Kelley J. White
The object seems to be fashioned of a durable resinous substance and made for continual worship, not unlike the familiar prayer wheel of Tibet. It dates from a society which clearly worshipped deities in a variety of animal aspects: images of these deities appear in a circular array on a free standing object which may once have been installed within a home altar. A now extinct ovine species holds the position of most power at the top of the array while an apparently avian representation holds the lowest position, however several additional avian creatures appear to dominate the pantheon of this civilization which had an alphabet that resembles certain carvings found on walls of the ruins of dwellings and places of worship. These apparently extinct avian figures are labelled ‘TURKEY’ ‘DUCK’ ‘ROOSTER’ and ‘BIRD’. Although modern animals which appear to be descended from these archetypes vary in size these images are all of similar stature. A single image which corresponds to a the current ubiquitous and dominant canine is labelled ‘COYOTE’. The central position of the ritual item is taken by a priestly figure in full regalia holding a pointed object and enclosed within an arrow design. This arrow is movable and can be manipulated to point at the various sacred images, perhaps to mark their feast days or intervals of worship. Indeed the twelve animals may have been worshipped at intervals corresponding to a solar or variant lunar calendar. A variety of theories have been developed with regard to a cord which projects from the side of the object which attaches to a central mechanism. None of these theories have been validated. Yet, if we pull the cord we are rewarded with a whirring followed by untranslatable utterances. Oh, had we a dictionary to understand these prayers!