leggings

leggings

leggings

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Introduction

Leggings made of deer-hide with porcupine quill, white beads, European buttons, and printed cotton tape. Made of a single piece of hide that is sewn up along the sides. Features zigzag and otter tail motifs. This item was collected by Johann Georg Schwarz in the 1820s, and it is currently housed at the Weltmuseum Wien, Austria.

Name of Maker(s): Unknown Wendat artist
Nation of Maker: Huron-Wendat
Nation of Origin

Autumn Epple theorizes based on materials and style (particularly the quillwork and otter tail designs) that these leggings are Wendat in origin.

Date Made or Date Range: Before 1822
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

GRASAC research notes created during an onsite visit to Weltmuseum in January of 2016.

Materials

Deer-hide, porcupine quills, white beads, European buttons (metal covered in black silk); printed cotton tape.

Techniques or Format

Sawtooth quill work. side seam tapered toward ankle; fitten tightly, single piece of hide sewn along the side; buttons put thru slits in hide and seem to tighten up the ankle further, making it more fitten; quills around ankle, up the flap; thong on the inside of the back flap ends in what appears to be metal (unknown material); two of these attachment on one and one on the other

Motifs and Patterns

Striped rings and lozenges around ankle; quillwork is sawtooth single line, zigzag; otter tails (open diamonds, straight parallel lines); outer line of quill stitching is alternating straight and zigzag segments.

Dimensions: 64 × 0 × 0 cm
Condition: Excellent.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Johann Georg Schwarz collected this item, possibly when he traveled to Detroit and through Upper Canada in the winter of 1820-1821.

Current Location: Weltmuseum Wien, Vienna, Austria
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 011982
Collection at Current Location: Schwarz Collection
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: 1820s
Previous Collectors: Johann Georg Schwarz
Collection Narratives and Histories

Johann Georg Schwarz traveled to Detroit and through Upper Canada in the winter of 1820-1821.

GKS Reference Number: 59066
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Wendat artist, leggings. Currently in the Weltmuseum Wien, Vienna, Austria, 11982. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip January 2016; GRASAC item id 59066.

Record Creation Context

In January of 2016, a small team of GRASAC researchers visited the collection to study and photograph it: Ruth Phillips, Lisa Truong, Naomi Recollet (Anishinaabe (Odawa/Ojibwe), Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory) and Wahsontiio Cross (Mohawk, Kahnawake). This GKS record was created in January of 2022 by GRASAC RA Aidan Mitchell-Boudreau.

Approximate Place of Origin

43.6, -71.9

Source of Information about Places

Detroit and the former Upper Canada are located in North-eastern North America.

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