The Archaeology of the Yakima Valley

by Harlan Ingersoll Smith

The fragment of a sculptured tubular pipe made of steatite shown in [Fig. 105] is apparently about half of the original object. It was found in an Indian grave about a quarter of a mile from the bank of the Yakima River at a point about nine miles above its mouth, in August 1902, by Mr. W. F. Sonderman of Kennewick. Mr. Sonderman's collection from the immediate vicinity contained glass beads, a metallic handle and buttons, as well as chipped points. As the contents of the three graves from which he obtained this collection, during the construction of an irrigation canal were mixed, it seems that this pipe may belong to the same period as that of the glass beads and other objects of European manufacture and consequently may be modern, although it may be an old specimen, deposited in a modern grave. The general form of the pipe was thought to be that of a cone. The portion towards the front of the carving, however, is somewhat longer than that towards the rear, and the back is nearly flat, although this may be caused simply by the carving. The bore is somewhat smaller at the mouth of the bowl than lower down. It was apparently gouged out. Some traces of dirt, perhaps the remains of the material smoked in the pipe may be seen towards its larger opening. The carving, which represents a human form, is further described under the section of art on [p. 135]. As the tubular form of pipe seems to be common to this region, as well as to the Thompson River region, further north, it would seem that this specimen may be a variation from the type or merely one of these pipes made by an artist. It may be that such sculptured forms of this type of pipe may not be found in the Thompson River region, and that the carving of tubular pipes in this way may be characteristic of the Yakima region, although the style of art suggests that found in the Thompson River region and more especially in the Lillooet Valley.

Fig. 104 (202-8122). Tubular Pipe made of Steatite. From an Indian living three miles south of Old Yakima. ½ nat. size. (Collected by Mr. York.)
Fig. 105 (202-8120). Fragment of a Sculptured Tubular Pipe made of Steatite. From near Kennewick. ½ nat. size. (Collected by Mr. W. F. Sonderman.)
Fig. 106 (202-8396). Pipe made of Limestone. From near the head of Priest Rapids. ½ nat. size. (Collected and presented by Mrs. J. B. Davidson.)
Fig. 107 (20.0 1470). Pipe made of Sandstone. From the Snake River Indians. ½ nat. size. (Collected and presented by Mr. Owen.)
Fig. 108. Pipe made of Blue Stone. From the Yakima Valley, ½ nat. size. (Drawn from photograph 41503, 6-4. Original in the collection of Mr. Janeck.)
Fig. 109. Pipe made of Stone. From the Yakima Valley. ½ nat. size. (Drawn from photograph 44503, 6-4. Original catalogue No. 155 in the collection of Mr. Janeck.)

Only one specimen of the second or simple bowl type was seen by us in the whole region. It is shown in [Fig. 106], and was found near the head of Priest Rapids by a boy from whom Mrs. J. B. Davidson obtained it for her collection. She afterwards presented it to our expedition. It is made of schistose rock, apparently limestone, of gray color with lighter veins. The object is oval in section, slightly longer than it is wide, and a little wider than it is thick being 32 mm. long, 29 mm. wide, and 15 mm. thick. If slightly flatter, this pipe would resemble in shape the third type. The inside of the bowl which was apparently gouged out, is 13 mm. in diameter; while the opening for the stem seems to have been drilled. This opening is 7 mm. in diameter. The rim of the bowl is flattened, and this flat surface resembles that of the part of a hammerstone used for pecking. This style of pipe somewhat resembles some of the pipes used by the Thompson River Indians of the present day and together with elbow pipes, supplemented the tubular pipe in that region. This suggests them to be more modern than the tubular pipes in this region where also they are not as numerous. The type is not found among the archaeological remains in the Thompson region, but Mr. Teit sent one simple bowl pipe to the Museum from a very old grave at Spuzzum besides two from the Thompson Indians.[333] The absence of this form of pipe among archaeological specimens from the areas to the north and west suggests that the culture of this region is somewhat more closely related to that further east than are the cultures of the areas further north and west. The pipe is ornamented with a circle and dot design again mentioned under the section of art on [p. 131].[334]

Specimens of the third or disk-shaped type are shown in Figs. [107], [108] and [109]. The first, made of sandstone, is from the Snake River Indians, was a part of Mr. D. W. Owen's collection, and was presented by him to our expedition. It is nearly of the form of a disk but has slightly bulging sides, 52 mm. long, 49 mm. wide, and 19 mm. thick. The mouth of the bowl is 13 mm. in diameter; while the opening for the stem, at right angles to it, is 9 mm. in diameter. The convex appearance of the sides or ends of the disk is due to the beveling of these surfaces near their edges. On each of these sides is an incised design. These are again mentioned under the section of art on [p. 125]. The second specimen, shown in [Fig. 108], is oval in outline with slightly convex sides. The object is made of blue stone and was found in the Yakima Valley. It is about 52 mm. long, 41 mm. wide, and 19 mm. thick. Parallel scratches on the surface suggest that it was brought into shape by grinding with a piece of sandstone, although these marks may be interpreted as those made with a file. The opening in the bowl tapers evenly towards its base, from one of the longer edges of the discoid; while the somewhat longer drilling for the stem from one of the shorter edges of the disk, at right angles to the bore of the bowl, is of nearly the same diameter throughout. The specimen is in the collection of Mr. Louis O. Janeck of North Yakima.[335] The third specimen of this type which is shown in [Fig. 109] is No. 155 in the collection of Mr. Janeck, and was also found in the Yakima Valley. It is made of stone resembling quartzite in appearance and is of a waxy, yellowish brown color. It is nearly circular in outline, almost flat on the rim, and the sides are somewhat convex. It is 45 mm. long by 40 mm. wide and 19 mm. thick. The bore of the bowl is 16 mm. in diameter at the mouth, and is somewhat larger than that of the stem, which is 10 mm. in diameter at its end, and at right angles to the bowl. Each bore tapers from its outer opening to the point of juncture. In the Nez Perce region to the east near Asotin city, this disk-shaped type of pipe is found.[336] Mr. Fay Cooper Cole of the Field Museum of Natural History believes the Tlingit have a variation of this type of pipe and that it is also found in California. Its occurrence in Oregon is mentioned by Moorehead.[337]

The fourth or rectangular bowl type is shown in Figs. [110], [111] and [112]. The first shows the axis of the bowl and that of the stein, at nearly, if not exactly, a right angle. The specimen is in the collection of Mr. York, and is made of soft grit or sandstone. The outer opening of the bowl is somewhat larger than that of the stem. There was a band around the bowl, made up of a single thickness of thread which is not shown in the figure.

Fig. 110. Pipe made of Soft Sandstone. Locality Unknown. ½ nat. size. (Drawn from a sketch. Original in the collection of Mr. York.)
Fig. 111. Pipe made of Steatite. Locality Unknown. ½ nat. size. (Drawn from a sketch. Original in the collection of Mr. York.)
Fig. 112. Pipe made of Soft Sandstone. Locality Unknown. ½ nat. size. (Drawn from a sketch. Original in the collection of Mr. York.)