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Untitled

unknown1820 - 1900

Royal Ontario Museum

Royal Ontario Museum
Toronto, Canada

Beadwork on pieces such as this purse was designed both to please tourist buyers and to give visual expression to Iroquoian traditions and beliefs. From an Iroquoian perspective, arches (Sky Domes) represent the divisions of the universe into Sky World, This World, and the Under World. Spiral lines and groupings of flowers on branches represent the Tree of Peace or the Celestial Tree. Sets of lines can refer to the Four Directions or whirlwinds.

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  • Title: Untitled
  • Creator: unknown
  • Creator Lifespan: unknown - unknown
  • Creator Nationality: Iroquois
  • Date: 1820 - 1900
  • Physical Dimensions: w19.5 cm
  • Provenance: June Bedford Collection. Repatriated from England with the assistance of the Minister of Canadian Heritage under the terms of the Cultural Property Export and Import Act.
  • Type: Purse
  • Rights: Royal Ontario Museum
  • Medium: Cotton, glass beads, metal sequins
  • Measurement Length: 21
  • Accession Number: 989.274.108
Royal Ontario Museum

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