Native American Arts-collecting

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Collecting Native American Art

Native American ARTIFACTS

Artifacts are defined as a product of human workmanship, especially as applied to the simpler products of aboriginal art as distinguished from natural objects.

While it is generally assumed that artifacts are items that are recovered from an archeological site, by definition, this is not necessarily true.

When collecting Native American artifacts, you may choose to add to unearthed treasures to your collection or modern reproductions that carry the same traditional symbolism.

Drums
Just as rhythm is at the root of our daily lives, so it is for Native Americans.

For a people who feel spiritually connected with all that surround them, they no doubt are in tune to the rhythm in their steps as they walked across an open field or the steady beat of a running stream as it rushes by or the nighttime pulse of the cricket singing a twilight lullaby or the heartbeat of a new born baby. These are constant reminders that they share a heartbeat with mother earth.

As recognizable as the Prayer Pipe, the Native American drum has stood the test of time as a symbol of purpose. Whether as part of a ceremonial ritual, or as the backbone to a war cry, the beat of a drum in Native American culture is a constant.

Traditional drums are made from cow, goat, sheep, deer or buffalo hides, which have been soaked and stretched, producing a deep resonant sound.

Jaw Bones
Originally used as a tool for cleaning animals after the hunt by Navajo’s, jawbones come from slaughtered cows and can be decorated with a variety of painted images, leather, fur and feathers.

Mandela
Originally designed as a protective shield during battle, the Mandela was decorated as many Native American utilitarian items were. The symbols and designs represent spiritual, tribal and traditional values and meanings.

When the Mandela was no longer adequate for defensive purposes, they continued to be created, serving as decoration for one’s dwelling, much like a family crest, and believed to protect one’s home from evil spirits.

Traditional Mandela’s are made from rawhide or leather, and are decorated with paints, beads and feathers.

Quiver
Similar in composition to the Mandela, traditional Native American quivers were made from rawhide or leather and decorated with paint, beads, fur and feathers.

Dream Catchers
Easily recognized as one of the more popular pieces of Native American art collection, the Dream Catcher has a long history and tradition.

Created to protect the dreamer from bad spirit dreams, the Dream Catcher is placed near the bed. The woven web center will catch the evil spirits while good spirit dreams will travel down the feathers that surround the web and provide pleasant dreams.

Dream Catchers are traditionally made with leather strings and decorated with feathers and beads.

Pottery
While pottery is one of the oldest utilitarian items in existence, two of the more popular tribes collected and reproduced are the Navajo and Pueblo.

Cruder in appearance, traditional Navajo pottery has thicker walls and little decoration, ending with a pine pitch coating to help seal the clay walls from seepage.

Pueblo pottery is daintier and more meticulously detailed and painted.