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Baby carrier

Sahnish (Arikara) baby carrier
ca. 1880
North Dakota
Deer hide, porcupine quill, glass beads, sinew
67 x 29 x 13 cm
Purchased from the State Historical Society of North Dakota
14/1539

A baby would have been swaddled inside this beautifully quilled sleeping bag, which exhibits a melding of tribal influences. The floral quillwork on top reflects an Eastern Lakota style, while the woven quillwork on the sides suggests a technique associated with the Arikara and Mandan.

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