Ohio History Journal

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THE NAGA AND THE LINGAM OF INDIA AND THE

THE NAGA AND THE LINGAM OF INDIA AND THE

SERPENT MOUNDS OF OHIO.

 

BY ALEXANDER S. WILSON, M. D.,

Kodaikanal, Madura District, India.

 

WITH INTRODUCTION BY G. FREDERICK WRIGHT.

 

INTRODUCTION.

About the middle of the last century Mr. Lewis

Morgan, a distinguished citizen of Rochester, New

York, became interested in the manner of reckoning

family relationships among the Iroquois Indians of cen-

tral New York. The system was very complicated and

complete. As many as 237 relationships were expressed.

The system was totally different from that prevalent

among the Anglo Saxons and affiliated races. The

Anglo Saxons limit themselves to tracing direct relation-

ships, son, grandson, great grandson, father, grand-

father, great grandfather, etc. But the Iroquois system

was that of clan relationships. As illustrating the com-

plication of the Iroquois system we note that in it

"mother's mother's mother's sister's daughter's daugh-

ter (older than myself)" is regarded as my elder

sister. "My mother's mother's mother's sister's daugh-

ter's daughter's daughter's daughter is regarded as my

daughter." Examination showed that this system was

essentially the same as that of other tribes of North

American Indians.

In 1859 Mr. Morgan happend to meet Dr. Henry

W. Scudder, for a long time missionary of the Presby-

(77)