Purpose of Native American Art

• Purpose of Native American Art - Functional/Utilitarian: to use - Ceremonial/Ritual - Narrative: to tell a story or give information • All Art was made from available resources

• Types of Native American Art include: * Rock Art * Pottery * Weaving * Baskets * Architecture * Kachina Dolls * Sand painting * Clothing * Beadwork

Rock Art Petroglyphs – pecked into the rock Pictographs – painted onto the rock • Rock art used to Ceremonial - before a hunt, planting seasons. • Migration - to inform other Native American’s of good hunting grounds, water sources. • Warning - evil spirits, warring tribes

Pottery • Pottery was used to carry food and water • Many of the designs included patterns and symbols Created by using the coil method of hand building Slip – liquid clay used for glue to join pieces of clay together Score – method of roughing up clay to help pieces of clay to join Kiln – oven used to fire clay Glaze – liquid glass that gives a shiny finish to pottery

Weaving • Weaving was used as blankets and rugs. • Also, baskets were woven Loom – used to weave on, often a frame Warp – the thread that is attached to the loom or vertical threads Weft – the thread that is horizontal to the loom or woven in between the warp threads

Kachina Dolls • Hopi Indians created Kachina Dolls which stood for spirits found in nature which were thought to help create balance in nature. Sand painting • Sand painting was done by the Navajo Indians. • The shaman or medicine man would perform the ceremony that was used to heal the sick. • Colors were used to symbolize the four corners of the earth, sun, and moon to name a few. Beadwork • Many different tribes are known for their intricate beadwork. • The beadwork would be used to decorate various things, like shoes, clothing, bags, and belts. Native American Architecture • Based upon the various resources that each tribe had determined what type of dwelling that they lived in. • Also, depending upon whether the tribe was nomadic or stationary determined the type of dwelling that they lived in.

Plains - Tepee Southwest - Pueblo Eastern Woodland - Wigwam

Beadwork Pottery Basket

Kachina Doll Totem Poles Mask from Northwest

Weaving Sand painting Petroglyphs