Decorated objects from Iroquoian populations of North America: descriptions and possible meanings
Description
The Iroquoian peoples of northeastern North America were prolific producers of bone objects until the arrival of the first Europeans. This bone industry even came to supplant the lithic industry among some of them. These artifacts fall into a wide range of functional categories, but few are decorated. When they are, it is usually through incisions or grooves forming abstract geometric patterns, the exact meaning of which largely eludes us. However, parallels can be drawn with the decorations on ceramic vessels and pipes, offering a glimpse into a possible decorative grammar that remains difficult to decipher. The comparison with the rock paintings of neighboring Algonquian populations, for its part, raises questions about what is chosen to be represented depending on the material support and the cultural context.
Référence
Gates St-Pierre, Christian. 2026. « Decorated objects from Iroquoian populations of North America: descriptions and possible meanings ». Communication présentée lors de l'International Conference of Engraving Bones in Prehistoric Times : Gripping Aides, Decorations and Symbols, PETRI Berlin. Entdecke die Archäologie, du 6 au 9 mai 2026.
