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Crow Beaded Crupper for Horse / Native American; Crow

Essay/Description

Beaded crupper for horse with geometric designs.

Cruppers were used as decorative trappings over the hind quarters of a horse. See large image for George Catlin depiction of a crupper ornament in use.

A horse represented a man’s success as a warrior, and, therefore, the more artistic and decorated the horse, the more prestige the warrior had. The elaborately beaded decorations also illustrated the importance of the horse to the Plains Indians. They relied on the horse for survival, status, and a method of gift-giving.

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Title(s): 
Crow Beaded Crupper for Horse
Culture: 
Native American; Crow
Date: 
early 20th century
Period: 
Historic
Place: 
Great Plains, United States of America
Materials/Techniques: 
leather, glass, wool
Classification: 
Object Type: 
Accession No: 
84.651
Department: 
Not On View

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