Reproduction Sun Dance Buffalo Skull
1996.24.0616
Basic Information
| Artifact Identification | Reproduction Sun Dance Buffalo Skull (1996.24.0616) |
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| Classification/ Nomenclature |
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| Artist/Maker | Strong belief that this is a reproduction prop used in Laubin performances (see Scholarly Notes). APH 6/06/07 |
| Geographic Location | |
| Period/Date | 19th - 20th century CE |
| Culture | Native American: Great Plains: Sioux: Lakota (Teton Sioux, Western Sioux) |
Physical Analysis
| Dimension 1 (Depth) | 57.3 cm |
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| Dimension 2 (Width) | 51.1 cm |
| Dimension 3 (Height) | 23.5 cm |
| Weight | 6086 g |
| Measuring Remarks | None |
| Materials | Animal--Bone, Pigment--Paint, Plant--Straw |
| Manufacturing Processes | Painting, Stuffing |
| Munsell Color Information | Vivid Red (7.5R 4/14) -Red stripe. Light Yellowish Brown (10YR 7/4) -Straw. Yellowish Gray (5Y 8/2) -Skull. |
Research Remarks
| Published Description | "The Buffalo Dance - While the dancers were being painted, it was customary in former times to present a special Buffalo Dance. For its duration the Holy Woman continued to hold the pipe, because the buffalo skull, upon which it was supposed to rest, was a necessary accessory to the dance. A medicine man feigned to lift the skull three times. On the fourth time he actually picked it up and carried it to a place near the center of the circle, in front of the sacred pole. The Buffalo dancers continually gazed at the skull as they danced. The rhythm was similar to that of the women's dances, in 3/4 time. They scraped their feet on the second, or unaccented, beat, bringing the heel down hard, imitating the defiant actions of an angry buffalo bull. |
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| Description | N/A |
| Comparanda | N/A |
| Bibliography | Laubin, Reginald. Indian Dances of North America: Their Importance to Indian Life. University of Oklahoma Press: 1977. |
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Note: There may be an image available for this artifact. For more information, contact the Director. |
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Artifact History
| Archaeological Data | N/A |
|---|---|
| Credit Line/Dedication | Reginald and Gladys Laubin Collection |
| Reproduction | Yes |
| Reproduction Information | N/A |