Pair of Moccasins

These moccasins provide insight into the adaptability of the Indigenous lives, culture, and history of the nation that they represent. Prior to the introduction of glass beads and manufactured ribbons brought to the Americas by European settlers, artists used porcupine quills and moose hair to embellish their clothing. Textile arts in the Americas began to change as early as the 1500s, as the availability of trade cloth, glass beads, and silk ribbons increased. Historic works used European-produced materials to execute traditional patterns. Symmetrical images of flowers, leaves, and other local plants are accented by outlines of white beads and rows of zig zagging lines. This pair is made from lightly worn supple deer hide and ornamented with dark velvet and bright red wool with floral beadwork. They could be worn with regalia or traded as a souvenir.