1
Grouse                     )

(Dendragapus sp.  ?)     )

* Occur infrequently in bands

The lengths of the Bowers Cave bands have already been given. The
widths.of these 33 bands range from 12 to 29 cm., with concentrations at

16

15 cm. (4 specimens), 18 cm. (6 specimens), and 20 cm. (4 specimens).
This variation reflects the number of species of bird in the headband
assemblage at Bowers Cave. Specimens measured at the Peabody Museum

showed about 40 feathers per 10 cm. in the case of the pelican, and 64
feathers per 10 cm. in the case of the (smaller) California jay. The
flicker feather band from Yosemite National Park referred to above
(Harwell 1939) in these terms, had about 61 feathers per 10 cm.

A nearly constant feature of the Bowers Cave specimens lies in
their method of alternating the direction of the quills and in the

number of courses of cordage used in binding the feathers together. In
all but one instance, the quills, some of them having been cut off at
their tips, were pierced and then sewn to adjacent quills with tips

pointing in opposite directions. In one specimen only, the feathers

were laid in groups of two, side by side, in alternate directions.    In
all but one instance, each quill is pierced in two places, so that the

binding cordage is composed of two parallel courses running through the
quills at points near their tips and near where the vanes extend out

from them. Evidently a single length of cordage was used in most cases,
as in the complete specimens there is a tight loop at one end; at the
other end the free ends of the cordage are either dangling or secured
by knots.

The cordage used in all cases is of dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum)
fibers, and is of 2-ply S-twist. Twenty-two of the band specimens have
cordage which is 1 mm. in diameter. Of the remaining 11 specimens, one
is 0.9 mm. and 10 range from 1.2 to 1.8 mm. The small average thickness
is explained by the nature of function of the cordage, which is more
like that of fine thread than of banding string.

Although the cordage is consistently of S-twist, in two specimens
the loose ends are drawn together to form a single Z-twist piece consist-
ing of the two 2-ply elements.   Spare cordage at the ends of the bands is
minimal, although in two specimens there are lengths of 50 and 100 mm.

extending beyond the last course of feathers. Some of the cordage lengths
hang free, while others are knotted together in a casual way. Knots

represented are overhand, square, granny, two half hitches, and a reeving
line bend. Finally, in 6 of the bands, there is terminal reinforcement
wher.e the two cordage ends are knotted, then twined or woven back over

varying courses or warps of quills. This back-weaving technique is hap-
hazard, however, and differing numbers of quills or warps (from 2 to 8)
are included in separate passings of the cordage wefts.

After these descriptions, there is little left to say about rela-
tionships of these feather specimens to like objects from other parts of

17

California or western North America. It appears, in summary, that we
are dealing with typical "Southern California" feather bands of the

ethnographic period. There is little likelihood that we shall ever be
able to identify exactly the Bowers Cave specimens as of Chumash or
Alliklik derivation.

Bone Whistles

Forty-five bone whistles (each numbered 39259), all of approxi-

mately the same size and varying but slightly in details of manufacture,
were found in Bowers Cave (pl. 6a, b). All of the bones are tibiae, 24
from the right leg and 21 from the left leg of the California mule deer
(Odocoileus hemionus). The relatively unvarying sizes of the specimens

suggest that they may have been made according to a set pattern and that
each pair (right and left) came from the same animal. All of the speci-
mens appear to have holes punched or gouged in them on the smooth, con-
cave lateral wall of bone, just below the proximal epiphyses'. It is

suggested that these holes were made for the purpose of extracting the
marrow and cancellous bone from the interior, after the distal end of
the bone had been sawed or broken off. Although the shell or bone

covering of these holes is missing on 9 specimens, it is evident that

the holes had once been covered. Traces of the asphalt used for applying
or sealing the shell or bone discs still may be seen around their edges.
The exposed holes are from 10 to 15 mm. in diameter (one odd specimen

has an elongated hole 29 mm. in largest measurement) and were all obvi-
ously punched out roughly.

TABLE 3

Approximate Measurements of 45 Bone Whistles

(cm.)             Min.  Max.   Aver.   (MM )                        Average

* 11

Length             23.0  27.0  24.7     Outside diam. of shaft be-

tween hole and cut end     17 x 22
Diam. of                                Inside diam. of shaft

whistle hole       0.7   1.1   0.9      at cut end                 11 x 15
Distance center                         Diam. of hole                 9.3

of whistle hole

from end of                            Opening allowed by

specimen           2.2   5.6   4.0      asphalt stop in hole         4.3

I I

18

The mouthpiece ends of the whistles have all been ground off
squarely and their edges polished, probably both by design and use.
The whistle holes on the sides were evidently made by sawing across

the bone, and then drilling and polishing the resultant aperture into
a subcircular form. All the specimens have asphalt hole plugs, or

traces of these, placed directly opposite the opening simply as small
blobs or buttons.*

In general, there is little difference in specimens made from the
right or left tibia. The data in Table 4 apply to the whistles as a

group, and the differences in number of right or left specimens found

are carried through about proportionally in the matter of occurrences of
elements. Observation of 23 of the 45 specimens, where identification

of the lateral hole coverings was possible (i.e. where asphaltum did not
obliterate the discs), however, disclosed that there were differences in

the material used for covering the holes. Thus, only 4 of the left tibiae
have Haliotis discs as against 13 covering the holes of the right tibiae.
There is one disc (H. cracherodi) in the collection which has been de-

tached from the bone; all of the attached discs have their nacreous sides
exposed, and thus do not effectively allow species identification.    Only
left tibiae showed mussel (Mytilus sp.) shell or bone discs covering the
holes. This particular set of occurrences could be entirely accidental,

or it is possible that here is a weak reflection of some sort of ceremon-
ial distinction between slightly different natural objects.

Several of the specimens are distinctly pblished near their cut

ends, as if from having been held in the hands. There are traces on some
of random incisions on the surface, but these also may be fortuitous and
have nothing to do with decoration

The Juncus wrappings (table 4) that appear to have been part of
the decoration of practically all of the specimens are closely spaced

(ca. 28 coils per 10 cm.) and secured in place by their own tension and
by having their ends tucked under one or two wrapping courses at each

end. In addition, asphalt is smeared over parts of the wrapping and this
serves to hold it in place. On two specimens only (pl. 6a, b) the

asphalt is applied in a series of chevrons (5 on each whistle), which

*Izikowitz (1935) refers to the Bowers Cave type of instrument as
a "duct flute without stop." The asphalt pieces in his terminology,
accordingly, are "deflectors."   Kaudern (1940:49) doubts Izikowitz'

interpretation of the direction of air through the lateral hole or sound
orifice; hence even use of the term "deflector" may be questioned.

19

TABLE 4

Selected Data on 45 Bone Whistles

Occurs on

Element                                                 (No. of Specimens)

Applied asphaltum                                              45

Juncus wrapping                                                 27

Trace of Juncus wrapping                                      13

Abalone (H. cracherodi ?) covering lateral hole                 17
Other shell (e.g. mussel) covering lateral hole                 4
Bone covering lateral hole                                       2
Uncovered lateral hole (disc missing)                           9
Olivella beads applied in asphalt                               4

surely must represent additional attempts at decoration. Evidently, the
Olivella beads deeply embedded in the asphalt of 4 specimens represent
another slight effort at decoration of the whistles. These beads are
either of Type Glc or X3B1 described and illustrated by Gifford (1947:
69, 98). Exact identification is not possible without extracting the

beads from their asphalt matrix. In any case, it appears that there is

no chronologically significant difference between the two types of beads;
both were used in the ethnographic period in southern California (ibid.,
p. 35).

Discussion. The whistles from Bowers Cave are closely similar in
form to those designated as Type FF1C by Gifford (1940:181, 230) and

those in the archaeological collections of the University of California.
All of the 10 specimens described by Gifford are from the Santa Barbara
Channel region, and appear to have been associated with deposits which
have been identified as occurring late in the prehistoric period. On

6 of Gifford's (op. cit., p. 181) 10 specimens "a piece of Haliotis shell
is attached with asphaltum.on the concave surface near the proximal end;
another 4 specimens have asphaltum at this end and probably once had

Haliotis attached. Most have asphaltum over greater part of surface but
give no evidence of what was attached."

20

Although there is no positive indication that the Bowers Cave
specimens were ever used as double whistles, a note by F. W. Putnam
(Abbott 1879a:237) suggests that both the asphalt and the Juncus

wrapping on the Bowers Cave specimens actually may have served as

binding agents rather than as purely decorative features, as we have

implied. We quote at length from Putnam's description since the simi-
larity of the whistles, except for. the idea of use of two together, is
so striking:

"From the graves at the isthmus, on the island of Santa Catalina,
Mr. Schumacher obtained eight whistles of a different form from any

found during the early explorations, and from a grave on the island of

San Clemente he secured another of the same kind. These instruments are
made from the tibiae of the deer, two of the bones being required to

form the perfect instrument. As shown in Fig. 120, the two bones were

placed side by side and held in position by a large mass of asphaltum at
one end, and by carefully winding thin strips of bark around the bones.

[The specimens figured by Putnam are almost exactly like the Bowers Cave
whistles shown herein in Plate 6a, b.] This lashing of bark was covered
by a light coating of asphaltum, and extended nearly the whole length of
the instrument.  Inside the tube, formed by scraping out the cellular

portion of the bone, and opposite the lateral opening a mass of asphal-
tum has been placed in such a position and of such size as to leave but
a small space above or below the lateral opening."

Apart from these definite occurrences of deer tibia whistles,

several other perhaps more questionable specimens are known from private
collections. Such specimens as we have seen appear remarkably more

elaborate than the Bowers Cave whistles, often being covered with shell
beads inlaid in a coating of asphaltum on the bone. One such example,
illustrated in Natural History (Anon., 1960:26), is described as a

"heavily inlaid flute of steatite [sic]-precontact work of California's
Chumash tribe, may mimic bird' s head."  In this case, the relatively
large disc of Haliotis near the proximal end of the tibia is no doubt
thought to represent the large eye of a bird (cf. specimens in pl. 6
herein looked at as if lying on side).

Without considering the latter specimens, or others of the same
genre which in our opinion may be forgeries, we can utilize the well

documented occurrences to confirm the idea that the Bowers Cave examples
are part of a definite Southern Coast (Chumash) cultural complex, dating
from late prehistoric or early historic times.

Of significant relevance to the present discussion of whistles

21

made of tibiae of deer are three ethnographic specimens now in the Musee
de lHomme, Paris, which were collected eighty years ago by Leon de
Cessac. These three specimens were formerly numbered 84.91.3024,

84.91.3025, and 84.91.3026. New numbers have been assigned to .these
specimens, their present designations being 82.30.95., 82.30.96, and

82.30.97. These whistles were secured by de Cessac by purchase, prob-
ably at Santa Ynez, and are therefore presumably of Chumash origin.

They are much used, and may in fact date from pre-Spanish times, having

been preserved as heirlooms, or possibly they were made during the mission
period and were still extant in 1880 when they were secured by de Cessac.

Specimen 82.30.97 (pl. 7a, b) is 26.5 cm. long, has an asphaltum
plug (or "deflector," see fn. p. 18), and a hole in the shaft 9 mm. in
diameter. The shaft is pretty well covered with a layer of black

asphalt in which are embedded small, broken bits of abalone shell. A

hole has been broken through the wall of the bone just below the proximal
articulation, and this opening is covered with a roughly regular piece of
abalone shell embedded in asphalt mastic.

Specimen 82.30.96 (pl. 7c, d) is 27.3 cm. long. The asphalt plug
is missing, having presumably become dislodged and lost. Remnants of
asphalt on the shaft of the whistle bear impressions of a wrapping of
some fiber 3 to 4 mm. wide, apparently of the same material which is

preserved on the shaft of the third whistle which is described below.

The punched hole in the articulated end is now open, but was once covered
with a piece of abalone shell as indicated by a small remaining fragment
embedded in asphalt. Not far below the hole, punched into the wall of

the proximal articulated end, is a band of asphaltum in which are embedded
a number of rough bits of white clamshell. It is presumed that the speci-
men was originally wrapped over the entire medial surface of the shaft up
to the point of the exposed asphaltum band containing ornamental clamshell
bits, and that the wrapping was continued from the edge of this band up to
the point where the abalone covered over the hole punched in the side wall
cover.

The third specimen, 82.30.95 (p1. 7e, f), is complete.    It is

darkened and well polished from much use and handling, and bears small,

adherent bits of sinew. It is 26.5 cm. long, has a hole 5 mm. in diame-
ter, and an asphalt plug. The spiral wrapping of some unidentified

material resembling bamboo, or perhaps the split surface of some shrub,

is 2.5 to 3.0 mm. wide, and extends from the edge of the whistle hdle in
the side of the shaft for a distance of 11.2 cm. The vegetal wrapping is
held in place at the upper (proximal) end with a band of asphaltum.

22

These specimens are actually very similar to archaeological

examples from the Santa Barbara area (some of which show evidence of a
vegetal wrapping) as well as to those from Bowers Cave. No more con-

vincing evidence of the late chronological placement of these whistles
can be desired.

Bullroarers

Four of the Bowers Cave bullroarers have already been described

by Heizer (1960). Twelve of the bullroarers recovered are complete, and
2 are fragmentary. All specimens bear one number (39260) in the Peabody
Museum catalogue. Included among the specimens illustrated here (pl.
4c, d) are several of those shown in Heizer (op. cit., pl. la-d). To
avoid confusion, however, data given below, and especially in Table 5,

will refer to the entire lot of bullroarers without regard to previously
published descriptions.

There is little doubt but that we are dealing with true bull-
roarers in these wooden specimens from Bowers Cave. All except one

midsection of a specimen may be characterized as thin staves with holes
near their ends.  The wood from which they are made appears to be the

same for all specimens, that is, wood from a coniferous tree. One speci-
man, thought to be representative of the lot, was identified by the

University of California Herbarium as Douglas fir or a closely related
Pseudotsuga species.

The holes are mostly biconically drilled, although 9 bullroarers
of the 13 which contain end holes evidently were roughly bored. The

surfaces of the remaining 4 holes are smooth, perhaps having become this
way through excessive use.   All except 2 specimens have rounded holes-
the exceptions have slitlike holes, one transverse and one longitudinal.

Thirteen of the specimens have lateral notches cut in both sides.
The purpose of these notches was probably decorative, although they may
somehow affect the "whirring" sound produced by the bullroarers.

Notched examples have not been reported among early ethnographic speci-

mens in California. However, Kelley (1936:138) notes for the Chemehuevi
(Southern Paiute) "bullroarers of mountain sheep horn which were grooved
or notched with a stone knife-these objects were used for rainmaking."

Some of the bullroarers are decorated with paint. In Plate 4c

(two specimens on left) it may be seen that the bullroarers are smeared
or smudged with the same kind of mixture of sand and organic substance
(?) as was found on the walls of several of the baskets from the cave.

23

TABLE 5

Measurements of Bullroarers

Minimum          Maximum          Average
Length (cm.)                    24.0             35.0              30.5
Width (cm.)                      2.6               5.1              3.4
Thickness (mm.)                  4.5               9.0              6.4
Hole diameter (mm.)              3.0               7.0              4.6
Distance of hole from end (mm.) 12.0              27.0             18.4

The decoration consists of full staining with black (3 specimens) or red
(1 specimen) pigment, or partial staining with a "chevron",or "track'f

design (3 examples). Of the latter, one specimen shows on one side but
a faint outline of 8 chevrons pointing away from the perforation at one
end of the bullroarer (pl. 4c, second from right). One other specimen

also has a chevron design, but here the chevrons appear on both sides and
are alternately colored black and red. The points of the chevrons face

toward-the hole (pl. 4d, second from left). The track design appears on
but one side of one bullroarer. It is composed of a red stripe about 12
mm. wide running the length of the stave, supplemented by 16 "cross-

p-ieces" in black paint on either side of this stripe (pl. 4d, center).
On the reverse, the simple red stripe is repeated, without the cross-
pieces.

On 2 specimens there remain evidences of cotdage. One shows an
extremely fragmentary piece, consisting of 2-ply, S-twist Apocynum

cordage about 2.2 mm. in diameter and having a double overhand knot tied
at the perforation of the stave. The specimen shown in Plate 4d, left,
has a long (135 cm.), perhaps functional, piece of wrapped braid which

is parted at the hole end, with the two elements then tied together in a
granny knot to secure it to the bullroarer. Although the 5-strand braid
is of Apocynum, the wrapping is of a different material, probably Xero-
phyllum tenax. X. tenax has a natural distribution which does not in-
clude the Santa Barbara region; hence, if used, it must have been

secured by trade. J. P. Harrington (1942:25) notes denial of the prac-
tice of braiding among the aboriginal Chumash, and suggests that they.

'learned the process during the Mission Period. This may seem peculiar
in that braiding has been reported in other parts of California, for
example, among the Western Mono (cf. Gifford 1932:28), and also the

24

braiding technique evidently has long been known in the Great Basin as
well as in the American Southwest. Loud and Harrington (1929, pI. 37),

for example, show braids ranging from 3 to 16 strands from Lovelock Cave,
Nevada, while Haury (1934:85) describes braiding from a ruin in Arizona
which probably dates from Pueblo III times.

Discussion. Heizer (1960) has described the distribution and

function of bullroarers among recent California tribes and has summarized
other occurrences of prehistoric specimens in the region of Santa Barbara,
There is no question but that the Bowers Cave specimens can easily be
considered as Chumash items.

Stone Clubs

Four perforated stone objects mounted on wooden handles were recov-
ered from Bowers Cave.  Of these, only three are available for our present
study. These objects are numbered 39261, 39262, and 39264 at the Peabody

Museum. Drawings of all three specimens are given in Henshaw (1887:29, 30),
and specimens 39264 and 39261 are illustrated here in Plate 5c, d. Since

the same three specimens which we have examined have been so well described
by Henshaw (op. cit., 28-31), we shall give his verbatim presentation here,
together with comments and minor additions which we have noted.

"Stones with handles:- In connection with the subject of ceremonial
stones, attention may be drawn at this point to four unique specimens dis-
covered by Dr. Stephen Bowers in a cave in the San Martin Mountains, Los

Angeles County, California, and described in Pacific Science Monthly, June,
1885. They are unique because they are the only perforated stones thus
far found in the United States which are attached to handles.

"These specimens have been added to the collection of the Peabody
Museum, and three of them are now before me for examination, through the
courtesy of Professor Putnam, who has kindly permitted them to be figured
for use in the present paper.

"As the accompanying figures [see pl. 5c, d] afford an excellent

idea of their peculiarities., a brief description will suffice. The disks
are of a kind frequently found in California, and, in themselves, are not

especially noteworthy. They are made of moderately hard stone, from 4? to
5 'inches in diameter [see table 6]. The holes were probably made by

first being pecked from either side and subsequently drilled, and, as is
frequently the case, are made smaller at the center, presenting somewhat
the shape of a double cone. All three of the stones retain plain traces

25

of paint markings, which, as will be seen in the illustrations, are dis-
posed in regular patterns.

"It is to be noticed that the edges of the stones are smooth and
show no evidences of abrasion by blows or other rough usage, a fact not
at all agreeing with the idea that they served for hammers of any kind.

"The handles are from 15 to 18 inches long, and are made apparently
of rather tough wood [Arctostaphylos sp.; manzanita ?].   All three are
natural branches, dressed only to the extent of removing the bark and

paring off the twigs, so that the natural inequalities of the wood, the
knots, &c. are plainly visible. They are smooth as though from the

friction of much use. The handle of one [39261, pl. 5d] is marked trans-
versely by a series of cuts, disposed for the most part in regular rows,
and presenting the appearance of tallies.

"A most interesting feature of these specimens is the method by

which the heads are fastened by the handles, which is done by asphaltum,

a mineral which abounds in many localities of Southern California and was
much used by Indians for fastening, mending, &c. The sticks are thrust

through the stones so as to. project slightly beyond, and as the holes are
much larger at the circumference than at the center, the handles, if set

at right angles to the stone, would bear only upon the center. Under the
circumstances, it would perhaps be a rather nice matter to adjust and
cement them at right angles; and either from accident or from design,

they are set at an acute angle to the base of the stones, the angle being
greater in the specimen shown in [pl. 5c] than in the others. The unoc-
cupied space above and below the stones is packed with asphaltum, which
in one specimen [pl. Sc] projects above the stone in a knot or button.

The cement thus employed affords a fairly strong attachment, but one that
apparently would not stand very rough usage. The strength of the attach-
ments is a matter of some moment, since one of the uses which has been
suggested for these implements is as clubs. To have secured a much

stronger attachment it would only have been necessary to drill out the
holes, so as to permit a larger surface for the handles to bear upon,

which, too, would have permitted the handles to be set at right angles to
the stones.

"In connection with their possible use as clubs, it should be men-
tioned that the handles are neither roughened nor knobbed for secure
grasping, but, on the contrary, are perfectly smooth. The handle of

[specimen 39262] is stouter than either of the others, being about an
inch in diameter at its largest part, stout enough to serve as a club
handle; but the handles of the other two are much smaller, being each

26

about one-half inch thick. So slender are they, and so heavily weighted,
that it is evident they would be broken at a single hard blow. So simi-
lar, however, are the three in general form and features, that, notwith-
standing the difference in the size of the handles, it cannot be doubted
that they were designed to fulfill the same function, and that what one
is all are.

"Ceremonial implements:- After careful consideration of these

implements I am convinced that their peculiarities accord best with the
idea that they were the property of medicine men or conjurers, probably
used in dances or superstitious ceremonies, as rain making, curing the

sick, &c., this being the alternative suggested by Dr. Bowers.    Not only

does the character of the implements themselves agree best with this idea,
but it is borne out also by the rest of the cave contents. The rudely
painted notched sticks [bullroarers], the feather headdresses, and the
bone whistles are all strongly suggestive of 'medicine practices.'

Notched sticks similar to the ones found in the cave by Dr. Bowers are

used in certain sacrifices by the Navajo, as Dr. W. Matthews informs me,
and also disks of stone; the latter, however, are not perforated.    More-
over, I was informed by an Indian in Santa Barbara County that feather

bands or gorgets, of which a specimen similar to those found in the cave
was shown me, were worn by all their medicine men in their ceremonies,
and that the feathers of the red-shafted flicker, which occur in the

specimens found in the cave, were peculiarly efficacious in rain making.

I was also told that bone whistles were used by the medicine men in their
invocations. As already stated, therefore, a consideration of-all the

above facts justifies the conclusion, in my opinion, that the specimens

in question, together with the rest of the contents of the cave, were the
implements of trade of medicine men or the property of some religious
order."

Table 6 below is a summary of the measurements not specifically
mentioned by Henshaw.

Supplementary observations to those made by Henshaw are as follows:
Specimen 39261: Material, igneous rock; the stone head is set off
10 degrees from the right angle which would be formed by the handle and

the transverse plane of the stone; the small, transverse cuts (tallies ?)
mentioned by Henshaw are about 6 mm. long, spaced 5 cm. apart, and extend
almost the total length of the haft; red ocher decoration now consists of
4 encircling bands about 8 mm. wide, 3 on the side of the stone and 1 on
the distal end, concentric with the perforation; end of haft extends 17
mm. beyond the outer edge of central perforation.

27

TABLE 6

Measurements of Haf ted Stones

Outside Diam.   Thickness        Diam. of        Handle    Handle
Specimen     of Stone       of stone    Perforation (mm.)   Length      Diam.

No.         (cm.)          (cm.)     Outer       Inner     (cm.)     (mm.)

39261         11.5            4.8      33.0       27.0       50.0      15.0
39262         9.7             4.9      35.0       16.0       45.0      14.0
39264        13.0             4.0                           46.5       15.0

Specimen 39262: Stone of same material as 39261, and canting of

head with relation to haft is also similar; heavy cordage is wrapped around
haft on both sides of stone head and is smeared with asphaltum to act as
reinforcement for attachment on haft; haft extends 11 mm. beyond distal

side of stone; smears of red ocher and some kind of black dye are faintly
present-there are also extremely faint traces of black-painted radial
lines from outer edge of perforation on distal side of stone.

Specimen 39264:  Stone head of hard, fine grained sandstone is

doughnut-shaped in plan but lenticular in cross section; head canted more

than in other 2 specimens (18 as against 10 degrees); perforation of stone
is heavily smeared on both sides with asphaltum, making accurate measure-
ment of hole diameter difficult (probably measurements of hole are about
the same as those of other 2 specimens); handle extends 16 mm. beyond

distal side of stone and is wrapped with Z-twist cordage about 2.5 mm. in
diameter and impregnated with asphaltum; decoration consists of 15 small
Olivella beads like those on the bone whistles (i.e. type Glc or X3B1 of
Gifford 1947:69, 98), embedded at random in asphalt; faint traces of red
ocher appear on the proximal side of the stone head-on the distal side

are 13 radial lines, in red ocer, each about 10 cm. wide, extending from
the central perforation to the outer edge of stone.

Speculations as to whether the hafted stones were used as digging
stick weights, gaming implements, net weights, spindle whorls, or club

heads (for warfare or ceremonial use) cannot be positively confirmed by
the Bowers Cave specimens, although their presence with other probably

ceremonial objects such as bullroarers would support Henshaw's idea that

"ceremonial clubs" indeed are represented.   The shafts are so slender and
the weight of the discs so slight that serious consideration of their

being weighted digging sticks is rejected. Since these specimens have

28

remained as unique since 1877, to our knowledge, there can be no mean-
ingful discussion here of distributional or chronological comparisons.

Miscellaneous Specimens

Wooden "dagger" (pl. 4d, extreme right; 39266):-   This object was

evidently manufactured from the same kind of soft wood as the bullroarers;
in fact it may originally have been intended as a bullroarer. It is 27.5

cm. long, 24 mm. wide, and 8 mm. thick. The wood is smoothed all over and
one end of the specimen forms a definite point. The broad surface of the
opposite end is thinned on one side so that a 22 mm. long section of the
specimen is actually only 3 mm. thick. Cordage (2-ply, S-twist) about

1 mm. thick is wrapped around about half of the thinned end of the speci-
men and probably the putative handle as well, with asphaltum used to seal
and cover the joint.

Wooden daggers or swords have been noted in prehistoric Chumash

sites by Abbott and Putnam (1879:232). A wooden sword.47 cm. long, with
abalone shell inlay in the handle, was recovered from a burial on Santa

Cruz Island.  Abbott and Putnam (op. cit., p. 231) point to the important
use of asphaltum as a joining material on wooden objects, and state:

"The early writers who have left us brief accounts of the weapons of the
Californians have mentioned that they had swords made of bone and wood,
and of these materials are several found in the graves, both by Dr.

Yarrow's party on the mainland and by Mr. Schumacher and others on the
islands."

Wooden "hook" (pl. 6c; 39265):- The wood from which this specimen
was manufactured is oak (Quercus sp.). It is gnarled and the hook is not
symmetrical in long section, that is, one side is actually almost flat

while the other (illustrated) has two tapered surfaces, brought about by
beveling of the head and by grooving and subsequent carving or abrading
between the head and the shank of the hook. The specimen is 21.4 cm.
long, 10.8 cm. wide at center, and 2.7 cm. thick.

The chief reason why this object, thought to be unique in the

Southern Coastal region of California, has been classified as a hook is
because it resembles in general shape the form of a modern metal hook.

Although it would seem to be a functional object, it is conceivable that
the hook also served a ceremonial purpose. If one views the specimen in
the upside down position, it will be seen to bear a slight resemblance to

the smaller steatite specimens which have been found in burial association
in the Santa Barbara region. De Cessac (1882) considered such specimens

to be bird effigies although it was not possible for him to determine from

29

native informants what species was represented. Abbott (1879b:214, 215),
on the other hand, noted the resemblance of the steatite or serpentine

objects from the same region to hooks: "That they are implements and not
ornaments is apparent from signs of use which they all more or less ex-
hibit." J. P. Harrington (1942:14) records the probable presence of
these steatite "hooks" among some ethnographic Chumash groups.

If the wooden object from Bowers Cave were actually used as a

hook, it appears to be best suited to a marine environment, that is, it

is the kind of implement which one might expect to find among the seagoing
Chumash rather than the landbound Alliklik. On the other hand, if it were
a ceremonial piece, it would be at home equally well in either group.

Haliotis shell "cup" (pl. 4g; 39274):- This is a complete H.
cracherodi shell, unmodified except for the addition of remnants of

S-twist apocynum cordage running in and out of five of-the siphonal open-
ings. This was evidently done to seal the holes in order to allow use of
the shell as a liquid container. Three remaining open holes on the outer
portion of the hole series no longer contain this cordage sealing.

The prehistoric Chumash method of sealing Haliotis shells for use
as containers evidently was to employ asphaltum as plugs for the holes
(Gifford 1947:7). J. P. Harrington (1942:12) lists natural shells as
common household implements (spoons) among the ethnographic Chumash.

Haliotis bead (pl. 4f; 39275):- Perhaps this shell specimen
should be referred to as a "ring" rather than as a bead, although the

distinction is admittedly arbitrary. Since both of its sides are highly
polished, accurate species identification is not possible. The ring is
slightly oblong, with outside diameters of 16 and 14 mm. It is about

2.5 mmu. thick and evidently drilled or finished from one side only; the
hole thus formed is also oblong, with diameters of 4.5 and 2 mm. A

short length (5 cm.) of apocynum, in 3-strand simple braid about 3 cm.
thick (cf. remarks concerning braiding in section titled "Bullroarers"
above) still remains in the hole.

Gifford (1947:13) classifies such rings as type J2aIII. They

occut in late prehistoric associations in the Chumash region, and the
present specimen could easily have been a survival from this period.

Steatite arrow straightener (pl. 4e; 39273):- The one-piece

arrow straightener is such a widespread element in southern CaJifornia
that lengthy descriptive and distributional data would be supeifluous

here. The single Bowers Cave specimen is fragmentary and seems rather

out of place among most of the other specimens so far mentioned because

30

one cannot easily assign it a ceremonial function. On the basis of J. P.
Harrington's (1942) reporting of the occurrence of 2- or 3-transverse

groove arrow straighteners among the Chumash, and the fact that one of
the remaining grooves in our fragment is deeper than the other (1.3 as
against 4.0 mm.), we would surmise that the specimen was originally a

3-groove type, with the center groove deeper than those toward the ends

of the specimen.   If this is correct, the measurement of the reconstructed
length would be 8.6 cm. The width is 4.5 cm. and the thickness 2.5 cm.;

thus the specimen must have had a typical "loaf" shape before being broken.
The material is steatite, with some chlorite inclusions. Decorative

parallel striations appear on the top end of the fragment, and there is
a crisscross pattern engraved in the space between the upper edges of

the transverse grooves. On its sides are a few uneven striations. The
grooves themselves are highly polished, while the end of the fragment is
slightly polished and without striation.

Antler (elk ?) wedge or gouge (pl. 4h; 39267):- Four antler
specimens were among the Bowers Cave artifacts. Three of these are

barely worked, hence are not illustrated and do not require detailed

description. One of the latter (39268) is 15 cm. long and appears to

have been crudely chipped rather than ground along its side near one end.
It is flattened rather than pointed at this (working) end.    The other

specimens in this category (39269, 39270) are simply antler tips, prob-

ably deer, which display but slight wear or polish on their ends.    These
tools may have been used in chipping or flaking stone, but whatever the

case, they did not suffer much modification, either from design or usage.

The specimen illustrated in Plate 4h, on the other hand, had a
certain amount of care expended in its manufacture. The tapered long

section and slightly rounded end suggest a wedge. It is 11.5 cm. long
and 33 mm,. wide. A distinct polishing has taken place on about one-

half its length on one side and on about 15 mm. near the tip on the other
side, which mostly shows cancellous type tissue. The proximal end of the
specimen has a square break which is not polished. At this end there is
a wrapping (5 spirals) of Z-twist, 2-ply cordage 4.5 mnm. thick. One end
and a short length of the cordage have been covered by the spirals, and
the other end terminates toward the tip end of the bone. The cordage is
heavily impregnated with asphaltum which serves also to attach it to the
bone. Probably the cordage was used as a sort of handle, but whether or
not this was the case, we must again point to a specimen rarely encoun-
tered in a southern Californian archaeological context-what at least
appears to be a hafted wedge.

J. P. Harrington (1942:13) cites the wide use of wedges of deer
horn among the Chumash. As Bowers' account shows (Appendix A of this

31

paper), the antler pieces and abalone shell cup were found during exca-
vation of the infilling of the cave and are therefore probably not
associated with the basket cache itself.

SUMMARY

We have seen that most of the comparisons of the Bowers Cave

material point to a Chumash origin, probably at a time not long after
the first effects of contact with the Franciscan missionary fathers

were felt, in the latter part of the eighteenth century. The lack of

perfect correlation of the individual specimens with known ethnographic
items may be attributed to the ceremonial or esoteric nature of the

cached material.  Nevertheless, such correlations as we do have, that

is, in basketry, feather bands, and bone whistles, all suggest a speci-
fically Chumash context.

Alternately, if we are dealing with the accouterments of a fairly
widespread native religious cult in southern California, namely the

Chinigchinich cult (Kroeber 1959), the specimens then could possibly be
of an intertribal character.   If this were so, it would not matter what
the tribal identity of the original possessors may have been. The

remote location of the cave in the territory of a little-known group like
the Alliklik is probably only incidental. If the time of deposition of
the cache suggested here is correct, we are entirely justified in look-
ing upon these artifacts as the vestiges of a dying native religion,
placed in the cave for safekeeping. It is not improbable that these

specimens were also used as the outward symbols of the kind of Messianic
movement which is known to have occurred among the Santa Barbara Indians
in the first quarter of the nineteenth century (cf. Heizer 1941).

In 1824 there occurred a revolt apparently originating at Purisirma
Mission, but involving also Indians attached to other mission establish-
ments in the Santa Barbara area. The details of the revolt and fighting

between the mission troops and the Indians, and the flight of some numbers
of Indians to Tulares (southern San Joaquin valley) are recited by

Bancroft (1886:5, 27 ff.), who mentions (p. 53) the recapture of some of
the renegades and the fact that forty fugitives were missing. In 1833,
Zenas Leonard, who was attached to the Bonneville-Walker party, found,
probably in Walker Pass, an Indian village whose inhabitants can have

been none other than the missing fugitives of the 1824 revolt. His brief
account (Leonard 1904:229-230) is reproduced here, and of particular
interest is the fact that the rebels still retained various Catholic
religious tokens which they had brought with them at the time of the
revolt some nine or ten years earlier.

32

"We at length arrived at an Indian village, the inhabitants of
which seemed to be greatly alarmed on seeing us, and they immediately

commenced gathering up their food and gathering in their horses-but as

soon as they discovered that we were white people, they became perfectly
reconciled. After we halted here we found that these people could talk
the Spanish language, which we thought might be of great advantage to
the company, and on inquiry ascertained that they were a tribe called
the Concoas (we are unable to locate among the California Indians any

tribe of this name), which tribe some eight or ten years since resided
in the Spanish settlements at the missionary station near St. Barbara,

on the coast, where they rebelled against the authority of the country,
robbed the church of all its golden images and candle-sticks, and one

of the Priests of several thousand dollars in gold and silver, when they
retreated to the spot where we found them-being at least five or six

hundred miles distant from the nearest Spanish settlement. This tribe
are well acquainted with the rules of bartering for goods or any thing
they wish to buy-much more so than any other tribe we met with. They

make regular visits to such posts where they are unknown, and also make
appointments with ship-traders to meet at some designated time and

place; thus they are enabled to carry on a considerable degree of com-
merce. They still retain several of the images which they pilfered

from the church-the greater part of which is the property of the chiefs.
These people are seven or eight hundred strong, their houses constructed
of poles and covered with grass, and are tolerably well supplied with

house-hold furniture which they brought with them at the time they robbed
the church.  They follow agricultural pursuits to some extent, raising

very good crops of corn, pumpkins, melons, &c. All the.out-door labour
is done by the females. They are also in the habit of making regular

visits to the settlements for the purpose of stealing horses, which they
kill and eat."

While we cannot prove anything about Bowers Cave by the 1824 revolt,
the fact of the abortive Messianic movement of 1801, plus the retention

of church "images," may provide us with some hints to the interpretation
of the cache of ceremonial paraphernalia in Bowers Cave. Whatever the

case, the Bowers Cave specimens provide a rare glimpse of the variety of
perishable artifacts which may have been utilized in one sector of a

culture which was eliminated with few surviving traces by the intrusion of
the white man.

33

APPENDIX A

RELICS IN A CAVE*

Stephen Bowers

Sometime since the editor visited a cave in the San Martin moun-

tains, Los Angeles county, which contained some interesting Indian relics.
It is in a wild, rugged and picturesque region, and the cave which is one

thousand four hundred feet above the sea level, situated on the south side
of a steep mountain, is difficult of access.  It is a natural grotto in a
somewhat friable rock, composed largely of small petrified oyster shells,
most likely of pliocene origin. The excavation is about twelve feet deep
and sixteen feet long, and not sufficiently high for one to stand upright.
The bottom was covered with sand caused by the disintegration of portions
of the roof and surrounding walls.

In this cavern were deposited nine baskets manufactured from tule,
and varying in size from six to twenty inches in diameter. With the

exception of the smallest basket, which was found inside of a larger one,
each was covered with a neatly fitting cap woven from the same material,

and each basket stood on a mat of the same. Three or four of the baskets
were in a good state of preservation, while the others were askew, or had
been gnawed by wood rats which are abundant in this section, and had con-
structed a large nest in the cave.

One of these baskets contained fourteen notched sticks an eighth
of an inch thick, from one to two inches wide, and from ten to fourteen
inches 'in length.  These sticks have been painted, some crosswise and
others lengthwise, with streaks of red and probably blue paint. It is

most probable that they were used for chronological purposes, each notcii
indicating a moon or other specific period. Some of these sticks have
as many as one hundred notches. They are made of red wood and are per-
forated at each end.

Another basket contained thirty-three head-dresses of birds

feathers.  The wing and tail feathers of a variety of birds have been

used, but the flicker (colaptes chrysoides) predominates. They were made
by lapping the quill ends and sewing them together after which the

feathers were alternated until the desired length was obtained. These

*Pacific Science Monthly, Vol. 1, pp. 45-47, 1885.

34

dresses are from five or six inches to nearly a foot in width and from
two to five feet in length. Some are plain white while others are more
ornamental, being made of different colored feathers.

In another basket was found forty-five whistles, made from the
tibiae of the deer, about ten inches in length. One end had been cut
off and the bone dressed down forming a mouth piece, after which the

cellular portion of the bone had been removed and a lateral opening made
about three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter opposite which asphaltum
had been placed in such a manner as to cause the instrument to emit one

or more sounds, when the operator blew in the end. These bones had been
wrapped with bark or some other pliable substance and a mass of asphaltum
fastened on the larger end into which was imbedded a small piece of
haliotis shell.

But still more interesting specimens were found in another basket.
These consisted of four perforated stone discs or hammers containing

handles.  The discs are probably serpentine and measure from four to five
and a half inches in diameter.   The sides have been reamed, in the usual
method of perforated discs, leaving the hole much smaller at the center.

The handles are of toyon or bear-berry which is amongst the hardest woods
in southern California, and are from thirteen to seventeen inches in

length.  The handles are set a little slanting to the base, or flat side
of the disc, and are fastened with an asphaltum cement. Two of the discs
still retain paint markings. For what purpose they were intended is not

quite clear to us. If for hammers, they are the only ones of the kind of
which we have heard in this country. The usual method of fastening the
handle is by groove and withe, and not by drilling a hole through the

implement. We are inclined to the opinion that these were used as imple-

ments of war, or were used in religious rites. But whatever may have been
their use they are unique, as far as we know.

In excavating the bottom of the cave we found considerable basket

work as though it has been covered with this material. A wedge was found
made of the base of a deer's antler, 4 1/2 inches long by 1 3/8 inches in
diameter, wrapped securely at the larger end with some kind of cord to

prevent splitting when in use. Also a haliotis shell, Haliotis cracherodii,
having the holes filled with a cord, and used, probably, for a drinking cup,
A shell ornament and portions of deer's antlers, and a serpentine implement
for smoothing and straightening the tules for their basket work, were also

found. The cave bears no evidences of having been used for a place of resi-
dence but simply as a deposit for these specimens, most or all of which have
doubtless been used in their dances and religious rites and ceremonies.
How long these specimens have remained in the cave, it is difficult to

determine. Being perfectly dry and beyond the reach of rain or sunshine
they would remain for a great length of time without decay.

35

The researches of archaeologists and ethnologists during the past
decade have thrown much light upon the character of the race inhabiting
this country in past time. It was formerly believed that the mound-

builders of the Mississippi valley were an entirely different and super-
ior people to the present race of Indians, but more recent researches

have caused an abandonment of this theory by our best versed archaeolo-
gists.  The great mound at Selzertown, fourteen miles from Natchez,

described by Squier and Davis as covering five acres, and rising to the
height of fifty feet, was recently examined by Dr. Jones of Tennessee.
He drove a trench into the mound fifteen feet deep, coming upon cedar

posts and charcoal mixed with ashes, beneath which he discovered a frag-
ment of French burr millstone weighing about eight pounds. This had

doubtless been brought to this country from France by the whites. In

opening a mound near Baraboo, Wis., we came upon evidences of its recent
origin. It was thirty-seven feet in diameter and four feet high. We

excavated a hole about five feet in diameter from the top of the mound.

On reaching the original surface we found that a hole had been excavated
to the depth of three and a half feet, the bottom covered with charcoal
and ashes, and containing about thirty stone implements. Among these

were two pipes manufactured from catlenite, or pipestone, one of which
was patterned after the modern clay pipe used by the whites; the other
was unfinished. A hole had been excavated where these things were de-
posited after which the mound had been erected over them. The excava-

tion, which was something more than four feet in diameter, could easily
be traced, and had doubtless been made after the tribe had made the

acquaintance of the white race. It is confidently asserted that white
men are still living who have seen Indians erect mounds similar to
those in the Mississippi valley.

36

APPENDIX B

EXCERPT FROM THE TWENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PEABODY MUSEUM*

F. W. Putnam

We have also received, by the payment of expenses to the collector,
a singular and important collection of objects, found by the Rev. Stephen
Bowers in a small dry cave in the San Martin Mountains, Los Angeles Co.,
California, in 1885.   The following abstract of Rev. Mr. Bowers' account

of the objects and their discovery will give an idea of these interesting
articles which, very likely, had been hidden in the cave by Indians many
years ago. They may have been the property of some leading man of the
tribe, but the number of each kind is remarkable.

"The cave was about twelve feet by sixteen. In it were nine bas-
kets from six to twenty inches in diameter, made from,tule, one of which
contained fourteen pieces of red-wood about a foot long, notched and

painted with red and blue in streaks. Some of these sticks had as many
as one hundred notches, and each stick was perforated at one end. An-

other basket contained thirty-three headdresses, from four to five feet
in length, made of feathers; another, forty-five whistles made from the

tibiae of deer, the 'stop' being formed by inserting a mass of asphaltum,
and the larger end of the bone covered with asphaltum in which. is embed-
ded a piece of haliotis shell. The most important objects found were

four perforated stones mounted on handles of the hard wood of the bear-
berry, held fast in the holes by asphaltum. The cave gave no evidence

of having been used for any other purpose than as a place of deposit for
these articles. Considerable basket work was discovered in the debris,
as also a haliotis shell-cup, a shell ornament, an implement made of

deer's antler, and a smoothing implement made of serpentine. No deter-
mination could be arrived at as to the length of time the articles had

been in the cave; but, as it was perfectly dry, they may have been there
for centuries."

Of particular interest in this lot are the four perforated stones,
of the same character as hundreds which have been found in the Indian

* F. W. Putnam, Curator. Twentieth Annual Report of the Trustees
of the Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology, Vol. III,
No. 7, pp. 541-543. Cambridge, 1887.

37

graves in southern California and also in various other parts of the
world. That such circular stones of different sizes, with central
perforations, were used for many purposes I have pointed out in an

account of "perforated stones"' published several years ago,* and I then
suggested that some of the California stones were probably mounted upon
handles for use as clubs. The four specimens from the cave show at

least one method of mounting such stones on short handles by means of a
fastening of asphaltum. However, only one of the four handles is of a

convenient size for holding in the hand, the other three being so slender
that unless the wood, when fresh, was of extreme toughness, the handle
would have snapped if a hard blow had been given with the club. The

handles are also perfectly straight, without knobs or a rough portion at
the end, but an African club in the Museum has a straight, smooth handle,
and the terminal knob of most club-handles must be regarded as a devel-.
oped feature of the weapon. If, however, such short-handled clubs as
those from the cave were used for throwing, as were the African knob-

kerries, the smooth handle would be desirable and its size would not be
of much account if of sufficient strength to sustain the stone when
thrown.

Then, as is the case probably with nearly all primitive weapons,
such clubs might pass insensibly into ceremonial objects, or staves, or
insignia of office. A Peruvian club with a copper head having five
plain points and mounted on a smooth, short handle of wood is in the
Museum, and with this is another star-shaped head of copper which has
each point carved to represent a human head and face. The former may
well be called a club and the latter may have been the head of an
official staff.

There is, also from Peru, a star-shaped stone with five big points,
fastened to a plain staff, now broken, but which must have been four or

five feet long, which, it seems to me, must be regarded as a weapon. I-

contrast with this is a similar stone, but with the rays reduced to slight
rounded projections, which is mounted on an elaborately carved and deco-
rated staff about three feet long. This can hardly be a weapon and is
probably a ceremonial staff.

From the same region in Peru from which these pointed club-heads

came, we have three human skulls with circular indentures.and holes, just

* Vol. VII, pp. 135-189, with illustrations, United States Geo-
graphical Surveys West of the 100th Meridan, under Lt. G. M. Wheeler,
United States Engineers, Washington, 1879.

38

such as would be made by blows given by pointed club-heads like these
of which we are speaking; hence it is presumable that such were used
as clubs, although similar objects were also mounted on staves, prob-
ably for ceremonial purposes.

39

AA

AAnt
AMNH

-AP
-J
MAIHF

-IN
SI

-BAE-B
SWM

-M
UC

-AR

-AS-R
- PAAE
USGS

-A

Abbott, C.

187 9a

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abbreviations Used

American Anthropologist
American Antiquity

American Museum of Natural History

Anthropological Papers
Journal

Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation

Indian Notes

Smithsonian Institution

Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin
Southwest Museum

Masterkey

University of California

Anthropological Records

Archaeological Survey Report

Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology

United States Geographical Surveys West of the 100th Meridian

Archaeology

C.

Musical Instruments Made of Bones.   In F. W. Putnam,
USGS-A 7:234-238. Washington, D.C.

1879b    Miscellaneous Objects Made of Stone.    In F. W. Putnam,

USGS-A 7:190-217. Washington, D.C.

Abbott, C.

1879

C. and F. W. Putnam

Implements and Weapons Made of Bone and Wood.
Putnam, USGS-A 7:222-233. Washington, D.C.

In F. W.

Anonymous

1960

Bancroft, H. I

1886

Bowers, StephE

1885

Sculpture from the Collection Assembled by Jay Leff.
AMNH-J 69:4 (April). New York.

1.

History of California (Vol. 2), 1801-1824. San Francisco.

Rn

Relics in a Cave . Paci fic Science Monthly 1: 45-47 .

40

De Cessac, L.

1882     Observations sur des fetiches de pierre sculptes en forme

d'animaux decouvert a l'$le de San Nicolas (Californie).

Revue d'Ethnographie 1:30-40, Paris. (Reprinted in trans-
lation in UCAS-R 12:1-5. Berkeley.)

Eberhart, H. H.

n.d.     Time Markers in Southern California Archaeology.    Ph.D

Dissertation submitted to University of California, Los
Angeles, August, 1957.

Gifford, E. W.

1932     The Northfork Mono.   UC-PAAE 31:15-66.  Berkeley.

1940     Californian Bone Artifacts.   UC-AR 3:153-237.  Berkeley.
1947     Californian Shell Artifacts.   UC-AR 9:1-132.  Berkeley.

Graumont, R. and J. Hensel

1939     Encyclopedia of Knots and Fancy Rope Work.   Cornell

Maritime Press, New York.
Harrington, J. P.

1942     Culture Element Distributions:   XIX, Central California

Coast. UC-AR 7:1-46. Berkeley.

Harrington, M. R.

1942     A Remodelled Basket.   SWM-M 16:141-142.  Los Angeles.

Harwell, C. A.

1945

Haury, E. W.

1934

Heizer, R. F.

1940

1941

]

Flicker Feather Headband. Yosemite Nature Notes, No.
Yosemite National Park.

24.

The Canyon Creek Ruin and the Cliff Dwellings of the
Sierra Ancha.  Medallion Papers XIV:1-173.    Globe,
Arizona.

Aboriginal Use of Bitumen by the California Indians.
California State Division of Mines, Bull. 118:74.
Sacramento.

A Californian Messianic Movement of 1801 Among the Chumash.
AA 43:128-129. Menasha.

41

1951
1960

Preface to The French Scientific Expedition to California,
1877-1879, by E. T. Hamy. UCAS-R 12:6-7. Berkeley.
Some Prehistoric Bullroarers from California Caves.
UCAS-R 50: 5-8. Berkeley.

Henshaw, H. W.

1887     Perforated Stones from California.   SI-BAE-B 2. Washington, D.C.

Hewes, G. W.

1952     California Flicker-quill Headbands in the Light of an

Ancient Colorado Cave Specimen. AAnt 18:147-154. Salt
Lake City.
Heye, G. G.

1926     Chumash Objects from a California Cave.   MAIHF-IN 3:193-198.

New York.
Hough, Walter

1932     A Cache of Basketmaker Baskets from New Mexico.   Proceedings

of the U. S. National Museum, 81:1-3. Washington, D.C.
Izikowitz, K. G.

1935     Musical and Other Sound Instruments of the South American

Indians:. A Comparative Ethnological Study. G'oteborgs

Kungl. Vetenskaps - och Vitterhets - Samlfhlles Hand. Femte
F'o'jden. Ser. A, Vol. 5, No. 1. Go6teborg.
Kaudern, Walter

1940     The Passage of Air Through a Flute.   Etnologiska Studier,

10:41-49. G'oteborg.
Kelly, I. T.

1936     Chemehuevi Shamanism.   In Essays in Anthropology Presented

to A. L. Kroeber, pp. 129-142. University of California
Press, Berkeley.

Kowta, M. and J. C. Hurst

1960     Site Ven-15:  The Triunfo Rock Shelter.   Archaeological

Survey Annual Report 1959-1960, Dept. of Anthropology,
University of California. Los Angeles.
Kroeber, A. L.

1922     Basket Designs of the Mission Indians of California.

AMNH-AP 20:149-183. New York.

42

Kroeber, A.

1925

1959
n.d.

Leonard, Z.

1904

L. [cont'd.]

Handbook of the Indians of California. SI-BAE-B 78.
Washington, D.C.

Problems on Boscana. In Ethnographic Interpretations, 1-6.
UC-PAAE 47:235-310 (282-293). Berkeley.

Yellowhammer Headbands. Incomplete MS, University of
California (Berkeley) Department of Anthropology.

Adventures of Zenas Leonard, Fur Trader and Trapper,
1831-1836.  W. F. Wagner, ed.   Cleveland.

Loud, L. L. and M. R. Harrington

1929     Lovelock Cave.   UC-PAAE 25:1-183.  Berkeley.

Mason, 0. T.

1904     Aboriginal American Basketry.   Annual Report of the

United States National Museum for 1902, pp. 171-548.
Washington, D.C.

Merriam, C. H.

1955     Studies of California Indians.   University of

California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles.

Morris, E. H. and R. F. Burgh

1941     Anasazi Basketry:   Basketmaker II through Pueblo II.

A Study Based on Specimens from the San Juan River

Country. Carnegie Institute of Washington, Publica-
tion 533, pp. 1-66. Washington, D.C.

Olson, R. L.

1930     Chumash Prehistory. UC-PAAE 28:1-21. Berkeley.

Putnam, F. W.

1879     Reports upon Archaeological and Ethnological Collections

from the Vicinity of Santa Barbara, California, and from
Ruined Puebloes of Arizona and New Mexico, and Certain
Interior Tribes.  USGS-A 7.   (Sometimes cited as
Wheeler, 1879.)

Rogers, D. B.

1929     Prehistoric Man of the Santa Barbara Coast, Santa

Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara.

43

Schumacher, P.

1880

The Method of Manufacturing Pottery and Baskets Among

the Indians of Southern California. Twelfth Report of
the Peabody Museum, Harvard University, pp. 521-525.
Cambridge.

Van Valkenburgh, Richard

1952     We Found the Lost Indian Cave of the San Martins.

Desert Magazine., Vol. 15 (January), pp. 5-8. Palm
Desert, Calif.

44

EXPLANKAION OF PLATES

Specimen numbers are those of the Peabody Museum

of Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge

Plate 1. a, b.

c.
d.
e, f.

Coiled basket with lid; bottom view of specimen; 39240
Globe-shaped basket, 39242

Lid of basket shown in a, 39240

Upper and lower sides of coiled basketry tray, 39247

Plate 2. a,b.   Deep dish type coiled basket viewed from bottom; and

from top; 39246

c, d.  Decorated basket, three-quarter view; same specimen

viewed from top; 39245

e,f. Well preserved bowl-shaped basket, side and bottom

views respectively; 39250

Plate 3. a,b. Side and top views of coiled basket, 39243

c. Side view of basket, 39244
d. Side view of basket, 39241

e. Unnumbered plaque or bottom (or cover) fragment of

basket (probably with d, 39241)

f. Another plaque, bottom, or cover fragment, 39241
Plate 4.    a. Reverse of specimen 3f above, 39241

b. Plaque, bottom or cover fragment, 39249

c. Assorted bullroarers and fragments, 39260

d. Assorted bullroars, 39260; specimen in extreme right

is a wooden dagger, 39266

e. Steatite arrow straightener fragment, 39273

f. Haliotis sp. bead or ring with short length of braid

through hole, 39275

g. Complete Haliotis cracherodi shell with siphonal

openings sealed with cordage, 39274

h. Bone implement with cordage and asphalt hafting (?)

remains, 39267

Plate 5.    a. Feather bands: upper, mainly flicker quill band, 39256;

lower, pigeon or grouse (?) quill band, 39254

b. Feather bands: upper, mainly pelican quill band, 39251;

lower, mainly blue jay quill band, 39252

c. Perforated stone club, complete handle not shown, 39264
d. Perforated stone club, complete handle not shown, 39261

45

Plate 6.    a. Deer tibiae whistles, 39259

b. Same specimens as in a, with full view of holes at

proximal end of bone
c. Wooden hook (?), 39265

Plate 7. Deer tibiae whistles from Cessac collection

(Musee de l'Homme specimen numbers)

a,b.  Specimen has asphaltum plug and hole in shaft, latter

largely covered with asphaltum in which are imbedded
small, broken bits of abalone shell; 82.30.97

c,d.  Asphaltum plug missing, rough bits of white clamshell

imbedded in band of asphaltum below hole; 82.30.96

e, f. Complete specimen, with asphalt plug and spiral vegetal

wrapping; 82.30.95

a

1    25 cm         I

iocm
i

I0 cm

l               I

I  10cm     I

Plate I

c

10 cm

I

10 cm

3cm
I    -

Plate 2

'I

I 10cm 1              a

d

15 cm

l           I

10cm

l           I

Plate 3

a

3  Icm l   ;

b

e

?F

d

9

h

Plate 4

I

I

I
p

i

a

I I

j   ,1tin 70  0f:           : 0 0      A    SX4 b0

;X;i;X:r  ED;j 0t  ;  7- ;j :j;: ki000!f004Plate  5tX-0020tt000;-i.0L0.S;t-

d

I I

I 0

I   10 cm    I

C

I

a             5cm            b

c

5 cm

PI ate 6

'4-

-- r

II

l

--J
0s
scale 15 cm.