The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-10-23
RELIGION, FOLKLORE, BONES.
DIVERSE SUBJECTS Up AT the
AMERICANISTS CONGRESS.
Woman Reads an Interesting Paper ON the
star Worship 0 the Pawners- Myths
Of the Northw ,~t Indians nnd 1hosr
Of siberia shown to Br Simi,ar- skull
Ut the "Lansing Man on View.

OF siberia shawn 10 ue SimIIar- ~huu
Ut the Lansing Man on View.
There were moro arrivals Of members Of
the Interna, ional Congress of Am"rlcani-ts
Yesterday to attend the sessions IN the
American Museum of Natural History
Among the newcomers was Or Daniel colt
Gilman of Johns Hopkins University
The men ~ science and learning sci about
their work IN great "arncs, ness AZ the hrst
formal morning session At the beginning
the general secretary made "a special an
nouncement preparatory 20 TIA" -old days
work II was desired no said, thar mem.
hers under-, and perfectly that The III" OF
English was not obligatory on the part of
readers OF papers OF on the part OF those
who wished TO comment on the papers be-
fore the congress Members were privi-
legged o use five N rent languages.
The greatest interest Of the day centred
in a delightful paper by Miss Alice Fletcher
81 Washington on the star worship of the
Pawnee Indians IN the discussion of the
remains of the Lansing Man. and in a
paper devoted to IN" recently acquired
knowlsdg" of the folklore oil aboriginal
RIDES occupying both shores of the u ORTIZ
crn Pacific Ocran--a lore which showed
these peoples 10 have been in intimate COM
municat ion and rclat ionship at n former
period
The word "Am"rind." which caused the
little furry on Tuesday, was used once
yesterday. "hocu- pocus" once and don't
care a picayune" once Ivy the scientists
In their discussions.
RIVALS FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL HONoRs
Alfredo Chavero vice. president for Mex
leo, was chairman Of the morning session.
In his opening address IN Spanish, Senior
thayero said that military strength and
glory availed nothing. unless country
also developed in science and literature.
The United Statee and Mexico were cos 'ly
related a. countries. and therefore properly
80 in the higher Developments, and he was
glad that there we're many Mexican writer's
on the United States and many United
States writer's on Mexico.
Quitting spanish, :, mr. Chavero then
read in English his paper on The Sgus
for the DAYS of the Weel; In the Calendar
Of tho Paemke.- Upon lis conclusion,
when discussion was in order. Leopold
Ratres, representative Of Mexico IN the
council of the congress, arose, and with
great vigor excepted To- certain statements
of Sehor Chavero, made Ia Senior Chavero's
preliminary address.
senior Chavero had said that Mexico
was forging ahead in archaeology and
owed much of Mr.. Savillc, the general
secretary of the congress, who had made
the most important 81 recent investiga-
lions. Senior Batre> ,who on his arrival
here had given out his paper Tor the con-
gress TO a newspaper for advance pub
licatioul. jumped up and said that he. and
not Mr., Savie, had made IN" most I'M
port ant Of recent excavations az Mount
Alban. and that as official represent alive
of the Mexican Government al this con-
gress. he protested against S,rJr thavero's
remarks
When Senior Batres sat down announce
iuent was made that discussion Of ~ nor
thavero's paper was in order. hut the
warmth of ~ nor Batres's remarks had
apparently tahen away from delegate
any desire they NAV have had to discuss
he paper. Ihcy allowed /, 10 pass without
notice, course unus lai so far, IN the con-
greSs.
PRIMITIVE DREAD or EDGKN TOOLS
" McGee in paper on Some Funda-
mental Factors in Social OrginilaIiOu,'
talked of the absence OF tlA Knife sclI-o,
~ he called 1t IN some primitive Indians,
On whose island in the Gulf of California
he had mad" Investigations. Any sense
of the ures OF the knife a. they arr known
in-tnctivcly To Us, he said. was in those
Indians swallowed up IN the fear of the
sharp edge.
He told OF a woman he had secn knocking
the flesh and ligmeuts from the t,bia OF u
horse in order TO give III" flesh TO her chill
rounded cOhble STONE very poor iRetru-
inent for such a service. After a time
hsr stone broke in Two ia such manner as
10 offer her the Use Of Two sharp edges n
form Of the stone which, TO the white man .
would have suggested Itself az once ~ a
great Improvement on m" former rounded
shape.
But the woman was asha-t. She care
fully picked up tho two broken pieces be-
tween thumbs amt fingers and dra wing
The attention Of the company to her act
threw them into cactus thicket, which
she cautioned the children thenceior-
ward to avoid.
Mr.. McGccs point, reasoning from
these obterva,ion-, was this That the
indians, whose history We have learned
must have reached. after a very long
'oursc Of development, the stage where
IL occurred to them 10 chip stones so a.
To make Of them the slmrp-edg"d tools
at whose existence for long period we
have known.
STORY or A PAwNEE STAR GILT.
Miss Fletcher. in her paper on "A Star
Gait" said that the Pawne"s werc instru-
mental in spreading various cults. The
skid band Of the Pawnce0 always dwrlt
to the west Of the Others in their encamp-
ments. u was with the Skidi and thcir
worship that her paper dealt The baud
was divided into a number of villages.
and each of these Possessed certain sym-
bolic elements which were carefully pre-
served in an altar. The altar was often
sense, and was guarded. She said.
The sacred symbolic articles. the carc-
monial use of them and the rituas-whict
were said or sung were believed to have
been given to the villages by az many differ
eRt stars The name of the star was tho
name of the altar. and the name OF the altar
became tho name of the village.
There were five villages which formed
central group among the Skidi. and around
them were placed the other villa gcs. the
position of each being fixed by tho post ion
OF the star which gave II nm me 10 tho villa &c
% that the position Of the village Of tho
Skidi reflected a IRON above the post ion OF
the starr of their altar-.
In the central group. tho village IT the
west. led III the yearly sequence of religion
ceremonies in which all tn" villages tool
pait in order. This western altar had no
connection with secular affairs unless IN.
people were in dire distress The other foui
affairs OF the central group Were especial )
connected With the tribal affairs such a,
hunting, planting and harvesting, he con-
ferrinR or honor uron warriors. and the in.
i allation oil leaders.
lne Niigc at e. Northwest ~ tho group
bocame the leader in the elicluus rites for
il fpr "a TOR nd 90