Thousands of years before America was “discovered,” Native Americans were creating objects for everyday use that would one day be considered art. Perhaps the earliest of these were arrowheads, baskets, and pottery. Such items were originally intended for use in hunting and storage, respectively, but today they are collected for their fine craftsmanship and beauty.
Some tribes have become renowned for specific types of items. The Navajo, for example, learned wool weaving from the Pueblo peoples in the late 17th century and began making fine blankets and, starting in the late 19th century, rugs. The Hopi, on the other hand, made intricate katsina dolls (also known as kachina dolls) to represent the katsina spirits responsible for bringing rainfall. While katsina dolls were intended in part as educational tools for children, they have become highly coveted outside of the Hopi community.
Even as Native American arts and crafts have been affected strongly by European conventions and materials in more recent centuries, their own styles and aesthetics have exerted their own influence among Natives and non-Natives alike.
Interviews & Articles
Katsina or Kachina? Barry Walsh on the Spiritual Roots of Native American Dolls

Katsinas are representations of spirit beings, so they should convey a certain amount of spirituality. The old ones generally do t… [more]
Native American Jewelry Author Mark Bahti Talks Turquoise and Squash Blossoms

Thanks to my father, I basically grew up involved with Indian arts and culture. He was a graduate of the University of New Mexico … [more]
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The companion website to First American Art: The Charles and Valerie Diker Collection of American Indian Art, which… [read review or visit site]
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