Page:The American Indian.djvu/93

Rh of the continent, however, cannot boast anything that rises to the true cloth standard.

This seems a convenient place to note one of the most characteristic developments of New World technique, viz., feather-work. The center of the art seems to have been in Mexico, where highly decorative schemes were carried out by overlaying cloth with feathers. A few specimens have been preserved for us, but our real insight into this trait-complex is from historical accounts, particularly Sahagun. Cloaks and mantles for distinguished persons, headdresses for war leaders, and other badges of distinction were in feather mosaics. The less distinguished persons sometimes wore mantles of turkey feathers, an art extending to the Pueblo tribes of the United States, thence eastward through the Gulf States and northward as far as the Hudson River. On the Pacific Coast feather mosaics reach a high state of development in California basketry. Feather insignia and headdresses were conspicuous among some of the warlike tribes of the bison area.

Turning southward from Mexico, we find a fair development of feather mosaics in Peru; then out into the Amazon country where true mosaic work is rare we find one of the most characteristic traits to be brilliant feather-head decorations. Thus, taking Mexico as the center, we see a radiation of feather-work into both continents. We may also be reminded of the very striking parallel in Hawaii and the possibility of an historical connection between the two.

To describe the different styles of clothing for the various groups of natives is impossible in a few pages, but some of the general characteristics may be noted. The most completely clothed are the Eskimo and the caribou hunters of Canada. These people cut out and fit pieces of prepared skin together somewhat like a modern tailor. Moreover, their patterns are equally intricate and their skill in fitting gives distinct local styles. The southern limits of tailored skin