Native American beadwork varies greatly among different cultures, with individual nations often adopting specific designs, color schemes, beading techniques, and added elements. The Bone Bead Key Ring in this display, for example, is composed of glass seed beads, aluminum tinklers, short cylindrical plastic beads, and long bone beads, all strung on hemp cord; this particular group of materials, along with the black background color and the prominent use of red in the designs, indicates that this keyring was likely made by a Cherokee artisan.
The Triangle-Design Headband, meanwhile, is a typically Lakota Sioux design, as is the use of a light blue background and lighter, brighter foreground designs. Such headbands are still worn by children among the Lakota Sioux as part of ritual dress for important cultural events.
For more information, you may contact the researcher(s) noted in the title of this exhibit entry, or Dr. Billie Follensbee, the professor of the course, at BillieFollensbee@MissouriState.edu