Materials

Hide, porcupine quills, brown possibly cotton cloth, ribbon possibly faded to yellow or pink, ribbon possibly faded purple or green. Red thread

Techniques or Format

Each moccasin is made with a single piece of hide with folded over cuffs, central seam on the top and central seam at the heel. Top and heel seams have been covered with narrow band of plaited quillwork. Plaited quillwork band on the moccasin top also has a horned motif in single line technique at the centre. Plaited band at the heel seam is flanked with quilled wavy lines applied in single line technique. Cuffs have been edged with cloth and ribbon on one side, and ribbon on the other. Sewn to create a zigzag line motif. On each moccasin, the left and right side are opposite, but they correlate with the other moccasin.

Condition: quills missing, and leather has become stiffened in some areas

Current Location: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge, MA, USA

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 67-10-10/286

Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1867

Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Gifted to the Peabody by the Massachusetts Historical Society

Collection Narratives and Histories

Gift from the Massachusetts Historical Society in 1867.

GKS Reference Number: 45100

Record Creation Context

Visit to Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University (Cambridge, MA) of Wahsontiio Cross and Alexandra Nahwegahbow, assisted by Meredith Vasta on 11-12 August 2015.