Prayer stick

Museum number:
2-62028
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21020062028
Accession number:
Acc.3432
Description:
2 sagebrush twigs rubbed with malachite paint to which are attached cornhusk sections and various feathers and down including turkey and a raptorial bird; bound together with 4-ply, handspun (?) cotton cordage. Also with this number: 14 potsherds from different pots, they appear to be a mixture of Southwest types, with corrugated, buff, black on yellow, black on white, and black.
Donor:
Wolfgang J. Heimpel
Collection place:
Walpi, First Mesa, Hopi Reservation
Verbatim coll. place:
Arizona; Hopi Reservation; Walpi
Culture or time period:
Hopi
Collector:
Wolfgang J. Heimpel
Collection date:
August 1978
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Potsherds, Pottery, Prayer-sticks (ceremonial objects), and Unclassified pottery
Function:
5.1 Religion and Divination: Objects and garb associated with practices reflecting submission, devotion, obedience, and service to supernatural agencies
Context of use:
Prayer stick.
Department:
Native US and Canada (except California)
Dimensions:
length 12 centimeters
Comment:
Native name: "paho".
Legacy documentation:
Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Prayer stick, accession number 2-62028, described as 2 sagebrush twigs rubbed with malachite paint to which are attached cornhusk sections and various feathers and down including turkey and a raptorial bird; bound together with 4-ply, handspun (?) cotton cordage. Also with this number: 14 potsherds from different pots, they appear to be a mixture of Southwest types, with corrugated, buff, black on yellow, black on white, and black.

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