Robe, quilled hide

Robe, quilled hide

Robe, quilled hide

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Introduction

This relative, a quilled rectangular robe, is composed of dyed dark brown moosehide divided into four zones. The robe's decoration includes serpentine motifs, four circles, and four crosses made with quills dyed white (perhaps originally yellow), yellow, black, and red. Short, quilled tassels along both long edges of the hide, longer, unquilled tassels along the two shorter edges. Pairs of tin cones are also included in the robe's decoration, although several are now missing/lost. The origins of the robe are not certain; however, it has probable connections to the Anishinaabe or other Great Lakes peoples due to the Mide related imagery.

This relative currently resides at the National Museum of Ireland. 

 

Name of Maker(s): Unrecorded
Maker role: Artist
Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Date Made or Date Range: 1780s-1830s
Materials

moosehide dyed dark brown probably with sumac, porcupine quills in white (probably faded from yellow but not clear), yellow, black and red, pairs of tin cones

Additional Context

The imagery on this robe suggests strongly that it was used in spiritual practices.

Note from Alan Corbiere: open to question whether this robe was used by Mide, Wabano, or possibly Sagima members. The numbers four (the number of circles) and five (the number of crosses) have significance for Anishinaabe spiritual beliefs

Note from Ruth Philips: the two serpent-like images on the two sides have mouth and tail like forms that help to identify more abstract forms that closely resemble them on other items. The negative spaces between these images and the wavy borders of the central panel also suggest serpents. Circles, crosses and arcs also appear on many pouches whose images also seem to be inspired by visions and spirit encounters

Ruth Philips: The four zones in the centre could be related to Mide beliefs and the four levels of initiation

Alan Corbiere: there are also four colours of quills

Dimensions: 157.5 × 125 × 0 cm
Condition: The condition of the hide is good, but the tin cones are missing in many places.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

There is a similarity to robe in National Museum of the American Indian drawn by Hamilton in the late 18th century and to another in the Catlin collection in the US National Museum of Natural History.

Current Location: National Museum of Ireland
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 1880.1894
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1880
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Royal Dublin Society
Collection Narratives and Histories

Royal Dublin Society

Source for Provenance information

GRASAC researcher notes from research trip to the National Museum of Ireland on July 22, 2010.

GKS Reference Number: 25805
How to Cite this Item

Maker, Name unrecoded. Robe, quilled hide. GRASAC ID: 25805. National Museum of Ireland 1880.1894.

Record Creation Context

This record was augmented by Dana Murray on August 13, 2024. It draws on information recorded during the GRASAC research trip to the National Museum of Ireland on July 22, 2010. Participants included Alan Corbiere, Ruth Phillips, Crystal Migwans, and Nicholas Stolle, who were assisted by Padraig Clancy and Emma Crosby.

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