;

snow-snake, wood. Long smooth, flexible, conical-shaped charred head type made of wood. Conical head 9 cm long, decreasing in thickness from 2.5 cm over a span of 8 cm to 1 cm, flat top surface gradually increasing in thickness to 1.4 cm in the middle, and then decreasing to 0.6 cm at the tail. Bottom of stick is a half-circle, stick is bent with strong curve to the right. Tail is grooved with a finger position. A black turtle painted near head, several long scrape marks on top surface. Several small knots on both surfaces. Gouge line on head.;;

1900 p;;

Collected in 1914 by F. W. Waugh. (CULTURE REMARKS)Attribution by provenance (DOCUMENTATION)(Waugh)

"Snow-snake, very old, John Jamieson, Jr." (COMMENTS)The head of a snowsnake is either tipped with lead or pewter. When either metal is not to be had the nose of the head is roughly hewn out and then charred in a fire (Parker, 250). The snowsnake game is a simple test of power and skill in throwing a long, slender rod upon or into a trough of snow or ice (Beauchamp, 273, Fenton, 307). The sticks are rubbed with gum, wax, tallow or oil for the condition of the snow and when not in use are stored in a long cloth bag. Three sticks constitute a set for throwing but a set may have as many as twelve or fifteen sticks. This game is played with two contestants or by organized teams. The object of the game is to see which stick goes furthest. Betting sometimes takes place (Parker,252-256).

Beauchamp, W.M., "Iroquois Games", THE JOURNAL OF AMERICAN FOLK-LORE, VOLUME IX. New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1896:273. Fenton, William N., "Northern Iroquoian Culture Patterns", HANDBOOK OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS, VOL.15. Northeast. Washington: Smithsonian Institute, 1978:307. Parker, Arthur C. "Snow-snake as Played by the Seneca-Iroquois" AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST, NS. APRIL-JUNE, 1909, VOL. II, NO.2. Lancaster: The American Anthropological Association, 1909: 250-256.