Storage Bags
Lakota artist, Storage Bags, 1890, leather, porcupine quills, glass beads, metal cones, and dyed horsehair, The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection, no known copyright restrictions, 87.88.95A,B
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- Title
Storage Bags
- Artist
- Date
1890
- Medium
leather, porcupine quills, glass beads, metal cones, and dyed horsehair
- Dimensions (H x W x D)
each: 14 in x 24 in
- Collection Area
Native American Art
- Category
Plains
Animal Equipment
- Object Type
saddle bag
- Cultural Group
Lakota
- Credit Line
The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection
- Accession Number
87.88.95A,B
- Copyright
no known copyright restrictions
- Terms
After the introduction of horses, Plains Indian peoples became much more mobile. Horses allowed them to stay on the move, following the buffalo herds. By necessity, everything families owned had to be portable; they needed a variety of containers to pack belongings when the camp was moved. This pair of Lakota storage bags might have been mounted on saddle bags and would have held anything from clothing to food. They are made from tanned leather and decorated with porcupine quill embroidery across the front, with a beaded strip along each side and across the top flap. Tin cones and dyed horsehair further accent the beaded strips.
