Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number CAS 0520-0078   CAS 0520-0078; Katsina
Category Carvings
Object Name Katsina
Culture Hopi (possibly Navajo made)
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. 1960s
Collection Name Owings Collection (Hopi Katsinam)
Materials Cottonwood (Populus sp.) roots; Paint; Feathers; Cotton string; Wool yarn; Leather
Description 3-dimensional carved figure in standing position, representing a probable composite of several katsinam; His body paint, clothing, and face mask are all incorrectly combined, suggesting this figure was probably not carved by a Hopi; His body is painted completely black with paired white lines extending up front and back of arms and continuing down left and right sides of chest and back; He wears carved and painted white kilt with wedding sash (fringe of sash is real cotton string), and white moccasins; White case mask includes red tab ears and red tubular mouth and is painted with serrated blue triangle around mouth and blue and black bands along forehead; Large and small feathers are attached to top of mask.
Dimensions (cm) Height = 30.5, Width = 18.8, Depth = ca. 10.0