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Lakota Sioux beaded girl's dress with umbilical cord lizard-shaped bag / Unknown

Essay/Description

Lakota girl’s dress with beaded yoke. Lizard effigy amulet (umbilical charm), made of dyed porcupine quill, attached at front. A horizontal row of mescal seeds at dress center.

Dresses with this level of beaded decoration were reserved for important ceremonial and social events. The amulet contains the umbilical cord of the child owner and was kept to ensure good health and a long life.

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Title(s): 
Lakota Sioux beaded girl's dress with umbilical cord lizard-shaped bag
Creator(s): 
Unknown
Culture: 
Native American; Lakota Sioux
Date: 
circa 1870
Period: 
Historic
Place: 
Northern Plateau, Northern Plains, United States of America
Materials/Techniques: 
leather, beads, mescal seeds, porcupine quills
Classification: 
Object Type: 
Accession No: 
84.1795
Previous Number(s): 
8425.1795
Department: 
Not On View

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