Clay dishes, mortars, and pestles of stone, large sea-shells cut into shapes for holding food, stone axes, and knives show some of the skill of these early Americans.
The ornaments made of silver by the Navajo, as well as the long strings of turquoise beads, are sometimes remarkable for their beauty.
Wampum, used by so many tribes for money, was carefully made from shells by eastern Indians. It seems strange that their crude tools could have made such small beads so very well.
The knowledge of medicine in all tribes was limited to a few herbs. The rest was a kind of sorcery; but with the herbs, fresh air, and fresh water they managed to cure many ills.
The Pueblos of New Mexico are very different from the Zuñis or the Moki Pueblos of Arizona. They are now much like the white people, for they live in well-built houses, attend church, and send their children to school. [[10]]
HOW THE IROQUOIS BUILT THEIR LOG FORTS
he French explorers in the land near Lake Champlain, and in what is now central New York, found many of the Iroquois villages protected by strong, well-built log forts.
They were built in this way: The Indians first found a place where there were many tall trees; these were set on fire near their roots, and stone axes were used to rub off the coals, so they would burn faster. After the trees had fallen to the ground they were set on fire again, in places about three long steps apart. The fires burned through the logs in about half a day.