mkak, box, birchbark

mkak, box, birchbark

mkak, box, birchbark

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Introduction

This Anishinaabe mkak (box) is made from birchbark with a floral design made from quillwork. It was collected by Amos H. Gottschall between 1871 and 1905. His collection was likely left to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (ANS) sometime before 1937. ANS formally gifted the collection to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in 1997, where this relative currently resides.

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

The nation is listed on the catalogue card as "Ottawa."

Place of Origin: Michigan (Northern Michigan), USA
Date Made or Date Range: before 1905
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

The information in this record is based on museum documentation.

Materials

birchbark; beige thread; black thread; split root, dyed purplish; ash splint; porcupine quills natural and dyed green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue.

Techniques or Format

The box has a circular bottom made of birchbark, with birchbark sides and lid. The bottom is sewn to the side panel with beige thread, over which is a line of root, attached to the box at intervals with natural quills. Floral motifs in porcupine quills decorate the sides of the box, above which is another line of root attached at intervals with quills. An ash splint sewn on with beige thread reinforces the inside rim of the box.

The lid is a circular piece of birchbark sewn to the side with beige thread over which is a line of criss-crossed porcupine quills. There are floral designs on both the top and sides of the lid. On the top, there are tacks done in natural quills. The edge of the lid has a purple split root attached with black thread.

Motifs and Patterns

The purple, magenta, pink, and white quillwork is done in floral motifs.

Dimensions: 16.4 × 16.4 × 9 cm
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

These dates are based on Gottschall's collecting activities.

Current Location: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 97-84-153A (box); 97-84-153A (box lid); L-84-153A-B (old museum numbers); 18091 (ANS number); I 1677 (Gottschall number)
Link to Institution's Collections Database: https://www.penn.museum/collections/object/223146
Collection at Current Location: Amos H. Gottschall Collection
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1997
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Gift of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1997
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: 1871 to 1905
Collection Narratives and Histories

It was collected by Amos H. Gottschall between 1871 and 1905. His collection was likely left to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (ANS) sometime before 1937. ANS formally gifted the collection to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in 1997, where this relative currently resides.

Publication History

Gottschall, Amos H. Priced and Descriptive Catalogue of the Utensils, Implements, Weapons, Ornaments, Etc., of the Indians, Mound Builders, Cliff Dwellers: Typical Collections No. 1. 1909. (See: I 1677)

GKS Reference Number: 25960
How to Cite this Item

Maker, Name unrecorded. Mkak, box, birchbark. GRASAC ID 25960. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, 97-84-153A & 97-84-153B.

Record Creation Context

This information was gathered during a visit to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, May 6 2010.
This record was augmented by Joy Kruse on November 14, 2024.

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