File:Native cemeteries and forms of burial east of the Mississippi (1920) (14765334172).jpg

Identifier: nativecemeteries71bush (find matches)
Title: Native cemeteries and forms of burial east of the Mississippi
Year: 1920 (1920s)
Authors: Bushnell, David I
Subjects: Indians of North America
Publisher: Washington,: Govt. print. Off.
Contributing Library: University of Florida, George A. Smathers Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Florida, George A. Smathers Libraries with support from LYRASIS and the Sloan Foundation

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uring thepast generations. The account written at that time referred par-ticularly to the death and burial of a child: The preparation for burial began as soon as death had takenplace. The body was clad in a new shirt, a new handkerchief being bushnell) NATIVE CEMETERIES AND FORMS OF BURIAL 115 tied about the neck and another around the head. A spot of redpaint was placed on the right cheek and one of black upon the left.The body was laid face upwards. In the left hand, together with abit of burnt wood, a small bow about twelve inches in length wasplaced, the hand lying naturally over the middle of the body.Across the bow, held by the right hand, was laid an arrow, slightlydrawn. During these preparations, the women loudly lamented,with hair disheveled. At the same time some men had selected aplace for the burial and made the grave in this manner: Two pal-metto logs of proper size were split. The four pieces were firmlyplaced on edge, in the shape of an oblong box, lengthwise east and
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Pig. 14.—Carrying the dead, among the Seminole. west. In this box a floor was laid, and over this a blanket wasspread. Two men, at next sunrise, carried the body from the campto the place of burial, the body being suspended at feet, thighs, back,and neck from a long pole (fig. 14). The relatives followed. Inthe grave, which is called To-hop-ki—a word used by the Seminolefor stockade, or fort, also, the body was then laid the feet to theeast. A blanket was then carefully wrapped around the body.Over this palmetto leaves were placed and the grave was tightlyclosed by a covering of logs. Above the box a roof was then built.Sticks in the form of an X, were driven into the earth across theoverlying logs; these were connected by a pole, and this structurewas covered thickly with palmetto leaves. (PI. 13, a.) The bearers of the body then made a large fire at each end of theTo-hop-ki. With this the ceremony at the grave ended and all 116 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY (buld. 71 returned to

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