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          ANTHROPOLOGICAL PAPERS
                    OF
  THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY


          VOLUME XXXVIII, PART I


      TEXTILE FIBERS USED IN EASTERN
         ABORIGINAL NORTH AMERICA

              By A. C. Whitford


            [Illustration: THE
                 AMERICAN
                  MUSEUM
                    OF
                  NATURAL
                  HISTORY
                  SCIENCE
                EDUCATION]


         By Order of the Trustees
                    of
  THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
               New York City
                   1941




THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

PUBLICATIONS IN ANTHROPOLOGY


In 1906 the present series of Anthropological Papers was authorized by
the Trustees of the Museum to record the results of research conducted
by the Department of Anthropology. The series comprises octavo volumes
of about 350 pages each, issued in parts at irregular intervals.
Previous to 1906 articles devoted to anthropological subjects appeared
as occasional papers in the Bulletin and also in the Memoir series of
the Museum. Of the Anthropological Papers 35 volumes have been
completed. A complete list of these publications with prices will be
furnished when requested. All communications should be addressed to
the Librarian of the Museum.

The current volume is:--

VOLUME XXXVIII

I. Textile Fibers used in Eastern Aboriginal North America. By A. C.
Whitford. Pp. 1-22. 1941. Price, $.25.

II. (_In preparation._)




TEXTILE FIBERS USED IN EASTERN ABORIGINAL NORTH AMERICA

By A. C. Whitford




CONTENTS


                                              Page
  INTRODUCTION                                   5
  MONOCOTYLEDONOUS SPECIES                       7
  DIOCOTYLEDONOUS SPECIES                        9
  OBJECTS FROM SPIRO MOUND, OKLAHOMA            15
  SUMMARY                                       17
  FIBER PLANTS AS IDENTIFIED                    17
  TABLE OF IDENTIFICATIONS                      19




INTRODUCTION


The author of this paper has studied the vegetable fibers used in
fabricating objects in the ethnological and archaeological collections
from the Indian tribes of the Mississippi drainage and eastward, now
in the American Museum. The first task was to identify them and view
them against the background of existing textile knowledge. The present
paper reports these identifications and comments upon fiber samples
from collections in other museums.

The writing of this paper would have been impossible without the
generous and whole-hearted coöperation of many institutions and
individuals. This assistance has ranged from the furnishing of
specimens for determination, to advice as to methods, classifications,
and the supplying of modern material for comparison. For specimens of
classified plants to be used in the comparative work thanks are due to
The New York Botanical Garden in Bronx Park, the Botanical Departments
of the University of Wisconsin, the University of Oklahoma, and the
University of Georgia.

The standard histological microscopic methods were used for the
determination of the fiber. Slides were made of both cross-sections
and longitudinal sections and these were compared with previously
prepared and classified modern material. When the specimen was too
colored for microscopic examination it was bleached in a solution of
Sodium perborate until clear enough for study. In charred material,
when sufficient detail was preserved for identification the fiber
sample was treated with Schultz Maceration solution, washed, dried,
and fortified by saturating in a collodion solution. Occasionally, it
was found necessary to stain the material and in this either
Delafield's Haematoxylon or Methylene Blue was used. In the
differentiation of certain species, it was found necessary to make
microscopic measurements of the length and width of the cells, but
generally the shape, distribution, medullation, and other constant
characters were sufficient for the identifications.

In the text and tables the following abbreviations are used for the
names of the coöperating institutions:--

  American Museum of Natural History                   AMNH
  Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation       MAIHF
  Milwaukee Public Museum                              MPM
  McGill University Archaeological Museum              McGU
  Ohio State Historical and Archaeological Museum      OSHAM
  Peabody Museum, Harvard University                   PMHU
  Rochester Museum of Arts and Science                 RMAS
  University of Kentucky Museum                        UKM
  United States National Museum                        USNM




MONOCOTYLEDONOUS SPECIES


The fibers from monocotyledonous plants, as identified, are listed
here. Approximately five hundred objects were sampled, so the
frequencies for the several species should be given that denominator.


ARECACEAE, Reichenb. (Palm Family)

The palmetto (_Sabal palmetto_, Walt.) seems to have been an article
of commerce as it was used by the Winnebago and the Iroquois, north of
its northern limit of distribution. It was also used by the Cherokee.
The Winnebago used the fiber in the production of stiff cords for
their bags. In three bags in the American Museum the stiff cords are
made from this material (50-7531). For burden straps the Iroquois used
this fiber to produce stiff strong cords which were covered with
cotton or other soft fiber (AMNH 50.1-1954). The Cherokee used it in
the manufacture of basketry (AMNH 50.1-2141).


BROMELIACEAE, J. St. Hil. (Pineapple Family)

This Florida moss (_Tillandsia usneoides_, L.) was found in specimens
from the Southern States only. The Koasati and the people who built
certain mounds in Florida used it frequently. A specimen in the United
States National Museum from the Parish Mound, Number 2, in Florida,
consisted of a bunch of loose material. The Koasati material is in the
Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, and is represented by
fibers from a blanket and threads on a spindle (1-8551).


DRACAENACEAE, Link. (Yucca Family)

Yucca (_Yucca arkansana_, Trelease) was encountered in one specimen
from the Arkansas Bluff culture in a bundle of loose fiber (MAIHF
11-7429).

Yucca (_Yucca filamentosa_, L.) was found once in a heavy cord made by
the cave and shelter people of Ohio (OSHAM 332-42)

_Nolina georgiana_, Michx., was found in two specimens, a moccasin
(OSHAM 332) and a bristle-like fiber from the Spiro Mound (2718-K,
Trowbridge Collection). It is possible that this plant may have been
used very frequently in objects from caves and rock-shelters. It was
not always convenient, however, to examine complete objects so that
some occurrences of its use may have been overlooked, especially since
these people commonly mixed several fibers. In the specimen in
question, for example (OSHAM 332), _Nolina georgiana_ and _Eryngium
yuccaefolium_