Northern Plains Sious Red Stone Bird Pipe

ca. 1880 - 1890

1.75" H x 3.125" L x 1" W

Hand Crafted from Catlinite Stone of a Bird with Hole in Center and at Base with 2 Inlaid Lead Eyes

In Excellent Condition

The Northern Plains Sioux Red Stone Bird Pipe is a small-scale ceremonial or decorative pipe crafted by or in the style of the Sioux (also known as Dakota or Lakota) people from the Northern Plains region of North America. These pipes are typically made from catlinite (also called pipestone), a sacred red stone quarried from Pipestone National Monument in southwestern Minnesota. The stone's rich red color symbolizes the flesh of the people in Sioux tradition, and pipes carved from it have been used for over 3,000 years in prayer, ceremonies, diplomacy, and rites of passage.

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