Materials

Wood, twine, metal and cord.

Techniques or Format

The twine (cord) is placed through the cradleboard's (káhrhon) holes along the edge. The crossbar and footrest are fastened to the cradleboard with metal screws. It appears the cradleboard (káhrhon) is missing the fabric that holds the infant.

Motifs and Patterns

None.

Original and Subsequent Uses

The Haudenosaunee cradleboard (káhrhon) is longer and more narrow than Ojibway cradleboards. Haudenosaunee artists usually carve and paint cultural motifs on the backs of their cradleboards. Traditional cradleboards served multiple purposes. Its primary purpose was to safely carry the baby on the mother's back while she worked or moved from one place to another. For example, both the mother and her baby would accompany each other while harvesting berries, corn, squash, beans, and medicine. The mother laced the baby into the cradleboard under a protective covering. The covering protects the baby as they travelled through the underbrush and insects. Its secondary purpose was childcare. The cradleboard was used to keep the baby near the mother and placed against the trunk of a tree or hung from a branch. From this vantage point, the baby could watch the mother, the environment, social interactions and the animals. The cradleboard is constructed with a crash bar. This handlebar protects the baby from falls. The cradleboard kept the baby's back and legs straight as a third benefit. (Researched and written by Sheila Wheesk). This cradleboard's (káhrhon) function was as a consumer product for presentation. Then later, it was donated to the Peabody Museum as cultural material.

Dimensions: 60 × 32 × 1 cm

Condition: The cradleboard (káhrhon) is in fair condition. The wooden board is faded, and it has scratch marks. The crossbar has less wear than the board and the foot rest.

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

The date is noted in the Peabody Museum's database.

Current Location: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge, MA, USA

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 984-20-10/59615

Link to Institution's Collections Database: cradleboard

Collection at Current Location: Peabody Museum Collection online. Ethnographic

Date of Acquisition by the Institution: (1983 - 1984)

Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: President and Fellows of Harvard College, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: ca.1900 or earlier

Previous Collectors: Erminnie A. Smith

Collection Narratives and Histories

One of the owners was John Nichols. The collector's name is Erminnie A. Smith. Then, the cradleboard was a gift from Byron Harvey III to the President and Fellows of Harvard College, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology for material culture.

Source for Provenance information

The Peabody Museum's database.

Exhibition History

Harvard College, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. The Classification is Baby Carrier in the Department of Ethnographic.

Publication History

1984

Sources to Learn More

Peabody Museum's database.

GKS Reference Number: 58946