The Inuit
The Aleutian Islanders were great hunters and caught whales, seals and sea otters from their kayaks.  The sea otter was important in Aleut mythology as it was thought to give protection to the hunter.  This kayak ornament is a row of small whales linked to the head and tail of a sea ani...

Northwest Coast
The tribes of the Northwest Coast of British Columbia were famous for their distinctive art style in sculpture, painting and weaving.   They were wealthy and during the winter months, feasts and ceremonies were held for secular and religious purposes.   At these, troupes of ma...

California
The tribes of California are famous for their skill in basket weaving.   Using all kinds of grasses and stems and rootstocks of plants, they made hats, cradles, baking baskets, acorn harvesting equipment, ladles, water containers and plates.   The Pomo often ornamented baskets...

Eastern Woodlands
Before the arrival of European beads, the women of the Eastern Woodlands of North America decorated deerskin clothing with dyed quills and dyed moosehair.   When trade beads became readily available it was possible to create more naturalistic floral designs.    This bead ...

Mexico
When the Spanish conquerors defeated the Aztec Empire under its ruler King Montezuma, they continued to exact tribute from the conquered settlements just as the Aztecs had done.   This tribute list on maguey paper is a legal document in a case brought by ten native settlements in 1555-1...