pouch, slit or shot pouch

pouch, slit or shot pouch

pouch, slit or shot pouch

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Introduction

A slit. shot or belt pouch decorated with quillwork and beadwork. Anishinaabe or Haudenosaunee, made between 1700 and 1820. Collected by Captain Hambly after 1820. Purchased by the British Museum in 1986 from the Royal Institution of Cornwall, through the Truro County Museum.

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe Hodenosaunee/Haudenosaunee
Nation of Origin

Given its style and motifs, it is probably Anishinaabe or Haudenosaunee.

Date Made or Date Range: 18 C to Early 19 C
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Created from information in the British Museum object catalogue.

Materials

Deer skin, smoked; pony beads, white; porcupine quills, red faded to orange, white, blue turned green; animal hair; metal; thread, twined

Techniques or Format

Made of dark brown smoked deer skin, sewn together. Decorated with white small pony beads and porcupine quills. Both ends are decorated with hair filled metal cones.

Motifs and Patterns

Zig zag lines. The central slit is outlined with a double horned being motif, with two semi-circles above on either side.

Additional Context

RP stated that the double horned being motif with two semi circles represent channels, a spiritual voyaging or shamanistic ideology.

Dimensions: 50 × 13 × 0 cm
Condition: Poor. The metal cones are corroding and need conservation.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

It is a pre-contact object.
The museum record cites 1700-1820 as the date range of production.

Current Location: British Museum, London, UK
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Am1986,18.18
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1986
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Royal Institution of Cornwall, purchased through the Truro County Museum
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: after 1820
Collection Narratives and Histories

Collected by Captain Hambly after 1820. Purchased by the British Museum in 1986 from the Royal Institution of Cornwall, through the Truro County Museum.

Publication History

JCH King, "First Peoples, First Contact," British Museum Press, 1999.

GKS Reference Number: 24432
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Anishinaabe/Haudenosaunee artist, pouch, slit or shot pouch. Currently in the British Museum, Am1986,18.18. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007; GRASAC item id 24432.

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), Darlene Johnston (DJ), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Bruce Morito (BM), Ruth Phillips (RP), Cory Willmott (CW).

Approximate Place of Origin

43.6, -71.9

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