CALIFORNIA HUNTING MAGIC

CALIFORNIA HUNTING WAS DONE WITH THE USE OF SPLIT TWIG FIGURINES, ATLATL DARTS, CRYSTALS, PICTOGRAPHS OF BIGHORN SHEEP, AND A FEATHER BUNDLES. MOST OF THE ARTIFACTS WERE DATED ABOUT 1500 BC AND INDICATED A HUNTER SOCIETY THAT WAS IN THE SOUTHWEST AND GREAT BASIN.

ONE OF THE SPLIT TWIG FIGURINES HAD STICKS INSERTED FOR LEGS AND THE HEAD. INSIDE THE BODY OF THIS DEERLIKE FIGURE WAS A CHALCEDONY FLAKE WRAPPED IN DRY GRASSES. IT WAS FOUND IN A CAVE ALONG THE MOHAVE RIVER, WHERE BIGHORN SHEEP TYPICALLY ABOUND. THEIR WERE NO ARTIFACTS WHICH REPRESENTED DAY TO DAY FOOD PREPARATION - INDICATING IT WAS A SPIRITUAL SITE.

SPLIT TWIG FIGURINES WERE FIRST FOUND IN THE GRAND CANYON AROUND 2000 B.C. THEY WERE FOUND WITH DEER DROPPINGS IN THE CHEST CAVITY WHICH SUGGESTED MAGICAL FUNCTION OF THESE ARTIFACTS. JAMES FRAZ SPOKE OF 2 TYPES OF SYMPATHETIC MAGIC: HOMEOPATHIC - REPRESENTATION OF AN ANIMAL IN A CAVE PAINTING OR STICK FIGURES; AND CONTIGIOUS - CONTROL OVER AN ACTUAL PART OR DROPPING OF AN ANIMAL. WE KNOW LITTLE ABOUT THE EXACT HUNTING RITUALS OF THE ARCHAIC FOLKS. ALN DAVIS AND GERALD SMITH SAY THE FIGURINES WERE MADE WITH LONG SLENDER WILLOW WITHES WHICH ARE COMMON ON TREES. HE REPRODUCED THIS SPLT TWIG FIGURINES. HE KEPT THE RED BROWN BARK SIDE OF THE TWIG ON THE OUTSIDE. FIGURINES HAVE BEEN FOUND IN OVER 20 CAVES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SOUTHERN NEVADA, ARIZONA, AND UTAH.

PAUL JOHNSON