NATIVE AMERICAN SYMBOLISM.

FIRST PAPER-ANIMAL FIGURES.

The subject of Symbolism in art and architecture is always interesting, but as presented in America is especially suggestive. No other continent presents better opportunities for the study of the subject, for no where else are there so many or so interesting specimens, as here. It is well known that symbolism belongs to one particular stage of social development, the one which in most countries precedes the historic period but it is here preserved without being obscured by historic growths.

There are many advantages for the pursuit of the study furnished by the prehistoric tokens, and yet, if the subject is to be understood, every favorable circumstance must be seized upon or the opportunity will soon be lost. If obscurity once settles down it will do so permanently, and symbolism in America will then take its place among the lost arts. This country when discovered, was in just that stage in which symbolism had full scope. Many of the factors have since been lost and yet enough has been preserved to make the continent an interesting field. We propose to search out the tokens which are presented by prehistoric America with the view of ascertaining what symbolism is contained in them.

These tokens are scattered far and wide, and have not been studied with a view of comparing them, but it requires only a passing glance at the forms to convince us that the continent is very rich in symbolic relics and figures. There may indeed be much mystery surrounding these symbols, and the signs may be very poorly understood, even at the best, yet if there is any place where the problems are to be solved, we believe it will be among the remarkable works which are here found. We do not say that symbolism was here autochthonous, or that it does not present signs of an intruded cultus, yet the line of development has been so isolated, that for all practical purposes it is the same as if it had originated and grown exclusively on this continent. We may see here the early and the later stages, both marked with great distinctness, and may in the different sections of the country, trace out the peculiarities which characterize each successive stage, and possibly may ascertain the causes which produced them.

The study of American Archæology may not seem particularly important, and yet it is possible that here, in this very department we may find the explanation of many mysteries which

have arisen in connection with the religious symbols of the east, but which have hitherto baffled investigation, 1. Here we find the first stages of the art and by ascertaining from what sources they arose, we may ascertain what causes were set at work, and what laws ruled the development throughout. We believe that the symbols here originated from the various systems of aboriginal religion and that they, in their different stages, can be connected with the various superstitions which appeared on this continent. 2. The correlation between the traditions and myths which are common in America and the symbols which are being discovered, forms a clew to the native faiths which prevailed in prehistoric times. The study of the myths helps us to understand the symbols, and the study of the symbols helps to understand the myths. Symbolism in every country needs to be studied in connection with the various religious systems which prevailed, but the opportunity of studying the myths in explanation of the symbols is only to be enjoyed on this continent. This makes the subject here very suggestive. 3. A view of the architecture and art of America reveals the fact that a vast amount of symbolism is embodied in them, and it seems probable that this symbolism was the product of superstitions and of mythologic conceptions so that we have the same phenomena here which is found in the East, art and architecture and mythology and native customs being closely associated. The very specimens of the symbolism which have been found, convince us that the religious purpose controlled the method of erecting architectural structures and of fabricating relics of art and architecture and that in this light the ornamentation must be interpreted. If classic art is to be interpreted by classic mythology, then American art and architecture must be interpreted also in the light of native American mythology, the religious sentiment being at the basis of both.

4. The interpretation of the symbols may be learned from the living witnesses, or from those who are survivors of the races who originated them. There is a peculiar combination of religious ideas and of artistic culture in the tokens which are presented by prehistoric America. The religious sentiment here expressed itself in the allegorical form, and the art and architecture of the country perpetuated the allegory.

5. In most countries the early symbols are lost, or if they exist at all are to be traced out from among indistinct tokens as the later growth has obscured them. Here, however, they stand out in bold relief, social development having embodied itself in the various forms of art and architecture, which are still preserved.

6. In the castern continent the symbolic art overlapped the historic period but its earlier stages belonged to the prehistoric. It is on this account presented in a fragmentary way. The various stages are discoverable but they are obscure. In Greece and

Troy, the first stage recognized is that presented by the relics of pottery and spindle whorls found at Hissarlik. The last stages are those presented by the pillar and lions over the lion gate at Mycena. In Assyria and Babylon the earliest form of symbolism was contained in the terraced Pyramids of the first monarchy and the cylinder found in the ancient tower of Mugheir. The last stages are discovered in the human headed animal statues which line the palaces of the Kouyunjik and Nineveh during the third monarchy. In Egypt it began with the sun symbol, contained in the pyramids and ended with the dog-headed human images found in the temples at Karnak and Thebes. In all of these countries we find it beginning at a low stage and ending at a high stage of art. The bass-relief sculpture, and the figures in the mound are the last form in which it appeared.

There were several lines of symbolic development, cach line being distinguished by a peculiar style of expression but the stages of growth being correlated to the different materials. 1. We trace symbolism in the architecture of the east, for the shape of the pyramids and the temples and even the palaces were often symbolic of the religious worship which prevailed. 2. The specimens of art which have been preserved whether moulded or carved or sculptured were also full of a symbolism which was at the time expressive of a hidden meaning in them. 3. The inscriptions which have preserved, the earliest specimens of writing out of which phonetic characters have grown, the hieroglyphics of Egypt, and the cuneiforn characters of Assyria, all owe their origin to a symbolic art which has disappeared but which has left the marks of its impress too unmistakably to be denied.

4. The various coins and other relics of a primitive culture also contain symbols which were well known and which were very significant to those who understood them. These coins we in our day seek for, for we trace out in the symbols inscribed upon them, many facts of history which are no where else recorded.

These four lines of symbolic development may be recognized in the east, each great nation having left tokens which were significant upon which they impressed their own ethnic peculiarities and recorded their history. Symbolism seems to have been a universal language, an alphabet which all could read and in which. many histories were hidden. The early stages are lost, yet enough has been preserved to show that the art had a very great effect upon the public mind. Doubtless if we could find the earlier forms, we should discover from what sources they arose, and could see how the alphabets, the hieroglyphics, the sculptured ornaments, the architectural styles or orders and the legends were drawn out from this mysterious and powerful symbolism. Unfortunately the earlier stages were committed to perishable material.

In America we have all stages preserved to us and if we properly study them we may restore that which the other continent has lost. If we cannot restore the same forms we can at least show the counterparts.

I. Here we find the art of builing in its most primitive form; here are the primordial stages of architecture; here the very beginnings of art; and mingled with all, is a native symbolism which is very marked. We may compare the later stages of art and architecture with the same stages in Egypt and Assyria, but here we may go back farther and learn the significance of the symbolism contained in them. The carved images of Assyria and the carved images of Yucatan, the sculptured palaces of Nineveh and the sculptured facades of Palenque, the ornamented columns of Karnak and the ornamented pillars of Uxmal, have many points of resemblance, but they teem with a symbolism which has not been investigated. There is, to be sure, a great difference in the dates. The cylinders found in the pyramid of Mugheir are supposed to belong to a period as early as 2200 B.C., while the symbolic relics of America must be assigned a date at best as late as 600 A. D., and possibly as late as 1200 or 1400 A. D. The engravings on these cylinders show a high stage of art and yet they are symbolic. The spindle whorls found at Hissarlik are more primitive, but these present symbolism at a somewhat advanced grade.

2. Here we have sculpture or carving, which presents all stages of symbolic and artistic growth. The sculptured tablets at Palenque and the remarkable symbolic sculptures of Cosumalhuapa are the highest or best specimens but the rude pieces of pottery and carved stone relics found in the mounds the lowest.

3. The statuary of America has this advantage, that while it was arrested at an imperfect stage of development, it presents the primitive forms in which religious ideas found their embodiment and though it is regarded as inartistic yet it contains the most instructive specimens of religious art and contains within its diversified forms the most thoroughly developed symbolism exNot only this, but the native statuary is preceded by rude forms which show how the system of idolatry originated and what ideas embodied themselves in the idols. We thus find in the idols of the mound-builders and in the idols of the Toltecs the two extremes of statuary, but in both we discover that the religious sentiment was the ruling force, the hand of the sculptor having been always guided by his conception of divinity.

4. Inscribed figures and hieroglyphics in bass-relief are found in America as they are in Egypt. The inscriptions upon the stone pillars of Mexico are evidently expressive of the religious sentiments which prevailed there. These are among the highest or best specimens of American sculpture. Below these are the different grades. The inscribed rocks of New Mexico and of Colorado are one stage lower, the inscribed tablets of the mound

builders one stage lower than these, and the picture writing of the wild Indians a stage lower than these. Possibly the carved bone implements from the caves of Europe are a grade lower than the pictographs of America. Do these inscribed figures and hieroglyphics contain any symbolism? We propose to consider this question in connection with others, and shall search out: the different grades and styles of the symbolic art as they are presented in America.

The study of the animal figures in conjunction with the symbolism contained in the relics and various specimens of art and architecture, is the one to which we call especial attention. We here give the comparison in a broad and comprehensive manner and shall give the details in full in the future part of this essay. We place the animal figures at the very beginning of all symbolic art, and maintain that symbolism found in the architecture, art and the pictographs were first embodied in these animal shapes.

If there was any earlier stage of symbolism than that found here it has disappeared. The animal figures which were painted upon the sides of the houses of the Iroquois may be considered as primitive specimens of symbols, as are the pictographs which are found among Western Indians. If we compare these rude figures to the carved images which are contained in pipes and specimens of carved stone, or if we compare them to the massive effigies which have been formed out of carth, we should say that they were the most primitive class of symbols. These were evidently symbolic, for the figures of the animals among the Iroquois are known to be clan or tribal signs and the pectographs are also known to have been symbolic. We believe that the effigies were all of them symbolic, for many of them were used as mechanical contrivances but were fetichistic in their character, symbolic form and mechanical structure, serving the double purpose of convenience and fetichistic protection.. The religious sentiment was doubtless the motive which led to the erection of these remarkable mounds, but this same motive led also to the engraving or carving of similar figures upon pipes, to the moulding of them into pottery, and inscribing them upon tablets. The same motive led to the erection of carved pillars in front of the houses of the inhabitants of the north-west coast, and to the erection of the sculptured stone pillars at the basis of the pyramids of Central America. It is very singular that these animal forms are found so extensively in all parts of the continent and that they form so prominent feature in the primitive art of America. We judge from this circumstance that they all had their origin from one common source, namely, the primitive animal worship which prevailed upon the continent but which appeared most forcibly among the emblematic mound builders.

This animal worship may not be recognized in all symbols,.