Description
Iroquois Crafts is a reprint of the 1945 classic on Iroquois arts and crafts published by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. The book presents information about the material culture of the Six Nations Iroquois/Haudenosaunee in a readable and well-illustrated guide. The author sets the cultural and historical context with a brief introduction, and goes on to describe habitat, foods, clothing and accessories, Medicine Societies and ceremonies, games and sports, and the traditional crafts. In the crafts section, the text is organized around materials used to create utilitarian objects of beauty. Iroquois in the past used antlers, stone and bones to produce implements, weapons as well as decorative articles. Wampum strings and belts were made from shells; clay was utilized for pottery and pipe; the bark from a variety of trees was transformed into containers, canoes, rope and more. The various articles made from wood, corn husks, silver, and animal hides are described. The techniques used by Iroquois women to create moose hair embroidery, quill work, bead work, and ribbon work are described and illustrated with photographs and drawings. The importance of Iroquois symbols and colours are noted. A 16-page section contains design patterns for bead and quill work. This is an important source book for anyone interested in traditional Iroquois clothing and design. This reissue provides craftspeople and students with a clearly written resource about the creativity, skill, and aesthetics of the Iroquois.