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ornament, cradleboard
ornament, cradleboard
ornament, cradleboard
An Eastern Sioux or Dakota quilled cradleboard ornament. Collected by G.C. Beltrami in Wisconsin in 1823. Beltrami's collection catalogue states that around 1856, Beltrami's nephew donated several objects to the Civic Library of Bergamo, which were later transferred to the Museo Civico di Scienze Naturali, its current location.
In the Beltrami Collection catalogue, the author, Leonardo Vigorelli, attributes this item to the "Yankton Sioux." (p.43). According to David Penny, based on its similarity to other cradleboard ornaments, it is more likely to be Dakota or Eastern Sioux. He notes that the Yankton would have been located between the Red and Missouri rivers, probably west of where Beltrami traveled. Beltrami collected a number of Eastern Sioux or Dakota items, and this could have been one of them.
Based on museum documentation and comparison with other items.
Read More About This Relative
tanned animal hide; porcupine quills, natural and dyed blue and red; tin; thread or sinew
Each piece is made of three pieces of tanned animal hide joined to each other with pieces of leather thong wrapped in porcupine quills. Quillwork decorates each panel, and metal cones hang from the bottom and side edges of the panels.
Hourglass motifs
Provenance
Collected by G.C. Beltrami from Wisconsin in 1823. Beltrami's collection catalogue states that around 1856, Beltrami's nephew donated several objects to the Civic Library of Bergamo, which were later transferred to the Museo Civico di Scienze Naturali.
The Beltrami Collection was exhibited in Florence in 1929 during the "Prima Esposizione Nazionale di Storia delle Scienze" (First National Exposition of History of Sciences"). In 1973, during a celebration of the Beltrami exhibit, Glauco Luchetti donated three objects from his own collection, which were located in Beltrami's last house in Filottrano, to the "Museo Civico E. Caffi". In 1987 the collection was used in the exhibit entitled "Missisippi 1823. Oggetti indiani raccolti da G. Costantino Beltrami" in the Galleria Lorenzelli in Bergamo.
Beltrami s catalogue. Vigorelli, Gli Oggetti indiani raccolti da G.Costantino Beltrami (p.43).
Leonardo Vigorelli, Gli Oggetti indiani raccolti da G.Costantino Beltrami, Civico Museo E. Caffi, Bergamo, 1987.
About This GRASAC Record
This record was created by Emanuela Rossi after a trip, funded by GRASAC, to the Museo Civico E. Caffi in Bergamo, Italy in October 2008.
Researchers present: Emanuela Rossi
43.084, -98.396
In the Beltrami Collection catalogue, the author, Leonardo Vigorelli, defines "Upper Mississippi" as the Cultural Area of Origin. He defines "Northern Plains" as the Geographic Area.