As I have remarked, these Iroquoian pipes are easily distinguished from other forms; they are not found in the ancient burial-places of the Mississippi Valley. The beautiful mound and grave pipes from the Ohio Valley, the middle South, and the far South, shown in Figs. 474, 477 A, 485 to 491, 494, 496, and 499, are not only of ancient lineage, but show no mark of steel tools, and do not appear to have been inspired by European civilization. On the other hand, many of the pipes referred to do appear to have been suggested by a knowledge of European art. Some of the best effigy pipes, the monitor or platform pipes, were not made of stone, but of a fine grade of fire-clay. There are also effigies in pipes of terra-cotta. In answering a letter requesting information, Professor W. C. Mills, under date of April 27, 1910, said concerning the pipes in his collection: “Of the platform pipes, ten are fire-clay, of the effigy pipes, fifteen are fire-clay, and of the tubular pipes, twenty are fire-clay. The fire-clay pipes were never burned, but were cut from original pieces of clay. Twenty of the miscellaneous pipes are made of potter’s clay.”
Fig. 487. (S. 2–3.) An interesting human effigy found in northern Ohio, now in the collection of the Ohio State University, Columbus.
The bird is much in evidence as a prehistoric sculpture. In fact, there are more bird-pipes than any other life-form. This at once suggests the famous “Thunder Bird,” so famous in Indian mythology in America. Yet if it is true that these effigies are not totemic, as relating to tribes, but stand for “Thunder Birds,” it is curious that so many different kinds of birds should have been represented. There are the hawk, eagle, crow, woodcock, duck, woodpecker, paroquet, and others. Examine Fig. 474 A. It is one of the best sculptures presented in this chapter. Compare this beautiful carving with the following bird-pipes, Figs. 470, 471, 473, 476, 477, 480, where possible readers are advised to visit some public museum or consult a library and study the illustrations of bird-pipes. The range is considerable. Even in so brief space as is afforded in this chapter, it will be observed that it was the intention of the ancient people to represent not one kind of bird but many. The statement frequently made, that it is impossible in some instances to determine just what species of bird was intended, is true. But we have no difficulty in distinguishing between the duck, the eagle, the owl, or the crow, although the different kinds of ducks, or of hawks, might not be differentiated accurately.
Fig. 488. (S. 1–1.) Effigy pipe of limestone. A remarkable effigy pipe found by Mr. Moore in one of the mounds at Moundville, Alabama. This group of mounds has furnished some remarkable specimens in stone and clay.
Mr. West says of the so-called handled pipes:—
“In this class the author has placed a small number of very interesting pipes which are provided with an elongated base or handle, by which they were held or supported; and in most examples with a short mouthpiece also. Some are without the latter feature, and were probably furnished with a short stem of wood or bone. They differ considerably as to general shape and manner of ornamentation. A few have the bowls artistically carved to represent the head of a human being, a fish, or an animal.
“A small number of similar pipes have been described from other sections of the United States. Twenty-two examples have been found in Wisconsin, no two of which are of exactly the same pattern. No theory of their authorship among the Wisconsin or other Indians has as yet been advanced. Even though originally limited to one tribe, so convenient a form of pipe is sure to have been copied by individuals belonging to others.
