Description:
Bison horns with porcupine quill work.

Label Text:
The Sioux are a diverse group of related Native American and Canadian First Nations communities with a homeland encompassing a broad swath of the Great Plains. These two objects (displayed with SK.K.A.7.f.6) relate to the American bison and demonstrate its ubiquity in Sioux material culture. The hammer was used in the 19th century to pound dried bison or elk meat mixed with fruit and berries to make a base for meals. This purely utilitarian object contrasts with the bison horn with quillwork, a decorative item created for the early tourist market. It was crafted by an unknown artisan using traditional art forms and ornamentation to engage with a changing social and economic landscape.

(Jan. 2017)

Tags:
indigenous people; Native American

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=MH+SK+K.97

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