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.

Plains Indian people traditionally used porcupine quills to decorate clothing and other items. As glass beads introduced by traders became more and more available, the use of porcupine quills gradually declined, though it never stopped completely.

Bequest of W.S. Morton Mead

Bequest of W.S. Morton Mead