Materials

wood, silk ribbon, paint, stain, or other colorants.

Techniques or Format

Wooden war club, ball-head type: notched handle finial; slightly hooked finger grip; long beveled shaft; curved head with heart-shaped ball and inner edge near the handle, with red silk ribbon ties; stained dark brown on one side. Made from a tree that grew from a hillside or riverbank, resulting in a natural curved shape. The natural curve of the wood insured extra strength and reduced the possibility of splitting or breakage. A handle, but no grips on it.

Motifs and Patterns

red silk ribbons at neck and base of shaft extant through bored holes. Proper right stained blue at upper end, terminating in a sharp line where color changes to black, which extends all the way to the end of the handle, whereupon portions have been rubbed off through use; proper left has no coloring on the shalt. The back of the ball where it meets the club's shalt was painted red ochre or vermillion, but was probably washed off after battle action (similar to practices with wampum belts). Shaft beveled along both sides to form eight surfaces. Shaft carved to bite ball; "deer hoof" at bottom of handle (diagonal shape with zig zag grooves). Hole through this portion for missing decorations.

Dimensions: 24.25 × 5.5 × 0 in

Condition: Wood split midway up the middle of the shaft; another on the spine of the shaft; another where the ball meets the shaft; and another near the handle on the proper left. These probably due to dryness over time, rather than use.

Current Location: Detroit Institute of Arts, MI, USA

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 81.228

Collection at Current Location: Chandler Pohrt Collection

Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1981

Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Richard A. Pohrt

Related language items in the GKS: bkwaakdo-bgamaagan

GKS Reference Number: 25080