Red bag with a round base and long handle. Its body is sequined with various animals and a star at its center. Its handle is sequined with floral motifs.
Detail of the red bag's body, showing an intricately beaded chicken as well as a small button and a cream lined embellishment sit in between the blue rimmed bag opening.
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Unknown Maker, Dakota

Bag

Maker

Unknown Maker, Dakota

Culture

Dakota, Native American (culture)

Title

Bag

Year

ca. 1872-1875

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Dimensions

66 cm (26 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Scott Anderson in memory of Susan Hay

Object Number

2021.90.3

Type

Exhibition History

Being and Believing in the Natural World
Perspectives from the Ancient Mediterranean, Asia, and Indigenous North America
Oct 22, 2022 – Jun 04, 2023

Label copy

These bags and the shoes and hat on the other side of the case were beaded in diverse styles by artists from different Native American tribes. When Europeans came to North America, they introduced glass beads to Native American communities through trade, and beadwork soon evolved into a core cultural art medium. These colorful designs reflect aspects of the natural world, including flowers, leaves, and animals.

—SB

Image use

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Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Dakota
Bag, ca. 1872-1875
Wool and glass beads
66 cm (26 inches)
Gift of Scott Anderson in memory of Susan Hay 2021.90.3

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