X-RARE Osage Nation 4.66 Shaman’s Charmstone with150+ Petroglyphs! Missouri. COA

Ancient Art, Antiques, & Fine. Native American Osage Nation Shaman’s Charm Stone. An Estimate 150+ Incised & Painted Petroglyphs. Spirit Animals, Buffalo, Elk, Birds, & Mythical Creatures. A Record of Shaman’s Many Vision Quests. Woodland Period: Great Plains of Missouri. I certify that this ancient artifact was legally collected on private land with the owner’s permission in Missouri, during the mid-20. Century, and has been in a private collection since that time. It was a surface find and no caves, graves, or mounds were disturbed. This is an opportunity to legally own stunning, ancient Native American artifact that is estimated to be about 2,000-years-old! Osage Grooved Shaman’s Charmstone with an Estimated 150+ Petroglyphs. 4.66 (118 mm). Or 1.69 lb. “Bannerstone Tom” Registry Number. As found, museum quality, with 150+ original stone pictographs (called petroglyphs) incised and painted onto the stone. Much of the black painted pictographs on the rough, hardstone surface is no longer visible, thus making it difficult to determine the shape of the image they painted. NO repairs or restorations. This superb, museum quality Charmstone/Divining Amulet is about 4.66 long and was discovered in the late 1800s in Missouri, and has been in a family collection until recently. It documents an Osage Shaman’s Vision Quests and/or the Creation Legends of the Osage. For the advanced collector of the rarest, Native American artifacts! As one of the RAREST Osage Nation charm stones in existence, this brown, conglomerate, hard-stone artifact still has remnants of a blackish paint from the pigments used to on this divining stone. This black paint is most noticeable along the sides of the charm stone, where it appears to show a graphic image of a mythical creature and/or the deity ” Maun, ” the Earth Maker. Each Osage village had a number of ” wa eghi, ” or headmen, who acted as shaman and leaders in such matters as war, religion, administration, and medicine. This charm stone would have been made and blessed by one of them, and included in his Medicine Bundle for his personal use only. Shaman did not share their sacred paraphernalia. Although the spirits appeared to shaman in their vision quests in either human or animal form, they could sometimes appear in strange forms that are more difficult for us to interpret and understand. Each vision was a highly personal experience, and although it would have been interpreted and explained by a shaman, its full significance might only ever be known to the visionary. Over 150+ of the petroglyphs on this charm stone exhibit mythical, human, bird, and animal characteristics, but their exact meaning is unknown. As you read my English translation of the pictographs/characters on this Native American, Osage People charm stone. You are among the first people in the world to read them, as the petroglyphs on this charm stone have never been documented or deciphered before-in any language! Some historians have estimated the Osage population on the Great Plains in Missouri, before first contact with Europeans at between 4,000 and 6,000; whatever their number, it was sufficient for them to maintain control over most of what is modern-day Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. This Osage Shaman’s charm stone has an estimate 150+ tiny, incised and painted, stone carvings (petroglyphs) on all sides of the tear-drop shaped Shaman stone! The incised petroglyphs are exceedingly small-most less than 3mm long! They all seem to reflect on a Plain’s Indian, Shaman’s Vision Quests, as it depicts him riding horses and buffalo, with dozens of Spirit Animals and mythical creatures surrounding the Shaman, who is in a trance and Astro-traveling. See below for details. A spiritual people, the Osage Indians of the Central Plains were excellent hunters and fierce warriors. Their religious beliefs were based on Wah-kon-tah, (also ” Wakan Tanka “) the Great Spirit-also the Great Mystery Spirit or Great Power. In one Creation legend, the Osages believed that the People of the Sky (Tzi-sho) met with the People of the Earth (Hun-Kah) to form one tribe, the Children of the Middle Waters (Nee Oh-kah-shkahn). The Osage were a highly spiritual people who worshipped a single deity- ” Maun, ” the “Earth Maker” or Creator. Theirs was a clan-based society, with each clan springing from a benevolent spirit animal related to the Creation of the World. The Osage lands were a place of great, ritual ceremony and spirit quests. Various chroniclers and eyewitnesses have stated that few Osage stood less than 6 feet in height, while many reached a well-proportioned 6½ or 7 feet tall. In his History of Early Reynolds County Missouri, James E. Bell attributes their height, strength, and physical courage to tribal marriage practices. The. Mightiest warriors got the tallest and strongest girl-plus all her sisters. As one of the RAREST Osage charm stones in existence, this brown, conglomerate, hard-stone artifact still has remnants of a blackish patina from the pigments used to on this divining stone. This black paint is most noticeable along the top and base areas where it appears to show a graphic image of a mythical creature and/or the deity ” Maun, ” the Earth Maker. This charm stone would have been part of a Shaman’s Medicine Bundle that contained tokens representative of specific aspects of the vision. The idea of the shamanic journey as envisioned by the Plains shamans, is one of a continual quest for sources of power. Each Osage village had a number of ” wa eghi, ” or headmen, who acted as leaders in such matters as war, religion, administration, and medicine. A hereditary position, headmen were looked to for guidance and direction and were required to possess courage, kindness, compassion, impartiality, and the ability to always light the proper course by personal example. Although the wa eghi were not chiefs per se-a distinction that would later confuse and confound European arrivals-they were singly and collectively responsible for maintaining the order of the community. In Plains ideology, the Sacred Journey is likened to a spinning hoop and everything in nature and in man is conceived as circular in motion and in form. This philosophy is sometimes referred to as the Sacred Hoop. This concept of circular motion is reflected in the items their shaman utilized during their vision quests. This charm stone is tear-shaped with a suspension groove, or “top hat” carved in the pointed top that is about 24 mm wide. {See photo # 9}. This groove would have allowed a small vine or similar string-like object to be tied around the top of the charm stone and allow it to swing and twist randomly back and forth at the will of supernatural forces. Skilled shaman would assess its rotation or swing to answer “yes-no” questions or interpret these motions and decide on an appropriate course of future action. Several of the petroglyphs on this charm stone exhibit human, bird, and animal characteristics, but their exact meaning is unknown. Before Europeans came to the Americas, Osages obtained food by hunting, gathering, and farming. Osages hunted wild game such as bison, elk and deer. There were two bison hunts a year, one in the summer and one in the fall. The goal of the summer hunt was to obtain meat and fat. The purpose of the fall hunt was to obtain food, but also to get the thick winter coats of the bison for making robes, moccasins, leggings, breechcloths, and dresses. Although only the men hunted, the women did the work of butchering and preparing the meat, and tanning the hides. The word “Missouri” often has been construed to mean “muddy water, ” but the Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnology has stated it means “town of the large canoes, ” and authorities have said the Indian syllables from which the word comes mean “wooden canoe people” or he of the big canoe. Osage Petroglyphs & Pictographs. In general, petroglyphs are pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as “carving”, “engraving”, or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images. Petroglyphs are found world-wide, and are often associated with prehistoric peoples. What makes this Shaman’s charm Stone incredibly RARE is its large number of an estimate 150+ pictographs. Some graphics are larger, faintly painted characters of mythical creatures-some as large as 57mm long-while the vast majority of characters are much smaller, incised characters that are smaller than 3mm! These petroglyphs can be seen on all sides of the charm stone or amulet. The Osage had no written language that we know of, but they did use both pictographs and petroglyphs that have been found on the walls of the hills caves where their Shaman went to communicate with the Earth Maker and other spirits. Osage shaman are thought to have experienced these visions after prolonged periods of thirsting and fasting, and by sleep deprivation. Reportedly, some shaman also used the regular influence of smoke offerings and even psychotropic drugs to. Influence supernatural beings; bring about successful hunting and fishing; influence forces of nature to benefit the tribes; and to intervene in human affairs to heal and protect. During vison quests, Osage Shaman would use the smoke from their pipes (which they always carried) to make the breath visible. ” and thus enable the person’s ” nagi to travel in visible form to meet their Spirit Animals and be shown some of the secrets of the spirit world. Based upon the large, horned animal petroglyphs, I have identified various animals and the human stick-figures surrounding them and I believe an Osage Shaman may have used this charm-stone as a powerful divining tool to predict or to bless a future hunting parties on multiple occasions. As stated above, I believe a Shaman would have divined the unknown by hanging it from a vine and then accessing its rotation or swing to: answer questions, ask for guidance from the Great Spirit, or predict the future. I assume all responsibility for the information contained in this description and for the English translation and transcription of the ancient Chinese graphic characters. Furthermore, I prohibit the further dissemination of this information in any written, video, or electronic format without my expressed, written approval. Experts believe that Osage pictographs and petroglyphs made by shaman on their personal objects in their Medicine Bundles often represented a complex, supernatural world that are not easily understood by modern man. Therefore, some of the petroglyphs depicted on this charm stone are not easily translated into single nouns, verbs, or modifiers. At first, these marks appear to be just tiny dings or differential weathering. They are slightly darker in color than their surrounding lighter colored stone. But under 10x-20x power magnification, one can clearly see tiny, pictographic, stick figures and characters that are images of people, animals, fish, stars, and unidentified objects or mythical beings. The images range from about 57mm long to. Here are just a few of the petroglyphs one can see under 10x magnification. The largest image was painted in black on this charm stone measures about 57mm long. Although faded with time and natural weathering, I believe it may be the image of the mythical Great Spirit, who is depicted here with outstretched wings. Wah-kon-tah, (also “Wakan Tanka”) the Great Spirit-also the Great Mystery Spirit or Great Power. In the shaman’s language, Wakan Tanka is referred to as Tobtob Kin. ” A direct translation of this is “Four-Times-Four Gods. The Osage held that the magenta blossoms of the Redbud Tree were emblematic of the eternal renewal of all life and contained the life force of the tree. They used ash from Redbud wood as a sacred paint, and it was likely the paint they used on this sacred charm stone. {See photo # 5}. Shaman riding on horned bison, who is shown walking to the right in this photo. To the Osage, the shaman WAS these animals, and not merely a human impersonation of the animals. {See photo # 10}. Shaman in the middle of a ring of Spirit Animals during a Vision Quest. In the same photo, there is a tiny shaman who is less than 2mm tall! He is circled in this photo and is clearly pictured with an elaborate, braded, top-knot style that was unique to each shaman. Hair was considered to be the seat of the “soul” or spirit. He is shown riding on the back of an animal. A depiction of a shaman in elaborate costume, who is holding a rattle in his hand. And there are an estimated 150+ other petroglyphs incised into this fabulous charm stone. You have just read my English translation of the pictographs/symbols on this Native American, Osage People charm stone! Shamanism in North America. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. A History of the Osage People, by Louis F. The Osages: Children of the Middle Waters, by John Joseph Matthews. Osage Life and Legends, by Robert Liebert. 1 and 2, by George Catlin. Tixler’s Travels on the Osage Prairies, by John Francis McDermott. The Imperial Osages, by Gilbert C. Killers of the Flower Moon, by David Grann. Macro Photos taken indoors under magnification to show the detail of these tiny petroglyphs. The stand and ruler are not part of the sale, just there so you can better judge the size and to capture the beauty of this ancient work of art. Each object I sell is professionally researched and compared with similar objects in the collections of the finest museums in the world. When in doubt, I have worked with dozens of subject matter experts to determine the condition and authenticity of numerous antiquities and antiques. All sales are Final, unless I have seriously misrepresented this item! Please look at the 4x and 20x macro photos carefully as they are part of the description. Member of the Authentic Artifact Collectors Association (AACA) & the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA). US Buyers only for this SUPER RARE piece of Native American History.

X-RARE Native American Tenn Discoidal Game Stone withPictographs of Chunkey Field

Ancient Art, Antiques, & Fine Collectibles. Native American’Circle-Roller Discoidal. Rare Images of Animal Playe. Rs on a Chunkey. Game Disk Stone from Tennessee with Petroglyphs. This ancient Native American stone game disc is called a Circle-Roller Discoidal. It is one of the rarest types of game discs in that it has carved, animal petroglyphs in low relief that surround a rectangular Chunkey field with a circle in the center that is believed to represent the stone discoidal used to play this game. This discoidal appears to be unique, as I could find no other game stone in any museum or private collection has a symbol of a Chunkey field. This one is made from carefully worked fine-grained hard-stone and shows appropriate ancient wear and mineralization. It measures approximately 2.78″ in diameter x 2.53″ tall and weighs a hefty 1.24 lb. It’s has two flat sides the smaller diameter. Side is slightly cupped that are not perpendicular-and this was intentional! When thrown onto a flat field while playing Chunkey, this game stone would not roll in a straight line, but in a random, circle or curved pattern. This change in direction would make the stopping point of the game stone difficult to predict and thus make the game more one of chance, difficult, and more interesting. See below for how the game Chunkey was played by two players, with onlookers placing bets on which. Player could predict where to throw his spear while the game stone was in motion, so his spear would land next to the final resting place of the game stone when it stopped rolling. This discoidal has a great, authentic patina and shows a good mineralization. It must have been a “Lucky Discoidal” for its ancient owners, as it shows extensive wear and chips from being thrown on the ground thousands of times to wear down this hard stone example. Lucky Discoidals were prized possessions and would be passed down within a particular tribe from generation to generation. This particular game stone has an estimated 15+ petroglyphs that were carved in low relief into the hard-stone discoidal by its previous owners hundreds of years ago. Although the discoidal is heavily mineralized and worn, here are some of the images/symbols I can see. As mentioned above, there are several, carved, animal petroglyphs in low relief that surround a rectangular Chunkey Field with a circle in the center that is believed to represent the stone discoidal used to play this game. See photo # 5. Located all around that center figure of a playing field are several images of animals that perhaps are symbolic of the various men that I believe were the tribal members that were betting on the game. There appear to be images of the following animals: See photo # 5. Beaver (inside blue circle). Deer, located above the bobcat. And perhaps 10+ more animals that surround the center field. On the other flat and smaller side of the discoidal, are an estimated 5+ pictographs that show what appears to be an Owl and 4+ other animals. See photo # 6. Around the outer circumference of the game stone there are several, larger animals caved in low relief. One animal, believed to be a turtle, even has a tiny stick man carved in the center of the turtle. Further around the game stone there appears to be another Chunkey player shown inside a circular playing field. Then there is a 1.2 tall figure of a man, who is believed to be either the thrower or one of the two players who will try to predict where to throw his spear at the end of the game stones roll. A large buffalo with a humped back. Another man inside a playing circle field. And lastly, a straight line that extends from one side of the discoidal to the other. These arrow-like lines are only found on game stones and usually provide the thrower with a reference point on how to hold and subsequently throw the stone to achieve the desired circular pattern. {See photo # 7,}. Discoidals, sometimes called game discs, were treasured tribal possessions throughout the Mississippian world of early Native American cultures. They have been found across all of the great Mississippian lands from eastern Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Although styles often varied from region to region, they were all used as game stones. The most frequently encountered Mississippian discoidal styles are the: Tennessee double and single cup, Cahokia, Salt River, Biscuit, Circle Roller, Apple, and Barrel styles. Brief History of Stone Discoidals & the Game ” Chunkey “. One of the most interesting Mississippian artifacts from early Native Americans is the discoidal or stone disc. What is a discoidal? The easiest answer is that a discoidal is a round Mississippian game piece made of hard stone that was used in the ancient Native American game known as chungke or chunkey or chunkee. Players and whole tribes would bet on this game of chance and skill. No description of discoidals would be complete without some description of the game itself. In 1775, James Adair in his 18th Century English wrote a description of the game. The language in old English may seem rather difficult to follow in places, but the message seems clear enough. The warriors have another favorite game called’chungke,’ which, with propriety of language, may be called’running hard labor’. They have near their state-house a square piece of ground well cleaned, and fine sand is carefully strewed over it, when requisite, to promote a swifter motion to what they throw along the surface. Only one or two on a side play at this ancient game. They have a stone about two fingers broad at the edge, and two spans round; each party has a pole of about eight feet long, smooth and tapering at each end, the points flat. They set off abreast of each other at six yards from the end of the play-ground; then one of them hurls the stone on its edge, in as direct a line as he can, a considerable distance toward the middle of the other end of the square; when they have run a few yards, each darts his pole anointed with bear’s oil, with a proper force, as near as he can guess in proportion to the motion of the stone, that the end may lie close to the stone; when this is the case, the person counts two of the game, and, in proportion to the nearness of the poles to the mark, one is counted, unless by measuring both are found to at an equal distance from the stone. In this manner, the players will keep running most part of the day, at half speed, under the violent heat of the sun, staking their silver ornaments, their nose, finger, and ear rings; their breast, arm and wrist-plates; and even all their wearing apparel, except that which barely covers their middle. All the American Indians are much addicted to this game, which it seems to be of early origin, when their forefathers used diversions as simple as their manners. The hurling-stones they use at present were, time immemorial, rubbed smooth on the rocks, and with prodigious labour; they are kept with the strictest religious care, from one generation to another, and are exempted from being buried with the dead. They belong to the town where they are used, and are carefully preserved. Discoidals began appearing at late Woodland Sites in eastern Missouri and southern Illinois around 700 AD. By Mississippian times, chunkey’s popularity spread throughout the Mississippian world. Some Mississippian sites have produced more than one discoidal style, while others have produced only a single style. Many surviving discoidals are both beautiful and durable. Quartz and granite were often used in the making of these popular game stones. Both materials are extremely hard, and they had to be. Discoidals were continuously used in sporting contests over generations, so they had to be durable. A very few discoidals are made from colorful flint, but flint can chip and easily break if it contacts another hard stone. Discoidals are very popular today with collectors because they come in many styles and colorful materials. Many are so finely made that today they are seen as works of art. All photos taken indoors and the AA battery and stand is not part of the sale, just there so you can better judge the size. Each object I sell is professionally researched and compared with similar objects in the collections of the finest museums in the world. When in doubt, I have worked with dozens of subject matter experts to determine the condition and authenticity of numerous antiquities and antiques. All sales are Final, unless I have seriously misrepresented this item. Please look at the 4x macro photos carefully as they are part of the description. Member of the Authentic Artifact Collectors Association (AACA) & the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA). This item is in the category “Collectibles\Cultures & Ethnicities\Native American: US\Pre-1600\Artifacts”. The seller is “houghton-usa” and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada.

Handmade: Yes
Modified Item: No
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Country of Manufacture: United States
Culture: Native American: US
Artisan: unknown
Provenance: Ownership History Available
Origin: Tennessee
Tribal Affiliation: Mississippian

X-RARE Shaman Transformation Gorget with35+ Pictographs! Native American Hopewell

Ancient Art, Antiques & Fine. Ancient Native American Shaman’s Copper Gorget. Estimated 35+ Images of Shaman Transformation Figures. I certify that this Ancient Copper Gorget was legally collected on private land with the owner’s permission prior to 1970 and no Native American caves or mounds were disturbed. This is an opportunity to legally own a Shaman’s Native American Copper Gorget that is estimated to be about 1500 to 2,200 years-old. (also incorrectly called the “Hopewell Culture”) is the term used to describe common aspects of the Native American culture that flourished along rivers in the northeastern and Midwestern United States from 200 BC to 500 AD. The Hopewell tradition was not a single culture or society, but a widely dispersed set of related populations, which were connected by a common network of trade routes. Native American Shaman’s Copper Gorget with at least 35+ Transformation Images, including. Shaman, Spirits, Hands, Animals, Birds, Insects, & Spirit Animals. Material: Copper hammered into a thin sheet, painted, and then punched with two suspension holes. Measurements: 2.93″ (74 mm) long x 1.69″ (43 mm) wide x. 04 (1.15 mm) thick. Very good period condition with no cleaning, repairs, or restorations, although the top edge appears to have broken off in antiquity. Exhibits signs of age such as surface wear, oxidation, lichen growth, and weathering. Original copper patina with leather knot still attached in one of the suspension holes. This piece came from a large, private collection of Native American artifacts in Pennsylvania, including Iroquois effigy clubs, Anasazi pottery, Mississippian, and Hopewell artifacts. Although the exact significance of the human, animal, and insect images, which had been painted on about 1,500 to 2,000 years-ago on both sides of this gorget pendant is unknown, it appears that it was owned by a shaman who was able to communicate with the Spirit World by transforming himself into an animal spirit. Both sides of the gorget have painted images that can still be faintly viewed, especially under magnification. On the obverse side of this gorget (with the side hole facing right), there appears to be at least eight (8) pictographs that were painted on to the once bright copper surface and are now covered over with lichen and copper oxidation, but they include. {See photos # 1, 4-6}. A standing Shaman man with legs separated and with his arms upraised to the Sun God. He appears to be wearing a feathered headdress, which was common for Shaman-see additional details in the Shaman section below. Underneath the Shaman on the lower right side, is a pair of raised hands with fingers. The hand was a symbol of possession or ownership, and in this case may represent spiritual ownership, perhaps signifying the Shaman’s close bond with his Spirit animal. Directly across from the Shaman, there appears to be an insect, possibly a cicada or a butterfly-you can see its tiny front legs and wings next to its elongated body. Above the butterfly or cicada? , there appears to be a small frog with 4 legs. And on the very top of this side, there appear to be 3 small pictographs positioned in a horizontal line that measures about 19 mm in length, but that I was unable to see clearly enough to identify the images. On the reverse side of this gorget (shown with the side hole facing left), one can see at least six (25) painted figures of. {See photos # 2, 8-12}. A seated Shaman with his arms raised and in transformation pose with his Spirit animals. He is depicted with a characteristic top-knot hairstyle–a distinguishing feature of Shamans throughout the Southeast, Woodlands, and even in the Great Plains. On this image of a Shaman, one can see his/her braided hair hanging from their shoulders to the ground. This painted figure appears to be in a state of altered consciousness as you can see a tiny stick figure of a human Spirit being carried to the skies by a string of perhaps 10 tiny birds as they transform the Shaman for his astral, out-of-body journey. There are a number of images coming from the mouth of the Shaman that appear to be two small animals (the largest is just 6 mm long) that could the Shaman’s Spirit Animals or his singing to contact them. An effigy of what appears to be another Spirit Animal that is painted below the Shaman. Across from the Shaman on the left side, there appears to be a large bird with its wings spread 23 mm, likely a majestic eagle, and from the size likely the Shaman’s primary Spirit Animal. {See photo # 8}. Above the Eagle, is another figure that appears to be a four-legged animal. On the lower right side, there are perhaps 19+ very tiny images of people or Spirit Ancestors? , a pot, raised hands, etc. These pictographic images are ridiculously small and had to be painted with a brush made from just a few strands of animal fur. Each shaman was believed to carry within him a number of animal spirits that directed and guided his judgements-oftentimes represented by a lizard, snake, animals, or birds. Decisions were made on the basis of advice supposedly received from such supernatural animal helpers. When a shaman has an out-of-body transformation into an animal or bird, these beings are not actual creatures, but spirits that take the form of the animal representing the need of the individual. Hopewell culture, notable ancient Indian culture of the east-central area of North America. It flourished from about 200 BC to 500 AD chiefly in what is now southern Ohio, with related groups in Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and New York. The name is derived from the Hopewell farm in Ross county, Ohio, where the first site that explored a group of burial mounds with extensive enclosures of banked earth was examined. The term Mound Builders, once applied to this culture, is now considered a misnomer. Later investigations revealed that the practice of constructing earth mounds was widespread and served greatly differing purposes. Hopewell villages often laid along rivers and streams. The inhabitants raised corn (maize) and possibly beans and squash, but still relied upon hunting and fishing and the gathering of wild nuts, fruits, seeds, and roots. The amount of pottery and ornamental stonework and metalwork that has been found suggests some division of labor; moreover, the nature and size of the earthworks at many sites suggest that forms of public labor, whether voluntary or conscripted, may have been employed. The earthworks sometimes suggest defensive purposes, but more often they served as burial mounds or apparently formed the bases of temples or other structures. Their metalwork (consisting of beating and annealing) has been called the finest in pre-Columbian North America. Copper sheet was much used; although some silver and meteoric iron, and occasionally gold, entered into various ornaments and utility pieces. Sheets of mica also characterize the culture. Trade routes were evidently well developed, for material from as far away as the Rocky Mountains and the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean are found in Hopewell sites, and articles identified as manufactured by the Hopewell Indians are found in localities as far distant. Shaman in the Hopewell Culture. Although the exact significance of the figures that decorate both sides of this gorget pendant is unknown, it appears that it was owned by a shaman who was able to communicate with the Spirit World by transforming himself into an animal spirit. Each shaman was believed to carry within him a number of animal spirits that directed and guided his judgements-oftentimes represented by a lizard or snakes. On the obverse side of this gorget, one can see the painted figure of a kneeling Shaman with his characteristic top-knot hairstyle–a distinguishing feature of shamans throughout the Southeast, Woodlands, and even in the Great Plains. An effigy of his patron-spirit animal was painted on the obverse side of this copper gorget. This painted figure appears to be in a state of altered consciousness as they transform into a spirit animal on their astral, out-of-body journey. Shaman controlled the reins of power overtly exercised by the Chief. Everyone, including the Great Sun Chief himself, was subject to their ultimate authority, and it was through them that punishment was demanded for the breach of any rules of behavior on ritual occasions, since it was to the Spirit World with which the shamans were in communication that people had to atone for deviations affecting the community, clan, and the individual. Shaman were able to communicate directly with the animal-spirits of the supernatural world. In Southeast native beliefs, the frog or toad was the bringer of rain as well as being a powerful shaman figure. This gorget was probably used by a shaman during rituals that were intended to appeal to the spirits of rain and thunder. Birds of prey feature prominently in Hopewell shamanic belief, since they are swift, courageous, noiseless, and deadly efficient. Shaman wore elaborate headdresses that almost always included feathers in recognition of the desirable qualities possessed by birds and as an expression of the shaman’s ability to transform himself into out-of-body travel and fly into the spirit world. Head coverings were deemed essential, as this part of the body was thought to be the exit and entry point for the soul. Shamanism in North America. Hint, Firefly Books, 2003. Each object I sell is professionally researched and compared with similar objects in the collections of the finest museums in the world. When in doubt, I have worked with dozens of subject matter experts to determine the condition and authenticity of numerous antiquities and antiques. All sales are Final, unless I have seriously misrepresented this item! Please look at the 4x macro photos carefully as they are part of the description. Member of the Authentic Artifact Collectors Association (AACA) & the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA). This item is in the category “Collectibles\Cultures & Ethnicities\Native American: US\Pre-1600\Artifacts”. The seller is “houghton-usa” and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada.

Handmade: Yes
Modified Item: No
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Culture: Native American: US
Provenance: Ownership History Available
Origin: Hopewell Culture
Tribal Affiliation: Hopewell
Featured Refinements: Gorget
Material: Copper
Est. Date: 200 BC–500 AD

X-RARE Northwest Coast RAVEN Effigy Burl Wood Mortar & Pestle! 1800s Suquamish WA

Ancient Art, Antiques, & Fine. Antique Native American Shamans. Raven Clan Effigy Burl Wood Mortar & Pestle. With Carved Pictographs Near the Center Bowl. Pacific Northwest Coast Native American. Suquamish Tribe/Puget Sound/Salish Sea. Collected on Bainbridge Island, WA. I certify that this antique Raven Mortar was reportedly found on private land on Bainbridge Island, WA, with the land owner’s permission in the 1800s. Held in a private collection in Seattle for over a century. Collection of any artifacts found on federal/state land or from caves, graves, or mounds is now strictly prohibited by federal law. NW Coast Suquamish Shamans Raven Effigy Mortar & Pestle. Material: Hand-carved, natural wooden burl branch. A burl is a natural, tree growth in which the grain and shape of the wooden trunk has grown in a deformed manner. Native Americans thought that these burls contained magical powers of healing. Find Location: Northwest Coast, USA, Bainbridge Island, WA, 19. Approximate Measurements of Wooden Mortar. 9.00 (22.5 cm). 4.00 (10.2 cm). 4.54 (11.5 cm). Weight: 1.75 lbs. Approximate Measurements of Small Stone Pestle. 2.27 (58 mm). This incredibly RARE Suquamish Shamans Wooden Mortar made from a wooden tree burl log that has the powerful Northwest Coast clan figure of a Raven carved into it. The Suquamish believed that animal figures like the Raven carved into objects made the bowl itself come alive with protective powers against evil spirits who were thought to dwell everywhere. The Trickster Raven was purposefully carved to protect and empower those who used this bowl from evil spirits. It is a very powerful and spiritual piece as it appears the Raven is in flight to carry the medicinal blessings to the sick or injured! This mortar would have been made, blessed, and used by only a single shaman for many years to make small batches of healing poultices for his patients. Native American from the NW coast thought that these burls contained living Spirits to help or harm humans and magical powers of healing. There are two (2) small pictographs (one is a 8.62 mm tall stick figure of a human–likely a depiction of the Shaman himself–and another figure that may be a Raven or other Spirit animal) carved into the top of the mortar between the Raven’s beak and the mortar’s bowl that measures about 1.34 or 34 mm in diameter! {You can see the small figures in macro photos 3-5}. Century mortar is rather crudely carved in style that was used among NW Coast tribes from about 17501850. And-carved mortar is made from a single wooden burl. While the small, stone pestle appears to be a water smoothed rock. NOTE: A burl is a natural, tree growth in which the grain and shape of the wooden trunk has grown in a deformed manner. Native Americans thought that these burls contained living Spirits and magical powers of healing and of protection. Very old examples of shaman paraphernalia are EXTREMELY RARE and only a few are known to exist in Native American museums and fine private collections. This fascinating, Shamans wooden mortar carved into the shape of The Trickster Raven came from a century old Pacific Northwestern collection of artifacts from the Puget Sound area on Bainbridge Island. The entire estate collection was obtained decades ago from the late Mrs. Henrietta Swansons relatives, whose family had early Seattle / island connections. Her descendants stated that the original collector had told Mrs. Swanson that their great grandfather acquired it in a trade on Bainbridge Island around the late 1890s. The style of carving and the patina of the wood suggests that it was made decades or perhaps a century before. This Raven Mortar effigy shows a closed-beak Raven at one end with a streamlined body as if in flight. The Raven mortar shows ware from ancient use by a tribal Shaman. The Raven was thought to scare away Evil Spirits and protect those around it. Minor dings, surface cracks, abrasion marks, grease/oil stains are consistent with age and heavy use over centuries. Deep chisel cuts are especially evident on the inside of the bowl. A very early and RARE wooden artifact from the pre-white settler indigenous population of the island/region. It is in Very Good to Excellent, Museum Quality condition and has a wonderful patina with no modern repairs or restorations. Museum quality with some loss of material to the Raven’s beak, minor cracks, abrasions, chips, and nicks that are consistent with age and ancient use. See macro photos for details. This incredible Suquamish hand-carved, mortar has the powerful clan figure of a Raven carved into it and two pictographs carved into the area around the center bowl. The Suquamish believed that animal figures like the Trickster Raven carved into objects made the mortar itself come alive with protective powers against evil spirits who were thought to dwell everywhere. The Raven was purposefully carved into the mortar to show the Raven protecting and empowering those who used this bowl to heal the ill and protect them from evil spirits and harm. It is a very powerful and spiritual piece that is museum quality! A Suquamish Shaman laboriously worked the large, native cedar burl into the elegant shape of a Raven into this incredible mortar. Totemic design of a Ravens head was carved into one end. This large burl is oblong shaped and very thick and robustly carved. Shaman in the Pacific NW were thought to communicate mystically and directly with he world of Spirits. This wooden mortar would have been made and blessed by a single shaman-priest and used throughout his lifetime. A Shamans artwork was his personal property and his regalia was potent and dangerous to others. Shaman were often transformed into spiritual animal helpers. Upon the death of a Shaman, his body and all his paraphernalia were buried far from the village as both he and his regalia remained highly potent and dangerous. Pacific NW Shaman were often buried in elevated grave houses and guarded by fierce grave figures. This mortar, with its small, circular bowl and relatively small pestle, would have been used for tiny batches of materialperhaps for making shamanistic poultices for healing/ritual ceremonies. Its small size rules out any food preparation useit is too tiny. The roughly hewed wood suggests this bowl was executed in a very early style, indicating a date of origin that could span from circa 1800 to well back into the eighteenth century. The broad, thick form-lines and deep, carved-out bowl are typical of objects that are documented to the last quarter of the eighteenth century, and many of those were undoubtedly created well before their documented date of collection by Euro-Americansin this case in the late 1800s. This archaic-style design work is usually attributed primarily to the Tlingit or Suquamish, and it’s very likely that this group was the original source of the bowl. However, in the very early historic period, northern Northwest Coast design styles had much more in common than they did in the mid-nineteenth century, after many decades of artistic evolution. Numerous examples of archaic-style objects collected from the Tlingit, Haida, and Suquamish exist to indicate that this style was common in their area in the early years of the contact period. The form-line designs on this bowl appear to represent the head of the eagle on the upper-beak end and the tail feathers and handle on the other end. This dual-representation or punning style of imagery is very common in the Northwest Coast tradition. The bowl is believed to be carved from Sitka spruce, a common forest tree on the northern Northwest Coast, but one that is almost never mentioned in the ethnographic literature as a carving material. Once one learns to recognize the appearance of this wood, however, it becomes apparent that there are a great many carved objects, many of them very early examples, that were carved of this material in the historic period. It was commonly used for bowls in the early contact period and before, as well as for war helmets, canoe paddles, and such works as combs and other small objects. Northwest Native American Raven Mythology. The Raven is a culture hero of the Northwest Coast and Alaskan Athabaskan tribes. He is a revered and benevolent transformer god who helps the people and shapes their world for them, but at the same time, he is also a trickster character and many Raven stories have to do with his frivolous or poorly thought out behavior getting him into trouble. In the mythology of many Northwest Indian tribes, Raven is honored as a culture hero. He is a revered and benevolent transformer figure who helps the people and shapes their world for them, but at the same time, he is also a trickster character and many Raven stories have to do with his frivolous or poorly thought out behavior causing trouble for him and the people around him. Raven is noted for negative traits such as gluttony, greed, and impatience as well as for his heroism and great deeds. Ravens are also used as clan animals in many Native American cultures, particularly those of the Northwest Coast (such as the Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Kwakiutl, Nisgaa-Gitksan, and Salishan tribes) and the northern Athabaskan tribes such as the Tanaina. Raven is an important clan crest on the Northwest Coast and can often be found carved on totem poles, bentwood boxes, and other traditional northwestern art. In fact, the Haida tribe credits Raven for discovering the first humans who were hiding in a clam shell; he brought them berries and salmon. The Suquamish are a Lushootseed-speaking Native American people, located in present-day Washington in the United States. They are a southern Coast Salish people. Today, most Suquamish people are enrolled in the Suquamish Tribe, an indigenous nation and signatory to the Treaty of Point Elliott of 1855. The Suquamish traditionally lived on the western shores of Puget Sound, from Apple Tree Cove in the north to Gig Harbor in the south, including Bainbridge Island and Blake Island. They had villages throughout the region, the largest centered on Old Man House, the largest winter longhouse in the Salish Sea. Chief Seattle was an ancestral leader of the Suquamish Tribe who was born in 1786 at the Old-Man-House village in Suquamish. His father was Schweabe, a Suquamish Chief, and his was mother Scholitza, a Duwamish from a village near present Kent. Seattle was a six years old when Captain George Vancouver anchored in Suquamish waters off Bainbridge Island in 1792. The first contact between Suquamish and European peoples came in 1792 when George Vancouver explored Puget Sound and met members of the Suquamish Tribe, possibly including Schweabe and Kitsap. More regular contact with non-Natives came with the establishment of British trading posts in Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia in the early 19th century England. Once the Washington Territory was established in 1853, the U. Government began signing treaties with area indigenous leaders to extinguish aboriginal claims and make land available for non-Native settlement. They reserved for themselves the land that became designated as the Port Madison Indian Reservation, near their winter village on Agate Pass. They also reserved the right to fish and harvest shellfish in their Usual and Accustomed Areas, and reserved certain cultural and natural resource rights within their historical territory. Today, the Suquamish Tribe is a co-manager with the State of Washington of the state’s salmon fishery. This is your chance to add an extremely RARE Shaman Burl Wood Raven Mortar to your collection! PROVENANCE: Chronology of Ownership. This authentic, Raven Effigy Mortar is from the estate of a prominent collector who lived in Bainbridge, Island, WA. I recently acquired it from a private collector in Colorado. This bowl will be accompanied by an ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS Certificate of Authenticity at no additional charge. By the Editors of Time Life, 1992, pgs. Spirit Faces: Contemporary Masks of the Northwest Coast. By Gary Wyatt, 1998. The Coppers of the Northwest Coast Indians: Their Origin. Volume 79, Carol F. Understanding Northwest Coast Art: A Guide to Crests, Beings and Symbols. Each object I sell is professionally researched and compared with similar objects in the collections of the finest museums in the world. When in doubt, I have worked with dozens of subject matter experts to determine the condition and authenticity of numerous antiquities and antiques. All sales are Final, unless I have seriously misrepresented this item! Member of the Authentic Artifact Collectors Association (AACA) & the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA). The item “X-RARE Northwest Coast RAVEN Effigy Burl Wood Mortar & Pestle! 1800s Suquamish WA” is in sale since Friday, April 5, 2019. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Cultures & Ethnicities\Native American\ US\1800-1934\Other Nat. Am. Items 1800-1934″. The seller is “houghton-usa” and is located in Sequim, Washington. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom.

Modified Item: No
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Provenance: Ownership History Available
Origin: Bainbridge Island, WA
Tribal Affiliation: Suquamish

X-RARE Northwest Coast RAVEN Grease Bowl 1800s Suquamish, Bainbridge Island, WA

Ancient Art, Antiques, & Fine. Raven Clan Grease Bowl. Pacific Northwest Coast Native American. Suquamish Tribe/Puget Sound/Salish Sea. Find Location: Bainbridge Island, WA. I certify that this antique grease bowl was reportedly traded for on Bainbridge Island, WA, with the owner’s permission in the 1800s. Suquamish Tribe Raven Grease Bowl. Find Location: Northwest Coast, USA, BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA, 19. This incredible Suquamish Grease Bowl has the powerful Northwest Coast clan figure of a Raven carved into it. The Suquamish believed that animal figures like the Raven carved into objects made the bowl itself come alive with protective powers against evil spirits who were thought to dwell everywhere. The fierce, open mouth of the Raven was purposefully carved to protect and empower those who used this bowl from evil spirits. It is a very powerful and spiritual piece! On the inside of this grease bowl, there is a four-legged animal crudely carved into the side with what appears to be a knife. The animal is about 2 long and perhaps may be a fox or coyote, as he appears to have a long, bushy tail. Look carefully at photos # 4-5 and you can see the image of the animal running to the left with four legs. It is perhaps a clan animal spirit of the Suquamish clan member that once owned this bowl. There also appears to be a name or symbol carved into the underside of the base. It is possible that the non-native owner carved his/her name into the bottom during the 1800s. During feasts and celebrations, dried fish dipped in grease/oil was considered a delicacy. The edible grease/oil mixture was held in small bowls like this one made of wood or sometimes of mountain sheep horn specially carved and shaped for this purpose. This very early, 19. Century Grease Bowl is rather crudely carved and still shows the deep chisel marks that are typical of very early of antique bowls that were created from 17501850. Very old examples of grease bowls are EXTREMELY RARE and only a few are known to exist in Native American museums and fine private collections. Estimated appraised value for this EXTREMELY RARE. This fascinating wooden Grease Bowl carved into the shape of The Trickster Raven came from a very old Pacific Northwestern collection of artifacts from the Puget Sound area. The entire estate collection was obtained decades ago from the late Mrs. Henrietta Swansons relatives, whose family had early Seattle / island connections. Her descendants stated that the original collector had told Mrs. Swanson that their great grandfather acquired it in a trade on Bainbridge island around the late 1890s. The style of carving and the patina of the wood suggests that it was made decades or perhaps a century before. This Raven Grease Bowl effigy shows a fierce, open-beak Raven at one end, with his curled tail along the opposite end. Inside the open beak, there are still remnants of dried grease. There is a single hole that was drilled from the mouth of the Raven to the inside of the bowl. The Ravens shows ware on his lightly discolored, almond-shaped eyes and snout. His gapping, open mouth gives this piece a fierce and rather creepy perspective, as the Raven was thought to scare away Evil Spirits. Look carefully at photo #? And you can see the image of the animal running to the left with four legs. Minor dings, surface cracks, abrasion marks, grease/oil stains are consistent with age and heavy use over centuries. Deep chisel cuts are especially evident on the inside of the bowl. A very early and RARE wooden artifact from the pre-white settler indigenous population of the island/region. This incredible Suquamish Grease Bowl has the powerful clan figure of a Raven carved into it. The fierce, open mouth of the Raven was purposefully carved to show the Raven protecting and empowering those who used this bowl from evil spirits and harm. It is a very powerful and spiritual piece that is museum quality! The Suquamish carvers laboriously worked native cedar into the elegant shapes of grease bowls. Totemic design of a Ravens head and tail were then carved onto the exterior surface of the two ends. This grease bowl is very thick and robustly carved. Although fish was the staple food of Suquamish People, the surrounding forested mountains supported a wide variety of small and large game. Northwest Coast Grease Bowls. Grease bowls were made by the early tribes that inhabited the Great Northwest Coast. They contained edible oils that were used as an accompaniment to the dried fish or meats that were served during feasts and potlatch celebrations on the Northwest Coast. Grease is an adopted English word used to indicate eulachon or candlefish oil, rendered in large wooden vats from small river-run fish in the early spring, or seal oil, rendered from the thick blubber that insulates the various coastal species of seal from the cold northern Pacific waters. Smaller bowls of this kind were often personal property, used by individuals or family groups on a daily basis, while the larger ones were used for bigger gatherings as serving vessels, from which these oils were ladled into smaller bowls. This bowls represents a ravens head with a wide-open mouth, the interior of which leads to the inside of the bowl. There are a small number of other bowls with this basic image, though few of these appear to be as early as this example. The roughly hewed wood suggests this bowl was executed in a very early style, indicating a date of origin that could span from circa 1800 to well back into the eighteenth century. The broad, thick form-lines and deep, carved-out bowl are typical of objects that are documented to the last quarter of the eighteenth century, and many of those were undoubtedly created well before their documented date of collection by Euro-Americansin this case in the late 1800s. This archaic-style design work is usually attributed primarily to the Tlingit or Suquamish, and it’s very likely that this group was the original source of the bowl. However, in the very early historic period, northern Northwest Coast design styles had much more in common than they did in the mid-nineteenth century, after many decades of artistic evolution. Numerous examples of archaic-style objects collected from the Tlingit, Haida, and Suquamish exist to indicate that this style was common in their area in the early years of the contact period. The form-line designs on this bowl appear to represent the head of the eagle on the upper-beak end and the tail feathers and handle on the other end. This dual-representation or punning style of imagery is very common in the Northwest Coast tradition. The bowl is believed to be carved from Sitka spruce, a common forest tree on the northern Northwest Coast, but one that is almost never mentioned in the ethnographic literature as a carving material. Once one learns to recognize the appearance of this wood, however, it becomes apparent that there are a great many carved objects, many of them very early examples, that were carved of this material in the historic period. It was commonly used for bowls in the early contact period and before, as well as for war helmets, canoe paddles, and such works as combs and other small objects. The grease bowl is a very early example, as evidenced by the style of the design work as well as the darkness of the patina and the volume of dark, oxidized oil that has saturated the entire vessel. The image of a seal was often used for grease bowls, in part as an homage to the spirit of the creature that was hunted as the source of the oil. Seal bowls made after 1900 are often up-swept at the ends, which echoes the shape of a seal that stretches out in the sun while resting upon wave-swept rocks. This bowl has no appreciable rise to the ends, which is consistent with the early style of the carving and design work in the vessel and suggests this bowl was made in the early 1800s or before. Later grease bowls made after about 1900 often tended to exaggerate the curvature of the up swept to both ends and were usually worked to a fine, smooth finish. Northwest Native American Raven Mythology. The Raven is a culture hero of the Northwest Coast and Alaskan Athabaskan tribes. He is a revered and benevolent transformer god who helps the people and shapes their world for them, but at the same time, he is also a trickster character and many Raven stories have to do with his frivolous or poorly thought out behavior getting him into trouble. In the mythology of many Northwest Indian tribes, Raven is honored as a culture hero. He is a revered and benevolent transformer figure who helps the people and shapes their world for them, but at the same time, he is also a trickster character and many Raven stories have to do with his frivolous or poorly thought out behavior causing trouble for him and the people around him. Raven is noted for negative traits such as gluttony, greed, and impatience as well as for his heroism and great deeds. Ravens are also used as clan animals in many Native American cultures, particularly those of the Northwest Coast (such as the Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Kwakiutl, Nisgaa-Gitksan, and Salishan tribes) and the northern Athabaskan tribes such as the Tanaina. Raven is an important clan crest on the Northwest Coast and can often be found carved on totem poles, bentwood boxes, and other traditional northwestern art. In fact, the Haida tribe credits Raven for discovering the first humans who were hiding in a clam shell; he brought them berries and salmon. The Suquamish are a Lushootseed-speaking Native American people, located in present-day Washington in the United States. They are a southern Coast Salish people. Today, most Suquamish people are enrolled in the Suquamish Tribe, an indigenous nation and signatory to the Treaty of Point Elliott of 1855. The Suquamish traditionally lived on the western shores of Puget Sound, from Apple Tree Cove in the north to Gig Harbor in the south, including Bainbridge Island and Blake Island. They had villages throughout the region, the largest centered on Old Man House, the largest winter longhouse in the Salish Sea. Chief Seattle was an ancestral leader of the Suquamish Tribe who was born in 1786 at the Old-Man-House village in Suquamish. His father was Schweabe, a Suquamish Chief, and his was mother Scholitza, a Duwamish from a village near present Kent. Seattle was a six years old when Captain George Vancouver anchored in Suquamish waters off Bainbridge Island in 1792. The first contact between Suquamish and European peoples came in 1792 when George Vancouver explored Puget Sound and met members of the Suquamish Tribe, possibly including Schweabe and Kitsap. More regular contact with non-Natives came with the establishment of British trading posts in Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia in the early 19th century England. Once the Washington Territory was established in 1853, the U. Government began signing treaties with area indigenous leaders to extinguish aboriginal claims and make land available for non-Native settlement. They reserved for themselves the land that became designated as the Port Madison Indian Reservation, near their winter village on Agate Pass. They also reserved the right to fish and harvest shellfish in their Usual and Accustomed Areas, and reserved certain cultural and natural resource rights within their historical territory. Today, the Suquamish Tribe is a co-manager with the State of Washington of the state’s salmon fishery. PROVENANCE: Chronology of Ownership. This authentic, Raven Grease Bowl is from the estate of a prominent collector in Ontario California. I recently acquired it from a private collector. This bowl will be accompanied by my Certificate of Authenticity at no additional charge. By the Editors of Time Life, 1992, pgs. Spirit Faces: Contemporary Masks of the Northwest Coast. By Gary Wyatt, 1998. The Coppers of the Northwest Coast Indians: Their Origin. Volume 79, Carol F. Understanding Northwest Coast Art: A Guide to Crests, Beings and Symbols. Each object I sell is professionally researched and compared with similar objects in the collections of the finest museums in the world. When in doubt, I have worked with dozens of subject matter experts to determine the condition and authenticity of numerous antiquities and antiques. All sales are Final, unless I have seriously misrepresented this item! Member of the Authentic Artifact Collectors Association (AACA) & the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA). The item “X-RARE Northwest Coast RAVEN Grease Bowl 1800s Suquamish, Bainbridge Island, WA” is in sale since Thursday, March 21, 2019. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Cultures & Ethnicities\Native American\ US\1800-1934\Other Nat. Am. Items 1800-1934″. The seller is “houghton-usa” and is located in Sequim, Washington. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada.

Handmade: Yes
Modified Item: No
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Culture: Native American: US
Artisan: Unknown
Provenance: Ownership History Available
Origin: Bainbridge Island, WA
Tribal Affiliation: Suquamish

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