Page:The American Indian.djvu/220

174 when we note that almost everywhere there is an annual allotment of fields to the households of the group, thus distinctly demonstrating each individual's equality in the ownership of the community land. As in most other things, the Inca and Nahua highly systematized the workings of these fundamental concepts, forming thus codes of land laws. The boundaries to the group lands were fixed and the death penalty placed upon any one tampering with them. Also, certain unoccupied lands were set aside for the support of the governing class, labor upon which was requisitioned as needed. One who reads the special literature of the subject can scarcely fail being impressed with the thorough control of agriculture exercised by these centralized powers. In each community there were officials whose duty it was to call the people to the fields, and to direct their labors. Further, if we follow out the distribution of maize culture we find associated with it practically all of the following concepts: the family ownership of land without rights of sale or conveyance, the setting aside of plots for the rulers and religious officials, and, finally, the constant control and supervision by those in authority. Yet, the non-agricultural areas have these same characteristics to a less degree; hence, it is not fair to assume that the development of agriculture was wholly responsible for the general communistic conception, a conception universal from Cape Horn to the Bering Sea. Rather should we say that this fundamental communal concept is the foundation upon which the one grand agricultural complex of the New World was reared.

Personal property in the New World consisted of houses, chattels, produce, etc. In a very considerable part of North America, at least, the house, furniture, and all food was the property of the woman, regardless of whether descent was reckoned in the male or female line. No doubt a careful investigation of this subject would lead to important results, but this inquiry is for the future.

A form of property not usually recognized by us is that of the hereditary right to certain functions in the community, as the ownership of rituals for ceremonies, ceremonial songs,