Northern Plains Roach Spreader

19th Century

.1875" H x 5.25" L x 1.625" W

Hand Crafted from Bone with Comb Like Edging and Geometric Hole Pattern with Sun Burst Design in the Center

Excellent Condition with Aged Wear and the very Tips Missing

A Northern Plains Roach Spreader is a traditional accessory used in Native American regalia, particularly among tribes of the Northern Great Plains (such as Lakota, Dakota, and Northern Cheyenne). It is an essential component for securing and styling a roach headdress—a crested hair ornament made from porcupine guard hairs, deer tail hair, moose hair, or synthetic fibers, often dyed in vibrant colors like red or yellow to signify veteran status. The spreader fans out the roach's hairs horizontally outward, creating a distinctive, larger profile typical of Northern Plains styles (contrasting with the more vertical, compact Southern Plains variants).

Provenance:  From the Len and Toni Wood Private Collection, Laguna Beach, California