Moccasins
- Artist Culture
- Lakota (Sioux) artist
- Date
- c.1880
- made in
- United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Costume & clothing, textiles
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- each: 3 1/2 × 4 5/8 × 11 1/8 in. (8.9 × 11.7 × 28.3 cm)
- Credit Line
- The Donald Danforth Jr. Collection, Gift of Mrs. Donald Danforth Jr.
- Rights
- Contact Us
- Object Number
- 100:2010a,b
NOTES
These striking moccasins feature a great bird with spread wings, the sacred thunderbird of Lakota (Sioux) cosmology. Thunderbirds are the embodiment of Thunder Beings, sacred and powerful forces associated with the cardinal direction of the west that bring thunder and rain. Thunder Beings seek special individuals and provide them with visions to help others. These moccasins have many distinguishing features of Lakota design, including the use of rich dark blue and turquoise blue beads, the wide yellow-beaded panel with stepped white triangles on the edges, and the checkerboard “cut out” designs on the back panels.