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Skin Quiver (Marten Skin?)ET24104-0

SKIN QUIVER - WRITTEN ON IT IS "ARROWS + QUIVER, N.W. COAST AMERICA - COLUMBIA R. EX EX LT. W.M. WALKER USN. MARTIN [sic, probably Marten] SKIN(?)". IT IS MARKED 5414, BUT THAT IS THE WRONG #. QUIVER MAY BE A WILKES/U.S. EXPLORING EXPEDITION OBJECT? HAS BEEN GIVEN # ET24104-0 FOR TRACKING PURPOSES.This quiver, though in poor condition (in 2015), resembles one shown in "Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition," Charles Wilkes, 1845, Vol. V, p. 238, and described pp. 237-238. This illustration shows a man wearing a quiver, and is captioned "Costume of a Callapuya [i.e. Kalapuya] Indian." Wilkes identifies the Kalapuya quiver as "seal skin" in the publication, but the Kalapuya lived in the Willamette Valley of Western Oregon, so did not usually use sealskin for artifacts. The quiver itself is marked "martin skin". The American marten is a long, slender-bodied weasel about the size of a mink. Seemingly the only explicit reference to a quiver from North America in the Peale catalogue is Peale # 214, which is identified in the Peale catalogue as "Bow, arrows, and fox skin quivers, used by the natives of California." Peale # 214 has not been located in the Anthropology collections. However, Peale # 214 may be the quiver mentioned as acquired by the expedition on p. 253 of "Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition," Charles Wilkes, 1845, Vol. V. If so, it was acquired in Siskiyou County, California probably, as the publication talks about the southern branch of the "Klamet" (Klamath) River and the lava beds; historically this was a Modoc area. This provenance would conflict with Columbia River one as written on quiver ET24104, so that makes it unlikely to be Peale # 214. In Smithsonian Institution Archives Record Unit 7058, National Institute Records, Box 14, Folder 1, there is a letter from Titian Peale and Charles Pickering to Charles Wilkes dated January 10, 1842, from the US Ship Vincennes. In this letter is of a list of artifacts received by them from the officers of the Vincennes, per Wilkes' instructions that such things should be turned in to be part of the collection, and not retained by individuals. In this list Midshipman Samuel Elliott's material includes objects from California and the Northwest Coast, including 2 fox skin quivers. Lt. Thomas Budd's material includes 1 fox skin quiver from California. It is therefore possible that ET24104 may be one of the quivers listed in that letter, even though Lt. Walker's name is written on it (Walker served on a number of the expedition ships, including the Vincennes.) It is also possible that Walker turned in arrows and a quiver, with only the arrows being registered due to an oversight.

Made in
Oregon Territory, USA ?
Holding Institution
National Museum of Natural History
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MatE2931-0

This appears to be a cedar bark mat, rather than grass as originally catalogued. In the 1980's, Jane Walsh found a label in Charles Pickering's hand: "Sts. de Fuca - A. L. Case - Ex Ex V". If this label is correct, the mat would probably be Northwest Coast, rather than Shasta.

Culture
Shasta ? or Northwest Coast Indian ?
Made in
“United States (not certain) / Canada (not certain): Washington (?) / British Columbia (?) / Oregon Territory (?) / California (?)” ?
Holding Institution
National Museum of Natural History
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Cedar Bark BlanketE2930-0

CEDAR BARK BLANKET WITH A SINGLE TWIST RAWHIDE FINISH ALONG TOP, AND TWO DOUBLE CORDS FOR TYING. THIS MAY HAVE ONCE HAVE BEEN AN OTTER FUR TRIM. SINGLE-PAIR (3 WARPS) EDGE, & SINGLE-PAIR TWINE WEFT. MARKS: HAS ORIGINAL PEALE TAG, ANOTHER TAG READS, "U.S. EX EX COLLECTED BY R.P. ROBINSON".FROM CARD: "ILLUS. FIG. 20, P. 16 IN A GUIDE TO WEFT TWINING BY DAVID W. FRASER. PHILADELPHIA: UNIVERSITY OF PENN. PRESS, 1989."Catalogue card identifies this as Shasta, but Peale catalogue entry under # 315 lists 315-318 as "Dresses worn by the women of the Classet tribe of natives, Northwest Coast of America, they are made of bark."

Culture
Shasta ?, Makah and Classet ?
Made in
Oregon Territory, USA ? or Washington Territory, USA ?
Holding Institution
National Museum of Natural History
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Robe Of Fur And Bark CordageE1895-0

FROM CARD: "ROBE WOVEN OF STRIPS OF FUR. COMPOSED OF STRIPS OF FUR SKIN TWINED TOGETHER WITH CORDS OF CEDAR BARK FORMING A LOOSE AND FLIMSY TEXTURE WORN OVER THE SHOULDERS OR AROUND THE LOINS. WIDTH, 30", LENGTH, 41". *LABEL READS: "SALISH INDIANS, WASHINGTON; COLLECTED BY CAPT. CHARLES WILKES, U. S. NAVY."See p. 83 in Salish Weaving by Paula Gustafson, University of Washington Press, 1980. Gustafson says that the FBI did a scientific analysis of some of the hair fibers from this blanket for her, and that the analysis indicated that the hair most closely resembled that of the coyote. The Anthropology Dept. does not have a copy of this FBI analysis in its files, and Gustafson (who is now deceased), could not locate it in her files when contacted in 2005. Additional sampling/analysis was done on the hair of this blanket in 2004. The strips of skin/fur that make up this textile were identified as including both coyote and Salish wool or woolly dog (see Anthropology Conservation Lab sampling file "Loychuk 2004.").There is some question as to who the collector/donor of this artifact was. It has been possibly attributed to the Wilkes/U.S. Exploring Expedition on the catalogue card, but Jane Walsh questions that attribution. Wilkes attribution is indeed questionable, as no Peale number has yet been identified for this piece. Some other possible donors would be the National Institute or George Gibbs? Donor is blank in original Anthropology catalogue ledger book. Object was entered into the Anthropology catalogue ledger book in December 1866. Per Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa, 2023, see also list of artifacts in George Gibbs Notebooks of Scientific Observations of the Pacific Northwest. Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, WA MSS S-1810, notebook "Washington Territory Miscellaneous, Chiefly Natural History [ca. 1857]," Box 1, Folder 3, page image 41r https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/14462281?child_oid=14462872 and page image 63v https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/14462281?child_oid=14462917Reference: Solazzo, C., S. Heald, M.W. Ballard, D.A. Ashford, P.T. DePriest, R.J. Koestler, and M. Collins. 2011. Proteomics and Coast Salish blankets: A tale of shaggy dogs? Antiquity 85: 1418-1432. http://antiquity.ac.uk/ant/085/ant0851418.htm . Identified there as a fur robe - strips of Salish wool or woolly dog fur pelt held together with cedar bark cordage; alternating rows of brown and yellow to white fur; both coarse guard hair and fine under hair are present. The differing hair lengths and colors suggest that more than one dog was used in the robe's construction.

Culture
Salish
Made in
Washington, USA ?
Holding Institution
National Museum of Natural History
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Bow And ArrowsE2766-0

FROM CARD: "8/17/66: INVENTORIED." Bow and 6 arrows.

Culture
Northwest Coast
Made in
USA ? or Canada ?
Holding Institution
National Museum of Natural History
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Bow And ArrowsE2789-0

FROM CARD: "8/17/66: INVENTORIED."These objects are Peale # 134. Peale numbers 132 - 134 are described as "Bows and arrows used by the natives of the northwest coast of America, near Fort Simpson, presented by the officers of the Hon. Hudson Bay Comp [Hudson's Bay Company]."Bow and 13 arrows. Bow has original Peale # label 134 and is marked "by R. P. Robinson Ex Ex V".

Culture
Tsimshian and Gitksan
Made in
Fort Simpson, British Columbia, Canada
Holding Institution
National Museum of Natural History
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BlanketE2124-0

WOOLEN BLANKET SUPPOSEDLY WOVEN OF MOUNTAIN GOAT WOOL AND DOG HAIR. THE DESIGN IS COMPOSED OF BANDS OF ZIGZAG DESIGNS AND STRIPES IN YELLOW, WHITE, BLUE, GREEN, RED, WITH AN INSERTED AREA OF BROAD RED, YELLOW AND WHITE STRIPES WITH VERTICAL LINES ON EITHER SIDE. THE BLANKET IS FRINGED ON THREE SIDES. SMITHSONIAN ANNUAL REPORT, 1928, PG. 639, PL. 9-C. REMOVED FROM PERMANENT EXHIBIT IN THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN HALL, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. EXHIBITED MAGNIFICENT VOYAGERS, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, 1985-86.Jane Walsh identifies this textile as Peale # 312, which is described (as is Peale # 313) in the U.S. Exploring Expedition Peale catalogue as a blanket made of wool of the Rocky mountain sheep, by the natives of Puget sound, NW Coast of America. Illus. Pl. 1, p. 41 and Fig. 28, p. 46 of Salish Weaving by Paula Gustafson, Univ. of Washington Press, 1980. Described on p. 125, cat. entry 82, of Gustafson as "Fibres: Mountain goat hair and vegetable fibers. Colour: Natural white, black, dark brown, red, yellow and blue. Weave: Twine." Also described on p. 47 of Gustafson: "... displays horizontal panels, but is composed of fifteen major and eighteen minor partitions. One of the major components takes up about a third of the weaving and is itself composed of three sections with horizontal bars across the centre section and the two end portions, displaying a vertical zigzag and bar motif. ... (It) is fringed only on three sides. There is no border pattern." Gustafson also notes that blanket exhibits fading colors due to exposure to light, probably while on exhibit. Illus. Fig. 10.13, p. 240 in Brotherton, Barbara. 2008. S'abadeb = The gifts : Pacific Coast Salish arts and artists. Seattle: Seattle Art Museum in association with University of Washington Press. Figure caption: "In her study of Salish weaving, Paula Gustafson categorizes robes by their designs as being classic, colonial or hybrid. This robe fell within the classic category because of its emphasis on geometric patterns arranged in vertical bands. These robes were created between 1778 and 1850, when the indigenous traditions were not influenced by imported motifs and materials (Gustafson 1980: 37.) ... (T)his example consists of fifteen major and eighteen minor design units composed in vertical and horizontal sections. It is tightly twined without a border pattern and is fringed on three sides."Reference: Solazzo, C., S. Heald, M.W. Ballard, D.A. Ashford, P.T. DePriest, R.J. Koestler, and M. Collins. 2011. Proteomics and Coast Salish blankets: A tale of shaggy dogs? Antiquity 85: 1418-1432. http://antiquity.ac.uk/ant/085/ant0851418.htm . Identified there as a Classic (1778 - 1850) blanket - weft/fringe Mountain goat hair; warp Salish wool or woolly dog hair.FROM CARD: "CAPE. MADE OF DOG AND GOAT HAIR. REFER: SMITH. I. A.R. 1928, PG. 639, PL. 9-C. ILLUS.: THE SPIRIT SINGS. CATALOGUE, GLENBOW-ALBERTA INST., 1987, #N104, P.155. ILLUS.: FIG. 21, P.18 IN A GUIDE TO WEFT TWINING BY DAVID W. FRASER. PHILADELPHIA: UNIVERSITY OF PENN. PRESS, 1989."X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) testing was conducted on this textile in 2017. Arsenic was detected. The testing suggests this textile was treated with pesticides that contained arsenic. The testing indicates there are high levels of arsenic (over 10,000 ppm). Mercury was also detected. The testing suggests this textile was treated with pesticides that contained mercury. The testing indicates there are medium (300-1,000 ppm) to high levels of mercury. See Anthropology Conservation Lab records for the full report. This object should be handled with gloves. See the Department of Anthropology "Statement on Potential Hazards (Inherent and Acquired) Associated with Collection Objects" for more detailed handling guidelines.Illus. Fig. 31, p. 89, and Fig. 39, p. 99 (detail), in Tepper, Leslie Heymann, Janice George, and Willard Joseph. 2017. Salish Blankets: robes of protection and transformation, symbols of wealth.

Culture
Salish
Made in
Oregon, USA
Holding Institution
National Museum of Natural History
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Headdress With FrontletE2663-0

PEALE # 301. CHIEF'S HEADDRESS WITH A CAP MADE OF DEER SKIN, AND A FRONTLET WHICH IS AN INLAID AND PAINTED MASK. THERE IS A LONG CLOTH TRAILER AT THE BACK, AND THE REMAINS OF FEATHERS, THE QUILLS AND DOWN AROUND THE TOP AND SIDES. HAS ORIGINAL PEALE TAG, ALSO WRITTEN ON MASK "NOOTKA SOUND, JL FOX". VIOLA & MARGOLIS, "MAGNIFICENT VOYAGERS," 1985, ILLUS. P. 141. THIS FRONTLET & HEADDRESS WERE RECATALOGUED WITH #72969, & A NOTATION READS, "REENTERED, SEPTEMBER 24, 1883"- THE PIECE NO LONGER HAS THIS NUMBER IN IT, BUT RETAINS ITS ORIGINAL NUMBERS. THIS RECATALOGING WAS APPARENTLY DONE AFTER THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION IN PHILADELPHIA. ON THE RETURN PERHAPS ITS TAG HAD BEEN LOST. EXHIBITED MAGNIFICENT VOYAGERS, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, 1985-86.FROM CARD: "INLAID WITH ABALONE SHELL. MARKED "NOOTKA SOUND" WITH ORIGINAL NUMBER. HOWEVER, THE ORIGINAL NUMBER APPEARS TO BE 301 NOT 296. ACCORDING TO THE 'PEALE' CATALOG THIS SHOULD BE 296 [?]."Provenience note, in 1841 Oregon Territory encompassed the land from Russian Alaska to Spanish California and from the Pacific to the Continental Divide. The U.S. Exploring Expedition did not go to Canada, but did reach Oregon Territory in 1841, and carried out a hydrographic survey of the Columbia River from its mouth to the Cascades, as well as doing some surveying inland.They had dealings with Hudson's Bay Company staff during that time, and it is probable that the HBC is the source of a number of the Northwest Coast artifacts collected by the expedition. The fact that this is marked "Nootka sound.", i.e. possibly Nootka?, is evidence for the HBC as the source of this mask.

Culture
Nootka (Nuu-chah-nulth) ?
Made in
Oregon Territory, USA and British Columbia, Canada
Holding Institution
National Museum of Natural History
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Basketry HatE2577-0

A BLACK-BRIMMED HAT. TIGHTLY WOVEN, CONICAL RAINPROOF HAT WHICH IS SLIGHTLY CONCAVE AT THE TOP. A HEAD CAP IS WOVEN IN THE INTERIOR FOR A CLOSER FIT. THE EXTERIOR IS PAINTED WITH A BROAD BLACK, AND BLUISH-BLACK BANDS, WITH FORMLINE DESIGNS IN RED AND BLACK AT THE TOP. EXHIBITED MAGNIFICENT VOYAGERS, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, 1985-86. THIS PEALE NUMBER HAS BEEN ARBITRARILY ASSIGNED TO THIS CATALOGUE NUMBER FOR THE PURPOSES OF IDENTIFICATION.Illustrated Fig. 7, p. 56 in Ostapkowicz, Joanna, 2010, "Nuu-chah-nulth and Makah Black-brimmed Hats: Chronology and Style," American Indian Art Magazine, 35(3). Re the design painted on the hat Ostapkowicz notes that it is a "Two-toned black-brimmed hat. ... The formline design suggests a split, bulbous-headed creature with a fluked tail, perhaps a whale."

Culture
Northwest Coast
Made in
Washington, USA ? or Oregon, USA ?
Holding Institution
National Museum of Natural History
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Raven RattleE2668-0

Two pieces of wood tied together and carved to represent the body of a bird and having a handle carved out of the same two pieces. The upper portion depicts the head and wings of the bird, the lower portion the breast. The stylized designs on the upper and lower portions are painted in red, black and turquoise. Marks: written on rattle, "by Edward Very, Ex Ex". Note: This object was also listed as a decoy duck and with the collector Edward Verry's name spelled "E. Very" on one of the shipping lists. Publication: "Magnificent Voyagers," by Viola & Margolis, 1985, p. 146. Loaned to Denver Museum 3/15/65. Loaned to Vancouver Art Gallery, 4/18/67 returned 12/13/67. Exhibited in the "Celebrations" exhibit at the Renwick gallery, 1981-82. Exhibited Magnificent Voyagers, National Museum Of Natural History, 1985-86. Exhibited SITES "Magnificent Voyagers," 1987-89.From card: "Carved wood. Design a duck, with partly opened wings. Painted brown, black and green. Two pieces of wood representing the body of a duck without the legs, and having a wooden handle; the upper piece shows the wings, head, etc.; the lower shows the breast; both are hollowed out, the rattles are put inside, and the two fastened together by small leather ties. Painted with stripes and figures of black and dull green on the dark-brown wood. Item has one old hole in it. Loan: Denver Museum 3/15/65. 4/18/67 loaned to Vancouver Art, Gallery, returned 12/13/67. "Carved Wooden Rattle, Ca. 1800-1840 Northwest Coast Indians; British Columbia, Canada, and Alaska wood; sinew; black, red, and blue paint 16.5 x 18.25 x 6.5 (41.9 x 46.3 x 16.5) NMNH 2668; Collected by the U.S. Exploring Expedition, 1841. Although this object was originally identified as a water-fowl decoy, it is safe to assume that a chief used it for musical accompaniment on ceremonial occasions. Loaned to Renwick 9/3/81."

Made in
USA ? or Canada ?
Holding Institution
National Museum of Natural History
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