box, birchbark

box, birchbark

box, birchbark

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Introduction

A birchbark box decorated with porcupine quillwork and cedar root. There is a flyer inside, written by Chief Chas. Pokagon, dated May 21 1900, describing birchbark quillwork.

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

The catalogue card says the box is "Chippewa."

Date Made or Date Range: before 1940
Materials

birch bark; porcupine quills white and dyed yellow; spruce or cedar root; basswood.

Techniques or Format

The box is made of white birch bark, decorated with porcupine quillwork.
The edging is cedar or spruce root. The sewing around the top edge holding the root to the bark basket is also done with a thread of root. The lid is tacked to the top in three places, with basswood twine.
The root edging along the sides and bottom is held down at regular points with white porcupine quill X's.
The basswood twine is double-twisted.

Motifs and Patterns

Floral and leaf motifs.

Current Location: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 40-26-6
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1940
GKS Reference Number: 26289
Record Creation Context

University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, May 5 2010.

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