Page 186 - TheHopiIndians

178 MESA FOLK OF HOPILAND

them, even those highest in the good graces of the
priests.
Once by chance two explorers came upon such a
treasure house and with some trepidation took a photo
graph of it. In a dark cleft under the rocks were
the jars in which the "snake medicine'' is carried
These were arranged without much order near a most
remarkable carved stone figure of Talatumsi, the
' ' dawn goddess, ' ' painted and arrayed in the costume
of that deity. In truth, this little cavern had a grue
some look, and knowing also the prohibition against
prying, one breathed more freely on getting away
from the neighborhood.
Though the Hopi may have no house shrines, and
this is said with caution, because not much is known of
their domestic life, yet in some of the houses are rude
stone images which are venerated. These images may
be household gods like the Lares and Penates of the
ancients. No one would be surprised to know that
the Hopi hold the fireplace sacred and make sacrifice
to it as the shrine of Masauah, the dread ruler of the
underworld.
So while our towns have interesting churches and
historical buildings, none of them can compete with
the high houses of the Hopi surrounded by primitive
shrines to the nature gods, who, in their simple belief,
protect the people and send the rains which insure
abundant harvests.