The Dzonokwa Spirit Mask portrays a character Kwakiutl mythology that is known as “the wild woman of the woods,” a spirit that is believed to bring great power to chiefs. These masks are identifiable by several features, the most distinctive being its large, puckered lips; the Kwakiutl believe that the mouth is a link to one’s soul, and this spirit is believed to … [Read more...] about Native Masks and Headdresses of the Americas by Rylee Williams
These two unusual wooden figures are from Colombia, and they are identifiable because of their traditional clothing to be depictions of people of the Kamentsá cultures from the Putumayo region of southern Colombia. The male figure wears a striped poncho over a dark undergarment, and he wears a necklace composed of multiple strands of beads. The female figure … [Read more...] about Native Dolls and Doll-like Figures of the Americas by Vanessa Lockhart and Hannah DipotoNative Dolls and Doll-like Figures of the Americas by Vanessa Lockhart and Hannah Dipoto
Contrary to popular misconceptions, metalwork dates back to very ancient times in the Americas, with copperworking in the Great Lakes Region of North America starting as early as 5,000 BCE. By the first millennium BCE, the Andean cultures of South America had developed metalwork processes, and these practices spread up into the Isthmian region of lower Central America by the … [Read more...] about Ancient Isthmian Metalwork in Reproduction: Researched by Trevor Heitz