----- Original Message -----
From: Daniel H. Weiskotten <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2000 10:13 PM
Subject: Re: Conversion to Christianity


> Kerry Nelson wrote about inference of Christian influence in the Mohawk
> Iroquois arcaheological record:
>
> >... later eighteenth century sites produced Native American
> >graves containing burials interred in the European style (in wooden
coffins,
> >extended, laying on the back) as opposed to the traditional Native style
> >(flexed).  Grave goods at the earlier sites included a mixture of Native
> >American and European trade articles like turtle effigy pendants,
projectile
> >points, trade beads, and Jesuit religious objects while the later sites
> >contained more European and fewer Native American objects.  These sites
> >represent early conversion of Mohawk Indians to Catholicism by Jesuits
with
> >evidence of the retention of some Native material culture.  It is well
known
> >that the Jesuits were more tolerant of Native culture than were other
> >Christians (see "The Invasion Within" by Axtell).  I would be interested
in
> >learning whether differences between these and other Christian-Indian
sites
> >exist (i.e. evidence of less tolerant English Protestants, perhaps in the
> >exclusion of Native grave goods from early Christian Indian graves).
>
>(...)

> In looking at the larger patterns, the Iroquois across the face of what is
> now New York state had been placing their dead in extended good-filled
> burials for several generations before the Jesuits came to their
> communities.  Even after they had been present for a generation there is
> little empirical evidence of Christian burial behavior in the available
> data and we are in most cases mistaking European material culture
> influences for Christian influences.  Jesuit items such as rings and
> crucifi are far more likely to be found in refuse pits throughout this
> period so are we to interpret that as a disdain for things Christian?
> Perhaps not, as all sorts of other items that appear to us today to be
> still serviceable, such as beads, blades, and other tools, are found in
the
> middens along with the rings and such.
>
Very interesting observations Dan.  I look forward to reading your paper.
Has anyone compared the types of materials found in early historic middens
to those found in graves?  It seems like that might be a good way to explore
whether certain objects had ceremonial or secular value.  I agree that items
had different meanings cross culturally and that should not be overlooked in
any analysis.

> (...)

Kerry