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	Larger Image (66k)   Black Moccasin   Catlin's drawing of the Mandan leader Wolf Chief, wearing a peace medal and holding two calumets. Engraving from Catlin's Letters and Notes on the Manners, Customs and Condition of the North American Indians , 1841.	Calumet Upper Missouri River Wood (probably semi-ring porous/semi-diffuse porous), eight immature Bald Eagle (mottled) and six immature Golden Eagle feathers, unidentified bird scalp, downy feathers, dyed and undyed horse hair, dyed artiodactyl (deer?) hair, unidentified hair, dyed and undyed porcupine quills, sinew, bast fiber cord, hide thongs, silk ribbons, cotton yarn, pigments L: 107 cm w: 59 cm (with fan) PM#99-12-10/53099 William Clark was struck by the elaborate smoking rituals that Indian peoples conducted, particularly in diplomatic contexts. In his field journal, he described the native protocol that guided councils between Indian leaders and members of the expedition. Lewis and Clark were given pipes to commemorate the establishment of relations between native nations and the newly formed United States. Other pipes were presented to them as personal gifts. Calumets were also used in adoption ceremonies, one of which was witnessed by Lewis and Clark. This calumet or ceremonial reed pipe is one of a number of pipes the Boston Museum received from the Peale Museum. In 1809, the Peale Museum recorded the receipt of 14 ceremonial pipes from the Lewis and Clark expedition. Because many tribal groups used pipes of similar styles, it is difficult to identify their origins today. Several Mandan calumets of this type were later painted from life by artist George Catlin, including two owned by the leader Wolf Chief. The double feather fans on this calumet are unusual and may represent two different ritual events. The catlinite bowl pictured here may not have belonged to this pipe. Catlinite was so named in honor of the artist, who visited and painted the quarry site in 1836.

	<previous -index- next> h o m e i n t r o o b j e c t s m a p r e s o u r c e s c r e d i t s The Ethnography of Lewis and Clark: Native American Objects and the American Quest for Commerce and Science Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University Copyright ©President and Fellows of Harvard College