Materials

tanned possibly deer(?) hide; porcupine quills, natural and dyed green, blue, yellow, red, and possibly orange(?); black silk ribbon; white beads; thread

Techniques or Format

The moccasins appear to have a single piece construction with seams up the centre of the vamp and heel. Three rows of zig-zag band quillwork cover the centre vamp seam, and are bordered by rows of single quill stitching. Black silk ribbon is used as binding on the cuff and the edges are decorated with white beads. It appears that a pattern of line designs done in the single quill stitching technique once ornamented the cuffs, as well as single rows of zig-zag band quillwork.

Motifs and Patterns

The single quill stitching done along each of the cuffs appears to have been done in a pattern: three lines branching out, one line pointing up, three lines branching out.

Dimensions: 15 × 6 × 0 cm

Condition: Quillwork and silk ribbon are very delicate; much of the silk ribbon is missing or is deteriorating, damage to quillwork

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

Museum documentation

Current Location: Museum Volkenkunde, Leiden, Netherlands

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 360-5403

Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1883

Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Koninklijk Kabinet van Zeldzaamheden (The Royal Cabinet of Curiosities)

Collection Narratives and Histories

Koninklijk Kabinet van Zeldzaamheden (The Royal Cabinet of Curiosities) in The Hague was established by King Willem I in 1816. When it was dissolved in 1883, the ethnographic collections were transferred to Museum Volkenkunde (The National Museum of Ethnology) in Leiden.

GKS Reference Number: 26893