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The Americas · c. 1500 BCE – today

Umbilical amulets & medicine bundles

Meaning

Lakota, Cheyenne and other Plains umbilical amulets are beaded hide pouches in the shape of a turtle or lizard, holding the child's dried umbilical cord. Turtles and lizards are hard to kill and long-lived. Medicine bundles held an individual's or clan's sacred objects.

Intent

The umbilical pouch was made by relatives and tied to the cradleboard, then worn, to give the child long life and keep its spirit rooted. A girl's was often a turtle, a boy's a lizard. Medicine bundles gave power in war, healing and ceremony.

Significance

Umbilical amulets are among the most personal Native objects, tying a person to birth and family, and they are masterpieces of quillwork and beadwork. Medicine bundles are sacred, and many museums are returning them under NAGPRA.

History

Umbilical amulets are documented from the 19th century, with glass-bead examples mostly from c. 1870–1920. Medicine bundle traditions are much older.

Making yours
Turtle and lizard shapes 8–15 cm in hide, fully covered with lazy-stitch glass seed beads.
The Americas: the tradition

In the Americas, protective and power objects belonged to the relationship between people, ancestors, animals and the land. Andean herders kept stone illas for the fertility of their flocks, Mesoamerican rulers wore green jade as breath and maize, Isthmian goldsmiths cast animal spirit-helpers, and Arctic and Northwest Coast shamans carried carved spirit charms. Catholicism, arriving from 1492, brought saints, milagros and the Iberian evil-eye tradition, which fused with Indigenous and African belief into new forms such as Ekeko, the Afro-Brazilian balangandã and Santería. Many Indigenous objects are sacred and some communities ask that they not be displayed or copied; the Zuni, for example, distinguish sacred fetishes from carvings made for sale.

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Amulet or figure fitting, inlaid copper alloy, Egypt, possibly Late Period or Ptolemaic PeriodAmulet or figure fitting, inlaid copper alloy, Egypt, possibly Late Period or Ptolemaic PeriodEgypt · 664 BC - 30 BCAmulet of the Crown of Upper EgyptAmulet of the Crown of Upper EgyptEgypt · Third Intermediate Period, Dynasty 21–25 (1070–656 BCE)square; Jewellery, silver, reliefsquare; Jewellery, silver, reliefStanding Nehemet-AwayStanding Nehemet-Awaybetween 1070 and 332 BC (Third Intermediate-Late Period)Amulet: Crown of Lower EgyptAmulet: Crown of Lower EgyptEgyptian late period · 664–332 B.C.Illustration - Amulet of SiouxIllustration - Amulet of SiouxČechyIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůČeská republikaCrown, jewellery, krona amulet from EgyptCrown, jewellery, krona amulet from EgyptEgyptAmulets of EgyptAmulets of EgyptEgyptAmuletic necklace, Bear claws and red trade beads.Amuletic necklace, Bear claws and red trade beads.Amulet of the Crown of Lower EgyptAmulet of the Crown of Lower EgyptEgypt · Third Intermediate Period, Dynasty 21–25 (1070–656 BCE)Amulet of a crown of Lower EgyptAmulet of a crown of Lower Egypt664–30 BC Period: Late Period–Ptolemaic PeriodAmulet: Crown of Upper EgyptAmulet: Crown of Upper EgyptEgyptian late period · 664–332 B.C.Ilustrace - Amulet SiouxůIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůČechyIllustration - Amulet of SiouxIllustration - Amulet of SiouxČeská republikaJewellery, crown, krona amulet from EgyptJewellery, crown, krona amulet from EgyptEgyptAmulet of the White Crown of Upper EgyptAmulet of the White Crown of Upper EgyptEgypt · Late Period, Dynasty 26–31 (664–332 BCE)Louvre - pectoral au nom de Ramses IILouvre - pectoral au nom de Ramses IIIllustration - Amulet of SiouxIllustration - Amulet of SiouxČechyIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůČeská republikaFeathercrown, jewellery, palette, palett, fjäderkrona amulet from EgyptFeathercrown, jewellery, palette, palett, fjäderkrona amulet from EgyptEgyptPair of gold earrings with an Egyptian Atef crown set with stones and glassPair of gold earrings with an Egyptian Atef crown set with stones and glass3rd–2nd century B.C.Illustration - Amulet of SiouxIllustration - Amulet of SiouxČechyIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůČeská republikaJewellery, cartouche, feathercrown, fjäderkrona, kartusch amulet from EgyptJewellery, cartouche, feathercrown, fjäderkrona, kartusch amulet from EgyptEgyptAmulet Depicting Crown of Upper EgyptAmulet Depicting Crown of Upper Egyptbetween circa 1550 and circa 625 BCEIllustration - Amulet of SiouxIllustration - Amulet of SiouxČechyIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůČeská republikaFeathercrown, jewellery, fjäderkrona amulet from EgyptFeathercrown, jewellery, fjäderkrona amulet from EgyptEgyptAmulet Depicting the Crown of Lower EgyptAmulet Depicting the Crown of Lower Egyptbetween circa 1550 and circa 625 BCEIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůČechyIllustration - Amulet of SiouxIllustration - Amulet of SiouxČeská republikaJewellery, crown, krona amulet from EgyptJewellery, crown, krona amulet from EgyptEgyptNCWHM - Lakota AmuletsNCWHM - Lakota AmuletsIllustration - Amulet of SiouxIllustration - Amulet of SiouxČechyIllustration - Amulet of SiouxIllustration - Amulet of SiouxČeská republikaAmulet@eng, crown@eng, jewellery@eng, jewellery, krona amulet from EgyptAmulet@eng, crown@eng, jewellery@eng, jewellery, krona amulet from EgyptEgyptSioux Indian amulet in the form of a turtleSioux Indian amulet in the form of a turtleIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůČeská republikaAmulet@eng, jewellery@eng, crown@eng, jewellery, krona amulet from EgyptAmulet@eng, jewellery@eng, crown@eng, jewellery, krona amulet from EgyptEgyptAmulet in the shape of a turtle, 1871-1900Amulet in the shape of a turtle, 1871-1900Ilustrace - Amulet SiouxůIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůČeská republikaPlaque@eng, amulet@eng, plakett amulet from EgyptPlaque@eng, amulet@eng, plakett amulet from EgyptEgyptSioux Indian amulet in the form of a turtleSioux Indian amulet in the form of a turtleIllustration - Amulet of SiouxIllustration - Amulet of SiouxČeská republikaAmulet@eng, feathercrown@eng, jewellery@eng, jewellery, fjäderkrona amulet from EgyptAmulet@eng, feathercrown@eng, jewellery@eng, jewellery, fjäderkrona amulet from EgyptEgyptHanger met rots-amulet, asset q1WYPHhXTYNN89STLd84f1MJHanger met rots-amulet, asset q1WYPHhXTYNN89STLd84f1MJIllustration - Amulet of SiouxIllustration - Amulet of SiouxČeská republikaAmulet@eng, crown@eng, jewellery@eng, krona, jewellery amulet from EgyptAmulet@eng, crown@eng, jewellery@eng, krona, jewellery amulet from EgyptEgyptGeneral Wendjebauendjed’s amuletsGeneral Wendjebauendjed’s amuletsIllustration - Amulet of SiouxIllustration - Amulet of SiouxČeská republikaJewellery, crown, krona amulet from EgyptJewellery, crown, krona amulet from EgyptEgyptPianure, dakota, amuleto con cordone ombelicale, 1830 ca.Pianure, dakota, amuleto con cordone ombelicale, 1830 ca.Ilustrace - Amulet SiouxůIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůČeská republikaCrown, jewellery, krona amulet from EgyptCrown, jewellery, krona amulet from EgyptEgyptSioux Indian amulet in the form of a turtleSioux Indian amulet in the form of a turtleIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůIlustrace - Amulet SiouxůČeská republikaCounterpoise, jewellery, feathercrown, fjäderkrona, motvikt amulet from EgyptCounterpoise, jewellery, feathercrown, fjäderkrona, motvikt amulet from EgyptEgyptSioux amulet in the form of a lizard, Honolulu Museum of Art 4935.1Sioux amulet in the form of a lizard, Honolulu Museum of Art 4935.1Illustration - Amulet of SiouxIllustration - Amulet of SiouxČeská republika

More from The Americas: Andean illas & conopas · Ekeko & alasitas miniatures · Isthmian & Colombian gold pendants · Mesoamerican jade & stone pendants · Taíno zemís & Caribbean amulets · Zuni & Pueblo fetishes · Northwest Coast & Arctic shaman charms · Balangandãs, figas & Afro-Atlantic charms
Every type in the gallery

Anything in the gallery can be made, by hand, in the prescribed metal or yours and, where the tradition names an hour, at that hour or with a plain note that it was not. Numbered. Price on commission, quoted first. I reply within one business day.