The Archaeology of the Yakima Valley

by Harlan Ingersoll Smith

It will be noted that the thin stone clubs found here have no mid-rib. Clubs made of stone, whale's bone or wood with such mid-ribs are unknown from the coast but are found with median decoration in place of a mid-rib,[236] those of whale's bone being common and a thin club made of copper with a median decoration was found at Spuzzum in the interior of Southern British Columbia.[237]

'Slave-killers.' A 'slave-killer' or club, made of friable stone shown in [Fig. 67], was found on the surface of Union Gap, below Old Yakima. It is in the collection of Mr. Janeck. The object has a blade which sets out from the handle and resembles in shape the typical 'slave-killer' in that it is lozenge-shaped in cross section with bulging sides and rounded angles. The handle is oval or nearly circular in cross section, and slightly larger at the top where there is no knob or perforation as in the typical club of this type.[238] The object is 377 mm. long, 63 mm. wide, and 41 mm. thick.[239] The club or 'slave-killer' made of stone, shown in [Fig. 68], was found at Lake Chelan, and is 280 mm. long. It is owned by Mr. C. G. Ridout of Chelan, Chelan County. The handle terminates in a knob, which resembles the form of an animal head. This knob is somewhat heart-shaped, the two lobes possibly representing ears, and the lower tip projects beyond the handle of the object. One side, the larger surface, stands at about 45 degrees to the axis of the club and is bisected by a deep incision, on each side of which are two circles, which probably represent eyes. On either edge of this knob are thirteen incisions. The handle which is nearly circular in cross section, bears four vertical rows of horizontally arranged incisions and expands suddenly edgewise to form the blade which, however, on its upper and lower surfaces is practically continuous with the handle. The blade is nearly circular in cross section and tapers gradually to a rather blunt point. The object is probably a ceremonial implement.

Fig. 67. Club made of Stone. From the surface at Union Gap below Old Yakima. ¼ nat. size. (Drawn from photographs 44453, 2-2, and 44500, 6-1. Original in the collection of Mr. Janeck.)
Fig. 68. Club made of Stone. From Lake Chelan. ¼ nat. size. (Drawn from a sketch furnished by Mr. C. G. Ridout. Original in his collection.)
Fig. 69. War implement or Slave Killer, made of Friable Stone. From the Yakima Valley. ¼ nat. size. (Drawn from photograph 44503, 6-4. Original in the collection of Mr. Janeck.)

The stone objects considered as pestles and shown in Figs. [32] and [35] may have been used as war clubs. The object made of friable stone, shown in [Fig. 69] was mentioned on [p. 39] us possibly having been used as a pestle and again on [p. 65] as being suitable for use as a whetstone. It seems most likely, however, that it served as an implement of war or as a 'slave-killer.' It is roughly of the shape of a cigar. The upper end is nearly flat and circular. From here the object gradually expands for about half its length and then contracts to a point, being nearly circular in cross section throughout. It is 208 mm. long, 38 mm. in maximum diameter, and 19 mm. in diameter at the top. It was found in the Yakima Valley and is in the collection of Mr. Janeck.[240] The object considered as a hand-adze and shown in [Fig. 46], may have been used as a 'slave-killer.'

No objects considered as daggers or knives and made of antler were found by us in this region. Although it will be remembered[241] that several, over 200 mm. in length, were found in the Thompson River region.

War Costume. The costume indicated on the figure carved in antler, described under the section of dress and adornment, [p. 100], referred to in the discussion of art on [p. 127], and shown in [Fig. 121], may be that of a warrior as is suggested by the similarity of the headdress to the war-bonnet of the tribes of the Plains. That the war-bonnet was used in this region is strongly suggested not only by this headdress but also by those represented in the pictographs and petroglyphs as well as by the wearing of it by the modern Indians of this area. This idea is further strengthened by the fact that the war-bonnet is worn in the Nez Perce region to the east,[242] where it has no doubt been used for a long time, although it may originally have been derived from the Plains. The Nez Perce sometimes wore streamers with these war-bonnets. Spinden states that the early Nez Perce war-bonnets differed from the type used by them to-day, and that exact information about them is difficult to obtain.

Fortifications. A so-called "Indian fort" is situated near Rock Creek about six miles below Rock Lake. It is about a mile south of the ranch of Mr. Frank Turner ([p. 54]), and shown in the photographs reproduced in Figs. 1[243] and 2[244], [Plate VI]. These were taken and presented by Mr. J. S. Cotton, then in charge of the cooperative range work at the Washington State Experiment Station at Pullman, who furnished from his notebook all our data on this subject. The "fort" is built on a flat knoll of about fifteen feet in height and with precipitous sides. It is in the form of a circle, being enclosed about four fifths of the way around. The wall is built of flat rocks which are tilted in such a manner that they will glance all projectiles into the air. There were numerous arrow chip pings within the "fort." There are many Indian graves supposed to be very old, two pits believed to mark building sites, and a long line of stones in the vicinity (pp. [140], [54], [29]).