rom
a small block of compact white limestone veined like Italian marble.
This kind of fetich, according to the Zunis, is manufactured at will by
privileged members of the Navajo nation, and carried about during
hunting and war excursions in "medicine bags," to insure the strength,
safety, and endurance of the animals they represent.

THE SHEEP.

Plate IX, Fig. 4, represents a superb large sheep fetich of
purplish-pink fluorspar, the eyes being inlaid with small turkoises.
Such are either carried about by the shepherds or kept in their huts,
and, together with certain ceremonials, are supposed not only to secure
fecundity of the flocks, but also to guard them against disease, the
animals of prey, or death by accident.

AMULETS AND CHARMS.

In addition to the animal fetiches heretofore described, many others are
found among the Zunis as implements of their worship, and as amulets or
charms for a variety of purposes. The painted and plumed prayer-sticks
are of this character.

The amulets proper may be roughly divided into three classes:

1. Concretions and other strange rock formations, which, on account of
their forms, are thought to have been portions of the gods, of their
weapons, implements, and ornaments, their te-ap-ku-na-we (the
wherewithals of Being).

2. The sacred relics of the gods, which are supposed to have been given
to man directly by their possessors, in the "days of the new," and
include the "Gifts of the Gods" (yel-le-te-li-we).

3. The magic "medicines" which are used as protective, curative, and
productive agencies, and are known as the e ta-we and a-kwa-we (the
"contained" and the "medicines").

One object, a mere concretion, will have something about it suggesting
an organ of the human body. (See, for example, Fig. 1.) It will then be
regarded as the genital organ of some ancient being, and will be highly
prized, not only as a means of approaching the spirit of the god to whom
it is supposed to have once belonged, but also as a valuable aid to the
young man in his conquests with the women, to the young woman in her
hope to bear male children.

[Illustration: Fig. 1.--Concretion.]

Again, certain minerals (Fig. 2), or fossils, etc. (Fig. 3), will be
regarded as belonging to, or parts of, the gods, yet will be used as
medicines of war or the chase, or by means of which water may be
produced or crops stimulated, to say nothing of their efficacy as cures,
or sources of strength, etc. For