Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number CAS 0520-0041   CAS 0520-0041; Katsina
Category Carvings
Object Name Katsina
Culture Hopi
Global Region North America
Country USA
State/Prov./Dist. Arizona
County Navajo
Other Geographic Data Hopi Indian Reservation
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1970s
Collection Name Owings Collection (Hopi Katsinam)
Materials Cottonwood (Populus sp.) roots; Paint; Wool yarn; Feathers; Ribbon
Description 3-dimensional carved figure in standing position, possibly representing Tunei-nili, a caricature of the Navajo deity Tonenili (Water Sprinkler); Figure's body is painted white with brown lines across his chest and back and down his arms; He wears carved and painted black kilt with red and yellow zigzag lines, fox skin tail, black leggings with red and green yarn garters, brown moccasins, and Navajo-style black leather pouch over right shoulder; Blue case mask has yellow beak, small white eyes on V-shaped black band, and green yarn neck ruff; Yellow yarn frames top and sides of mask; Green frog is painted on back of mask; Several feathers and pair of red ribbon streamers are glued to left side of mask.
Dimensions (cm) Height = 30.0, Width = 6.5, Depth = 8.1