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Death of a chief

Death of a chief.jpg Ainu Women, showing TattooingThumbnailsPeasant Woman and ChurnAinu Women, showing TattooingThumbnailsPeasant Woman and ChurnAinu Women, showing TattooingThumbnailsPeasant Woman and ChurnAinu Women, showing TattooingThumbnailsPeasant Woman and ChurnAinu Women, showing TattooingThumbnailsPeasant Woman and ChurnAinu Women, showing TattooingThumbnailsPeasant Woman and ChurnAinu Women, showing TattooingThumbnailsPeasant Woman and Churn
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The chief’s house, situated on top of a mound, overlooked the plaza area. The chief used the house as his living quarters as well as a reception area for visitors and subjects. The furnishings of the house included wooden beds covered with matting, and perhaps a wooden stump used as a stool. Reed or cane torches provided light. Servants waited on the chief, always keeping a respectful distance, and quickly meeting all of his needs. No one ever used the chief’s belongings or walked in front of him.

The chief was a highly honored and respected person, and his death was a time for great mourning. Ceremonies, dancing, and processions were part of the burial rituals that continued for several days. The chief’s wife, servants, and others who volunteered for the honor, were sedated and ritually strangled as part of the ceremonies. The bodies were placed on special raised tombs covered with branches and mud. After many weeks, the bones were removed and placed in baskets that were stored in the temple. Eventually, the bones were buried in a platform in the temple, or were buried in the mound when it was expanded. The deceased chief’s house was usually burned and might be covered with another layer of earth before the new chief’s house was built. The son of the dead chief’s sister would become the next ruler.

Author
Louisiana Prehistory
By Robert W. Neuman and Nancy W. Hawkins Neuman
Published in 1982
Available from gutenberg.org
Dimensions
750*957
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