Wood (ash), sinew, rawhide, hide, cotton fabric, paint

Wooden frame has been curved, the central bar slightly curved, and the toes raised by steaming, webbing is laced and sewn, frames are painted, a woven strip of striped cotton fabric is placed around mid-frame under rawhide lacing

Ruth: The motifs along the bars at the front of the snowshoe use negative and positive space, the design created is a row of triangles or diamonds. The design on the netting includes in order of appearance: 3 diamonds, triangle, concentric triangles with a lozenge pattern. At the back part of the snowshoe, there is a abstract thunderbird design.
Laura: Does the design stretch across the whole snowshoe? Perhaps it represents an animal track?
(Discussion from Research Video, GRASAC, National Museums Scotland, Tape 2: December 13, 2006.

On-site researchers: ash commonly used by the Ojibwe for snowshoes Alan Corbiere: the Ojibwe word for ash means 'snowshoe wood' in some dialects

19th century

Transferred from University of Edinburgh Collection

Unknown Anishinaabe artist, snowshoes. Currently at National Museums Scotland, A.UC.296 + A. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007 in which the author took part; GRASAC item id 24969.

9 Apr 2007 Ruth Phillips, On-site researchers: Cory Willmott, Heidi Bohaker, Laura Peers, Ruth Phillips, Keith Jamieson, Alan Corbiere, Henrietta Lidchi, Robert Storrie, Chantal Knowles, Brenda McGoff