Cheyenne Beaded Hide Leggings, with Lizards
fourth quarter 19th century

sinew-sewn softly tanned hide; decorated with glass beads in colors of cobalt and white; large red white-heart, blue padre, and dew claws on fringe

length 35 inches

While green represented the earth, yellow symbolized the sun, the deity that sustained Plains Indian culture.   Every Plains tribe used both colors, but green was more common on the Southern Plains while yellow was dominant among the Cheyennes north and south...

These Cheyenne leggings have dainty lizards beaded on the batwing flaps.   They are a prayer that the warrior wearing the leggings will be as quick and elusive as the lizard that darts to and from, seldom seen and difficult to catch.   White heart beads are used as pendants to define the shape of the leg.   The side and bottom fringes are tinted green, perhaps to represent the horizon (Hanson 1994: 60).

Published:
Spirits in the Art (Hanson 1994: 60, plate 60)
Converging Streams: Art of the Hispanic and Native American Southwest (Wroth & Gavin, 2010: 183, plate 45)  


Ex Joseph Henry Sharp Collection