Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number CAS 0146-0004   CAS 0146-0004; Shirt
Category Bead & Leatherwork
Object Name Shirt
Culture Dena’ina (Tanaina)
Global Region North America
Country USA
State/Prov./Dist. Alaska
County
Other Geographic Data Cook Inlet area
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1880s to 1890s
Collection Name N/A
Materials Caribou or young moose hide; Glass beads; Commercial paint; Unidentified fur; Eagle down; Sinew; Cotton thread
Description Man’s tunic constructed from two pieces of tanned hide that are seamed together along both sides and across the shoulders and sewn with sinew; Two large darts measuring approx. 16 cm long are sewn on the upper front,extending out from the neck opening; Long sleeves are seamed on the underarm and attached to the main tunic at the shoulder with sinew; Bottom of edge of tunic is cut to form a V-shaped extenswion on both the front and back and the edges of the hide are further cut to form short fringes in groups of 3 or 4, with some of the fringes threaded through 2 yellow and 1 blue barrel-shaped bead; Actual hemline is painted with red line and decorated with three rows of small glass seed beads in white and light blue, sewn with cotton thread in lazy stitch; Another red line is painted up center of tunic on both front and back, starting from lowest point of hemline and extending 49 cm on front and 46 cm on back; Each of these lines is then decorated with 3 rows of small seed beads in white, red, and dark blue sewn with cotton string in lazy stitch;
Dimensions (cm) Width = ca. 170.0, Thickness = 0.6, Length = 132.1