[NATIVE AMERICAN] Plains Stone-Head War Club w/ Hide-Wrapped Shaft

A Plains Stone-Head War Club with Stitched Hide Binding.

A Plains war club with a substantial reddish-brown stone head tapering toward opposing points, secured transversely to a long, slender shaft. A broad hide band encloses the central portion of the stone, its edges articulated by prominent lacing. The hide covering continues along the shaft, where a longitudinal seam emphasizes the length of the handle. The contrast between the compact mass of the head and the attenuated proportions of the shaft gives the object a forceful, readily recognizable silhouette.

Stone-headed clubs of this general type were used across a broad area of the Plains, from the Dakotas southward to Texas. Their construction brought together a shaped stone striking element, a wooden handle, and hide bindings, combining the properties of each material in a durable composite form.

The club offered here derives its visual character from the economy of its construction: the balanced points of the stone, the broad enclosing band, and the uninterrupted line of the shaft. A fine example.