An Investigation of Ethnographic and Archaeological Specimens of Mescalbeans (Sophora secundiflora) in American Museums

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• Technical Reports

Mescal beans were important for many North American tribes in Mexico and the southwestern U.S. Tribes used the beans primarily as decorations (seed beads) for clothing; some tribes consumed the beans for their psychotropic properties as part of ceremonies. In this volume, the author examines the distribution of mescal bean use and compiles a description of archaeological and ethnographic specimens from dozens of tribes. Illustrated.