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Female doll with a two piece buckskin dress and beaded medallions at bodice with beaded serrated bodice hem / Native American; Plains

Essay/Description

Female. Two piece buckskin dress. Beaded medallions at bodice with beaded serrated bodice hem. Fringed sleeves, dress sides and hem. Beaded footwear and leggings. Ink drawn facial features. Cloth hair. Thongs at bodice and skirt front.

Dolls were typically made for children to play with and were made to resemble humans, including tribal clothing and designs. Through play, the dolls “were used to communicate tribal values, practices, and customs” (Cotherman 2007, 24). Children learned how to prepare food, hunt, care for children, and make clothing by imitating adult behaviors in play. The clothing the dolls wore reflected the designs and patterns of that tribe or family tradition and often resembled human clothing the maker would create (Cotherman 2007).

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Title(s): 
Female doll with a two piece buckskin dress and beaded medallions at bodice with beaded serrated bodice hem
Culture: 
Native American; Plains
Date: 
early 20th century
Period: 
Historic
Place: 
Great Plains, United States of America
Materials/Techniques: 
hide, glass, hair
Dimensions: 
10.5" L
Classification: 
Object Type: 
Accession No: 
84.907
Previous Number(s): 
8427.907; 26324
Department: 
Not On View

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