Bear-Claw Necklace
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.This necklace served as an emblem of bravery. Composed of forty-six bears’ claws, arranged by size, it would have taken years to assemble. Some tribes believed such ornaments were sacred and held special ceremonies to honor them. Revered for its ferocity and supernatural power, the grizzly bear was associated with both war and healing, and since ancient times, men have sought the animal’s spiritual help.
Artwork Details
- Title: Bear-Claw Necklace
- Date: ca. 1840
- Geography: United States, Central Plains
- Culture: Central Plains, Lakota (Teton Sioux), Cheyenne or Arapaho
- Medium: Grizzly bear claws, native-tanned leather, wool yarn
- Dimensions: Length: 17 in. (43.2 cm)
- Classifications: Bone/Ivory-Ornaments, Jewelry
- Credit Line: National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. (088020.000)
- Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing