Handbook of American Indians north of Mexico / edited by Frederick Webb Hodge.

Date:
1907-1910
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Handbook of American Indians north of Mexico / edited by Frederick Webb Hodge. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    35/1000 (page 17)
    Seminole Ear Ornaments to relate to sacriricial rites, usually at- tended the boring of the ear. Each ])er- foration cost the parent of the child or the kindred of the adult gifts of a standard value, and sometimes these perfora- tions extended round the entire rim of the ear. The pendants were of haliotis or other valued shell, or were made of metal or bone, or were long woven bands of dentalium which reached nearly to the waist. Labrets were used by the Eskimo, the x. Pacific coast tribes, and some of the (xulf coast Indians. Among s<jme the labret was worn only by men, in some by women, and where worn by both sexes it was of two dif- ferent styles. At ))uberty an incision was made in the lip or at the corner of the mouth, and a slender pin was in.serted, which was re- ])laced by largi-r ones until the oi)ening conld admit a stnd of the size desired. The Eskimo, when travel- ing, removed his labret to ]>revent freez- ing of the lij), but inserted it when en- \ Pe;<0ANT OF denta- lium anoabalone Shell LABRETS, WESTERN ESKIMO. (nELSOn) tering a village. Among some of the northern and southern tribes the seidum of the nose was jiierced, ami feathers, bark, or rings were inserted. ESKIMO GIRL WITH NOSE-RING Elaborate ornamentation of garments was n-served for the gala dress. The Eskimo combined bits of fur of different colors and quality in a pleasing jiattern for trimmingtheir garments, andtishskin dyed in brilliant colors and the plumage of birds were also used for the sanu' pur- j)ose. Outer garments were made of the breasts of sea birds skilfnlly joined together. Among the iidand tribes the earlier designs for porcupine and feather quillwork were reproduced later in beads of Euroj)can manufacture. Feathers were widely used to decorate the robes and garments of warriors and other distin- guished persons, and were woven into mantles by the cliff-dwellers and by tribes formerly living near the (iulf of Mexico. Among the Plains Indians the milk teeth of the elk were the most costly of adornments. They were fast- ened in rows on a woman’s tunic, giving the garment a value of several hundred dollars. Headbands, armlets, bracelets, belts, necklaces, and garters, of metal, seeds. SILVER bracelets, MAIOA. (nIBLACk) embroidered buckskin, jiecnliar jielts, or woven fiber, had their jtractical u.^e, but Bull. 30—05 2