What are the origins of elk teeth, cowrie shells, dentalium, and “hair pipes” that are used decoratively on material objects?
Prior to European contact, North American Indian peoples typically made beads from local materials, however they eagerly sought imported stones, shells, and metals to make rare beads that would be prestigious. Some these include: Elk Teeth – Only the two eye teeth of an elk, the ivories, were used for garment decoration. In the mid-19th century, one hundred elk teeth would buy a good horse. The Crow girl’s dress in the image to the right is covered with bone carved to look like elk teeth; it makes a beautiful decoration on a wool dress. The magnificent Kiowa dress yoke in the image to the right is made of tanned deer hide and is covered in elk teeth, seed beads, and tubular beads. The number of teeth…symbolized the prowess of the husband-provider. If a wife and all her female children were attired in these dresses, it was a sign of a family of means. – Mardell Hogan Plainfeather, Crow, 1992 Cowrie shells – The cowrie shells embellishing the yoke of this formal Southern Cheyenne dress
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