Beginning of the snake dance in the Hopi Snake Dance Ceremony with onlookers, Oraibi, Arizona, ca.1898

Photograph of the beginning of the snake dance in the Hopi Snake Dance Ceremony with a huge crowd of onlookers, Oraibi, Arizona, ca.1898. The priests have long hair. They wear armbands and necklaces. Their upper torsos are naked. They wear short patterned skirts and moccasins and the antelope priests wear long furry animal tails. They are lined up in front of the snake kiva or kisi. Several of the snake priests hold the head of a snake in their mouths. Numerous onlookers are spectating from atop the pueblo in the background as well as on the ground. One of them shades herself with black umbrella. One of the snake priests, at right, stands behind the line of antelope priests.