Dentalium Head Ornament

Item number E30097-0 from the National Museum of Natural History.

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Notes

FROM CARD: "HEAD-DRESS, (BATL-KUPTL-KIAR-KOOB). FOURTEEN STRINGS OF SHELL, DENTALIUM INDIANORUM, ROVE THROUGH STRIPS OF LEATHER ALTERNATELY 2 AND 3 INS. LONG. BETWEEN THE ENDS, WHICH ARE JOINED TOGETHER, IS A BAND OF BEADS OF GOLDEN AND PEARLY LUSTER. WITH ENDS FASTENED ON OPPOSITE SIDES IS PENDANT A CHIN-STRAP OF DENTALIUM, RED, BLUE, AND GOLDEN BEADS. THE HEAD-DRESS IS WORN, WITH THE BEADS ON LEFT SIDE, IN THE CEREMONIAL DANCES OF THE MAKAH INDIANS, CAPE FLATTERY. CIRCUMFERENCE, 2 FT. WIDTH, 3 INS. STRAP, 18 INS. LONG. WASHINGTON TERRITORY, 1878 [sic]. 30,097. COLLECTED BY JAMES G. SWAN."A letter in the accession file dated August 4, 1876, from collector James G. Swan of Port Townsend, Washington talks about the origin of E30097 and E30098: "[These objects] ... were made expressly for me in my office by a Makah ... [woman]. I procured the material and she made them under my supervision."