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Ceremonial mantle
In the 19th century, Native Americans on the northwest coast surrounded themselves with symbols of their clans. These totems, representing animals or other natural phenomena associated with the clan, appeared on the interiors and exteriors of houses and on poles, canoes, musical instruments, tombs, ceremonial objects and clothing. Tlingit women translated the bold, complex totem designs from painted and carved wooden items into cloth using a twined tapestry technique. These spectacular textiles were then traded to others along the coast as symbols of wealth and status -- often reserved for clan chiefs. This mantle was worn
on ceremonial occasions such as dances and potlatch, or gift-giving
feasts, draped over the shoulders with the pointed bottom in back and
the sides tied together in front. Its design has been interpreted as a
bear totem, and its long fringe would have swayed with the music during
dances. After death, a chief's ceremonial mantle was often laid over his
wooden tomb and left to return to the earth along with his remains. cedar bark, mountain
goat hair; twined tapestry (discontinuous weft-faced weft-twining)
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