Fire as an agent in human culture / by Walter Hough.

  • Walter Hough
Date:
1926
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Fire as an agent in human culture / by Walter Hough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Foot warmers reflect the drawbacks of the architecture of past time, when provisions were not made for heating and ventilating public buildings, as churches. The foot stoves of New England recall this period, when such primitive devices were carried to church to prevent discomfort or even freezing in the cold assembly hall. LAYING THE FIRE There is not much information available for the general treatment of this subject. It appears probable, however, that some order in plac¬ ing fuel on the fire was early worked out as the result of endless experiences in the past. Such matters were unobserved as of no consequence, and what appeared to be normal may have been the result of designed actions known to be best for the purpose. For this reason only unusual or striking methods were recorded. Economics of labor and fuel and a method of laying up and pre¬ serving fire is observed among the Creek and other southern Indians. Four logs are cut and laid at right angles, the ends abutting and being thrust in as they burnt away. At the junction fire is built. The Cherokee, however, pushed the sticks in parallel, burning them from one end.48 The Jivaro Indians of Ecuador use three logs similarly and where a larger fire is needed throw small wood on the junction and fan to a blaze with a fan of plaited grass.49 Among the southern Indians the cross-shaped fire took on a religious significance, and was prescribed at ceremonies such as the Busk or Green Corn Dance. Among the Mandans fire was built with two sticks crossed in the center, which were pushed in as they burnt. “ This was done because the First Man told them they must never have a big fire after the day’s cooking, and showed them how it should be built. It recalls the sacred fire of the Muskogi and other tribes of the lower Missis¬ sippi. ”50 A cruder method was employed by some eastern Indian tribes. A sizable tree convenient for handling was dragged up and one end thrust through the side of the hut to the fireplace. When the wasting away of the burning end rendered it necessary the log was thrust forward.51 The methodical laying of the fire logs in the great fireplaces of northern Europe, transplanted to American, may have had such a nomenclature as was expressed in Virginia in 1840. There were four elements, backlog, top log, fore stick, and middle stick, showing an order which is suspected of having ancient descent. This arrangement made a perfect fire, smaller logs being added against the substantial backlog as required. 48 R. B. Marcy. Reconnoissances in New Mexico and Texas, 1850, p. 219. 49 A. Simson. Notes on the Jivaros and Cabelos Indians, Journ. Anth. Inst., 1880, May, p. 286. 50 Will and Spinden. The Mandans, Pap. Peabody Mus., vol. 3,No. 4, Cambridge, Mass., August, 1906, pp. 134-135. 51 Thomas Morton. New England Canaan, Prince Soc., Boston, 1883, pp. 134-136.