Plains Indian, Stone War Club, Lead, c. 1870
War club
Maker: Native American
Materials: Leather, lead, stone, horse hair
Age: Circa 1870
Description: Plains Indian Stone Head dance club. Red stone pointed on both sides with lead inlay design, The stick is either made of a bone or wood but is covered tightly with skin, and sinew sewn just below the stone head. Buffalo hair tassel at the end.
Provenance: James and Miki Mangan
Size: 29" L x 5.25 W
Weight: 1 lb. 5 oz.
Condition: Extremely nice condition.
History: Commonly used by the Plains Indians who ranged from Texas to the Dakotas, stone-headed war clubs included a handle carved from wood or bone with a piece of stone attached to the head. The handles varied in length, and often the craftsman of the club would inscribe meaningful ornaments, decorative designs and symbolic images onto the handle. While some stone-headed war clubs used a riverbed stone that was round and smooth, the Plains Indians preferred the double-pointed stone head, which featured a stone with pointed edges in both directions. Among the Plains Indians these double-pointed stone-head clubs were popular for both clashing at war and for dancing at ceremonies.
Meta: Indian, Native Americans, stone, dance club, club, weapons, leather, horse hair