Materials

Made of brownish black woolen yarn, probably bison hair. Decorated with small white pony beads interwoven into the sash. Both ends are finished with a fringe of porcupine quills wrapped around the loose warps, terminating in metal cones containing red dyed deer hair.

Techniques or Format

Fingerwoven, with interwoven beadwork. The fringe is made up of twelve strands decorated with wrapped quillwork.

Motifs and Patterns

Running along the belt is a chain of diamonds with a double outlining, or two pairs of zig zags forming diamonds.

Condition: Good condition. Some of metal cones appear to have lost their deer hair.

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Based upon known periods of British presence in the Great Lakes region and stylistic characteristics, it was likely made between 1750 and 1850.

Current Location: British Museum, London, UK

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Am.2622

Collection at Current Location: Christy Collection

Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Henry Christy

Collection Narratives and Histories

Collected by English ethnologist Henry Christy. Along with several other items Christy collected, it was donated to the British Museum between 1860 and 1869.

GKS Reference Number: 24522

How to Cite this Item

Unknown Anishinaabeg/Haudenosaunee artist, sash. Currently in the British Museum, Am.2622. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007; GRASAC item id 24522.

Record Creation Context

This record was created as part of a Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Cultures (GRASAC) research trip to the Pitt Rivers Museum and British Museum, December 8-22 2007, funded by a grant from the International Opportunities fund of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Researchers present: Heidi Bohaker (HB), John Borrows (JB), Lindsay Borrows (LB), Alan Corbiere (AC), Henrietta Lidchi (HL), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Bruce Morito (BM), Ruth Phillips (RP), Anne De Stecher (AS), Cory Willmott (CW).