Virginia S. Eifert, Editor
Thorne Deuel, Museum Director
(Printed by authority of the State of Illinois)
[Illinois Fashions a Thousand Years Ago] 418 [Scalamandre Textiles in the Art Gallery] 420 [The Badger, Master Excavator] 421 [Science Adventure Program for School Age Young People] 423 [The Program] 423 [Three Rivers South by Eifert: A Review] 424
ILLINOIS FASHIONS A THOUSAND YEARS AGO
by Melvin Fowler, Curator of Anthropology
Museum visitors often wonder about the appearance of the prehistoric peoples of Illinois, but pictures of unearthed skeletons and pieces of aboriginal jewelry in museum cases do not wholly satisfy this interest. Anthropologists also are deeply concerned with ancient fashions of dress, yet remains or evidence of garments, cloth, and hair styles seldom come to light. True, anthropologists are able to determine something from beads, ear ornaments, and bracelets found with the dead in graves, and the relationship of these objects to the skeleton sometimes gives clues about the uses of the objects. For instance, it is a fair presumption that disc-shaped ornaments found near the ear region of a skull were ear pendants or decorations.
Occasionally, however, small clay figures are found which give considerable information on the dress and appearance of prehistoric Illinoisians. The purposes for which these statuettes were made by the Indians is not known; they often depict human beings, their clothing, and ornaments. Some are made of clay, others are carved of stone. In addition to statuettes, sculptures are sometimes added as decoration on pottery vessels and in modeling smoking pipes.
Recently a study has been made of the figures and objects made by Hopewellian peoples (who lived about 200 B.C. to 800 A.D.?) and much has been learned about their appearance.[1] Many figures and representations of human beings belonging to the Middle Mississippi Culture in Illinois (1200-1600 A.D.) have also been discovered. A study is being made of these figures at the present time to learn about Middle Mississippi costume, research which is necessary in preparing exhibits on Amerindians (American Indians) in the Museum and the Museumobile.
Already, much has been learned from the study of the figures available. For example, in studying a human figure in stone from the Kincaid Site near Brookport in Massac County, it was observed that the hair styling which was represented consisted of three main elements: a band of some sort around the head, hair bobbed over the ears and cut at shoulder length behind, and an appendage or hair braid commencing on top of the head and trailing down behind. In turning to other Middle Mississippi figures represented in the Museum collection, several were found showing these same characteristics.
