hide, likely deer, lightly smoked; silk binding tape, blue; porcupine quills dyed red, black and white; imitation wampum beads, black and white; pony beads, black, blue and white

The moccasins are made with a one piece construction technique, aside from the tongues which were separate pieces. They are decorated with blue silk binding tape, quillwork and beadwork. All of the major seams are covered with quillwork.

Zig zag lines, double curves or horns and diamonds appear on the moccasins.

RP suggested the double curves or horns may represent a horned serpent head.

Women's moccasins. (Pitt Rivers Museum Catalogue entry)

The high sided design of the moccasin is unique.

The use of glass wampum beads suggests a date of manufacture somewhere in the second half of 18th century. The Pitt Rivers Museum Object Catalogue lists the date of manufacture as between 1730-80.

This item is part of a collection loaned to the Pitt Rivers Museum by Colonel Shirley in 1952 and purchased from his son, Major Shirley in January 1966. There is a possibility that the moccasins were formerly owned by James Bisset and acquired by Colonel Shirley through the Leamington Museum. (Pitt Rivers Museum Object Catalogue entry)

"Christain Feest commented during research visit February 2005 that a similar pair exists in Paris, but that this pair is stylistically rare. The presence of imitation wampum helps to date the moccasins to ca 1730-80. [Laura Peers, 2/3/2005]" (Pitt Rivers Museum Object Catalogue)

This record was created as part of a Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Cultures (GRASAC) research trip to the Pitt Rivers Museum and British Museum, December 8-22 2007, funded by a grant from the International Opportunities fund of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

researchers present: Heidi Bohaker (HB), Al Corbiere (AC), Stacey Loyer (SL), Janis Monture (JM), Laura Peers (LP), Ruth Phillips (RP), Anne De Stecher (AS), Cory Willmott (CW).