Dig It - 6/17/23
At the end of the 19th century, the lifestyle and the belief systems of the nomadic, buffalo hunting culture of the Native American Peoples of the Plains, the very foundations of their culture, were in turmoil and flux. By that time most, if not all, Native American Peoples had been confined to Reservations. Though many traditional ways had been curtailed by the United States Government, some Native Beliefs survived and some traditions, like beadwork, actually thrived. For instance, the Lakota appear to have had increased access to glass beads. Beads were no longer used to just accent a piece, but to completely cover a surface such as on Women’s dresses or saddles.
This Blanket strip was made during this period of change. It is beaded on buffalo hide which must place it at least at the early 1880s. It is not one of the very wide strips that were popular before 1880, yet is is not the narrow strips popular in the 1890s and later. It is Lakota and was made right in the period of Transition. The gilded brass beads, which must have been expensive at the time, give this piece an especially rich look. It is for sale.
