Description
Book Synopsis: For thousands of years, Native Americans throughout the Eastern Woodlands and Great Plains used the physical act and visual language of tattooing to construct and reinforce the identity of individuals and their place within society and the cosmos. The act of tattooing served as a rite of passage and supplication, while the composition and use of ancestral tattoo bundles was intimately related to group identity. The resulting symbols and imagery inscribed on the body held important social, civil, military, and ritual connotations within Native American society. Yet despite the cultural importance that tattooing held for prehistoric and early historic Native Americans, modern scholars have only recently begun to consider the implications of ancient Native American tattooing and assign tattooed symbols the same significance as imagery inscribed on pottery, shell, copper, and stone.
Drawing with Great Needles is the first book-length scholarly examination into the antiquity, meaning, and significance of Native American tattooing in the Eastern Woodlands and Great Plains. The contributors use a variety of approaches, including ethnohistorical and ethnographic accounts, ancient art, evidence of tattooing in the archaeological record, historic portraiture, tattoo tools and toolkits, gender roles, and the meanings that specific tattoos held for Dhegiha Sioux and other Native speakers, to examine Native American tattoo traditions. Their findings add an important new dimension to our understanding of ancient and early historic Native American society in the Eastern Woodlands and Great Plains.
Chapter List:
- Introduction - Carol Diaz-Granados and Aaron Deter-Wolf
- Native American Tattooing in the Protohistoric Southeast - Antoinette B. Wallace
- Needle in a Haystack: Examining the Archaeological Evidence for Prehistoric Tattooing - Aaron Deter-Wolf
- Swift Creek Paddle Designs as Tattoos: Ethnographic Insights on Prehistoric Body Decoration and Material Culture - Benjamin A. Steere
- Tattoos, Totem Marks, and War Clubs: Projecting Power through Visual Symbolism in Northern Woodlands Culture - Lars Krutak
- The Art of Enchantment: Corporeal Marking and Tattooing Bundles of the Great Plains - Lars Krutak
- Identifying the Face of the Sacred: Tattooing the Images of Gods and Heroes in the Art of the Mississippian Period - F. Kent Reilly III
- Dhegihan Tattoos: Markings That Consecrate, Empower, and Designate Lineage - James R. Duncan
- Snaring Life from the Stars and the Sun: Mississippian Tattooing and the Enduring Cycle of Life and Death - David H. Dye
References
Contributors
Index
Details
Discover the ancient tattoo traditions of North America with our groundbreaking book, Drawing with Great Needles. For thousands of years, Native Americans in the Eastern Woodlands and Great Plains used tattooing as a means of constructing their identity and reinforcing their place in society and the cosmos. Delve into the rich history of tattooing as a rite of passage and supplication, as well as the significance of ancestral tattoo bundles. Our book is the first scholarly examination of Native American tattooing, offering new insights into their society and culture.
Uncover the hidden meanings of Native American tattooing with the help of our expert contributors. Using a variety of approaches, including ethnohistorical accounts, ancient art, and archaeological evidence, they explore the significance of tattooing in Native American society. From examining the use of tattooing as a projection of power in Northern Woodlands culture to the tattooing of images of gods and heroes in the Mississippian period, our book covers a wide range of topics.
Don't miss out on this fascinating exploration of ancient Native American tattooing. Order your copy of Drawing with Great Needles today and enhance your understanding of the Eastern Woodlands and Great Plains cultures. Order now to embark on a journey through time and discover the artistry and symbolism behind Native American tattoos.
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