Painted leather shirt

This shirt sewn out of buckskin is among the oldest objects of its kind found in museums today. Its adornment and ornamental painting give information about its wearer and his achievements as a warrior. The shirt’s cut and decoration suggest that it was produced by a group in the Sioux linguistic family before 1830. Its painting is particularly striking: in contrast to the scenes of man-to-man combat typically depicted, all the figures here face in the same direction, the majority of them are unarmed, and no hostilities can be recognized. It is also unusual that additional figures can be seen on the right sleeve. The stylized elements in the shoulder area are believed to represent military campaigns led and horses captured. Over time, the shirt probably underwent multiple alterations, during which the ornamental strips bearing porcupine quills and tufts of hair were added. Also, a seam stitched with sinew originally closed the sleeves from the wrist to the elbow.