1882 Study Of Funeral Customs Of Native American Indians Bureau Of Ethnology

Description: An utterly amazing book. Mortuary Customs of the North American Indian was first published in 1880 by the Smithsonian Institution Bureau of Ethnology. Written by Henry Yarrow it was a comprehensive study of various funerary customs. The 1880 edition was a small limited run and paper bound. The copy you see here is an 1882 printing, the full title being “A Further Contribution to the Mortuary Customs of the North American Indian. The books differ in that in addition to all the information published in the 1880 printing, this edition is illustrated with fine lithographs many which are hand tinted along with expanded information. The 47 illustrations in this book are simply amazing. Please see my detailed photos for a glimpse of how wonderful they are! This book has been cherished through many generations, cared for and rebound so that the truly sacred content should live on. Measures 11.5”H X 8”W x.75” thick. And it is SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR! The bookplate shows that this was formerly part of the personal library of Hans H. Reese, MD a professor of neurology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin This book was originally published paper bound. A previous owner who saw the importance of preserving this work had it bound in a hardcover. The title page still has a remnant of the original paper cover stuck to it. In addition, there are several old repairs to the book made with a white tape. 4 pages have tears to the upper portion. Yarrow’s *“A Further Contribution to the Study of the Mortuary Customs of the North American Indians”* (1880) expanded on his earlier work by providing even more detailed accounts of indigenous death and burial practices. His research was part of a broader ethnographic and anthropological effort during the late 19th century, where Western scientists were documenting the cultures of Indigenous peoples before their traditional practices were altered or lost due to colonization. Key Themes and Observations from Yarrow’s Expanded Work 1. **Regional and Tribal Variations in Mortuary Practices** Yarrow emphasized the diversity in mortuary customs across various tribes, reflecting their unique cultural and spiritual beliefs. He noted how geography often influenced burial practices, with tribes in the Great Plains, Southwest, and Northwest Coast having distinct approaches: •Plains Tribes: The Sioux and Cheyenne often practiced scaffold burials, placing the dead on elevated platforms to allow the body to decompose naturally before burying the bones. •Southwestern Tribes: The Zuni and Hopi practiced burial in caves or rock crevices, often with ritualistic objects like pottery or food for the afterlife. •Northwest Coast Tribes: Tribes such as the Kwakwaka’wakw had elaborate mortuary totems that were erected to honor the dead, particularly high-status individuals. Anthropological Impact: Yarrow’s contributions to the study of Native American mortuary customs were groundbreaking at the time. His careful documentation of these practices provided a foundation for future anthropologists studying Indigenous cultures. Yarrow’s work was also part of a larger movement of 19th-century anthropology that sought to catalog Indigenous traditions before they were lost due to the rapid encroachment of European-American settlement and assimilation policies. Though his work is seen through the lens of 19th-century anthropology, Yarrow’s detailed accounts remain valuable as early ethnographic records of Indigenous American death rituals, offering insights into the spiritual and social frameworks of these communities. Modern printings of this book are plentiful and inexpensive. A copy like this one is a true rarity. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Price: 557.24 USD

Location: New York, New York

End Time: 2025-01-18T20:35:36.000Z

Shipping Cost: 5.38 USD