mkak, box, birchbark and sweetgrass

mkak, box, birchbark and sweetgrass

mkak, box, birchbark and sweetgrass

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Introduction

This Anishinaabe mkak (box) is made from birchbark and sweetgrass, decorated with quillwork in floral motifs. It was collected in Northern Michigan by Amos H. Gottschall between 1871 and 1905. His collection was likely left to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (ANS) sometime before 1937. ANS formally gifted the collection to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in 1997, where it currently resides. 

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe Ojibwe
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular nation(s)

Gottschall's catalogue lists the mkak as being "Chippewa" (Ojibwe).

Place of Origin: Michigan (Northern Michigan), USA
Date Made or Date Range: before 1905
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

The information in this record is based on museum documentation.

Materials

birchbark; sweetgrass; black thread; porcupine quills dyed green, orange/red; and natural; dyed maroon wooden splint.

Techniques or Format

The top, bottom and side panels are birch bark. The sides of both the box and lid are built up with bunches of sweetgrass wrapped with black thread. The sweetgrass is edged with a thin splint, dyed maroon.

Motifs and Patterns

The quillwork is done in two thistle motifs on the top of the lid.

Dimensions: 10 × 9.8 × 8.1 cm
Condition: There is a fair amount of quill loss, especially on the lid.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Gottschall collected between 1871 and 1905.

Current Location: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 97-84-144A (box); 97-84-144B (box lid); L-84-144A-B (old museum numbers); 18007 (ANS number); II 283 (Gottschall number)
Link to Institution's Collections Database: https://www.penn.museum/collections/object/335100
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1997
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Gift of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1997
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: 1871 to 1905
Collection Narratives and Histories

This relative was collected in Northern Michigan by Amos H. Gottschall between 1871 and 1905. His collection was likely left to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (ANS) sometime before 1937. ANS formally gifted the collection to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in 1997, where it currently resides.

Publication History

Gottschall, Amos H. Priced and Descriptive Catalogue of the Utensils, Implements, Weapons, Ornaments, Etc., of the Indians, Mound Builders, Cliff Dwellers: Typical Collections No. 2. 1909. (See: II 283)

GKS Reference Number: 25840
How to Cite this Item

Maker, Name unrecorded. Mkak, box, birchbark and sweetgrass. GRASAC ID 25840. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, 97-84-144A & 97-84-144B.

Record Creation Context

Visit to University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, May 6 2010.
This record was augmented by Joy Kruse on August 16, 2024.

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