Page:The Pima Indians.pdf/186

] there are 14 rings, but only a few may be caught at a single throw. A certain number of marks, 2, 3, or 4, agreed upon in advance, constitute the game. These marks are made upon a diagram laid out in the sand in the form of a whorl (fig. 97). The scoring commences in the center, called the tcnni ki, "council house," and runs out to the last hole, called hoholdega ki, "menstrual house," which is on the west side of the diagram; then the score returns to the center before the player is entitled to one point toward game. If the player who is behind throws a number that brings her counter to the same hole as that of her opponent she "kills" the latter and sends back her counter to the beginning point, but this is not done if she passes her opponent's position.

Two specimens were obtained at Sacaton which were probably used in games by the Hohokam, illustrations of which are here presented for the benefit of those engaged in special researches concerning gaming devices.

One of these objects is a cup-shaped stone of lava which was obtained from a Pima who had found it in one of the Gila Valley ruins west of the Casa Grande (fig. 98). Doctor Fewkes has called the writer's attention to the fact that it resembles the wooden cups used by the Hopis in a game not unlike the European "shell game."

A few rings of porous lava have been found about the ruins which have been called "head rings" because of their resemblance to the ordinary head rings of cloth or bark in common use among the Pimas (fig. 99). However, as most of them are too small and the material is extremely unsuited for such a purpose it is much more probable that they were employed in some game with which the present race is unacquainted.