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.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection. Collected: Elizabeth Cole Butler

Hide saddle bag with a long hide fringe on the ends and short fringe along the sides. The border of the bag is red felt banded in beads on top and bottom in a red and blue diamond pattern on a white background. Above the border is a zigzag beaded outline. On the body of the saddlebag are beaded diamond bursts with rawhide streamers. The saddlebag is sewn of sections of buck skin with a cut opening and short fringes along the length of the bag and long fringes along the ends.

Gift of F. Ethel Wickham

Brooklyn Museum Collection

Museum Expedition 1907, Museum Collection Fund

Museum Expedition 1907, Museum Collection Fund

Museum Expedition 1903, Museum Collection Fund

Museum Expedition 1903, Museum Collection Fund