Native North American Art

Question 1

3 case studies

Answer 1

Pacific Northwest Coast, American Southwest & Mississippian Archaeological Culture

Question 2

Pacific Northwest Coast context and main art forms

Answer 2

Made up of hundreds of islands and coastal valleys from southern Alaska through British Columbia and down to Washington State. Matrilineal political structure but have male chiefs, totemic moieties, Potlatch. Religious practices based on shamanism.
Crest poles, Shaman’s masks and rattles and arts associated with the Potlatch.

Question 3

American Southwest context and main art forms

Answer 3

Generically called Puebloan culture, based around Mesa (table mountains), each Mesa have seperate Pueblos on it, or in caves in its steep or overhanging sides. In contact with spanish missionaries from early 1600s but were devastated by diseases and remained isolated until the 19th C.
Archaeological ceramic paintings, Hopi Kachina Dancers and Kachina Dolls, Navaho Sand Paintings

Question 4

Mississippian Archaeological Culture context and main art forms

Answer 4

Era in south-eastern USA between 900-1600AD. The most urbanised Pre-Columbians north of the modern Mexican border.
Gorgets in shell and beaten native copper, large ceramic and stone ancestor images, portrait vessels, enigmatic wood sculptures.