Nez Perce National Historical Park

Ceremonial Shirt
Plateau
c 1820's
Animals provided many of the materials needed for clothing. The body of the shirt is made from elk hide and fringes from deer hide. The decorative elements are made of porcupine quills. Before beads came into the trade networks, porcupine quills were used for decoration. The quill is a round, hollow tube that differs in length and thickness. The largest came from the tail and the most delicate from the belly. The quills were flattened, dyed and sewn into the shirt. The shirt is also decorated with Venetian glass beads.
Deer skin, elk skin, porcupine quills (Erethizon dorsatum), wool, glass beads. W 146.0, L 94.0 cm
Nez Perce National Historical Park, NEPE 8759




Ceremonial Shirt Plateau c 1820's Animals provided many of the materials needed for clothing. The body of the shirt is made from elk hide and fringes from deer hide. The decorative elements are made of porcupine quills. Before beads came into the trade networks, porcupine quills were used for decoration. The quill is a round, hollow tube that differs in length and thickness. The largest came from the tail and the most delicate from the belly. The quills were flattened, dyed and sewn into the shirt. The shirt is also decorated with Venetian glass beads. Deer skin, elk skin, porcupine quills (Erethizon dorsatum), wool, glass beads. W 146.0, L 94.0 cm Nez Perce National Historical Park, NEPE 8759
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