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Art and technology:
Woodwork - Indians were masters of woodwork and they used a variety of tools to shape the wood. They made axes, knives, scrapers,
drills and hammers out of stone, shell, copper, bone, horn and teeth. They made houses, boats, sleds, snowshoes, bows and arrows,
spears, clubs, shields and much more.
Stonework - Before the iron tools from Europe arrived, stone was the primary material used to form tools for cutting, piercing, scraping
and hammering. Soft stones like catlinite (pipe stone) and steatite (soapstone) were used to shape bowls, containers and religious
objects. Gemstones were used to make jewelry.
Skin work - The Indians used the skin of animals for several purposes. The uncured skin was used to make shields, boxes, drums and
rattles. Indians also had various techniques to cure leather. Leather and fur served to make clothing, sheats and blankets.
Textiles - Indians not only used skin for clothing but plant fibres and wool from buffalo, too. They did not have looms, except Indians in
the Southwest. Yarn was spun on a spindle or by hand.
Basketry - This art developed together with weaving and Indians made various forms of baskets for various purposes.
Pottery - This was mainly used by local tribes in North America because the vessels were to fragile for the nomadic lifestyle.
Metalwork - Although the Native North Americans did not enter the Iron Age, metals were used all over the continent.
There are much more interesting discoveries like shell work, feather work, painting, dramatic arts and games and toys but it would take
too much time to explain them all.
Shelter - Depending on which tribe you look at, you can find different shelters. They were all specialized for the lifestyle of a specific
tribe. There were teepees, wigwams, igloos, pueblos and lean-tos.
Clothing - The style of clothing depended on the climate the Indians had to face and on which materials were available for them. For
their clothing Indians used fur, cotton and various plant materials. Common articles were shirts, leggings for men and skirts and blouses
for women, plus robes and blankets for cold weather. Some Indians went barefoot others wore leather moccasins or woven plant fibre
sandals.
Religion - This part of Indian life was very important and had influence on their whole lifestyle. Indians saw themselves as an extension
of animate and inanimate nature. Religion and ritual were important for everyday activity like the quest for food, technology, warfare
and art. Prayer was used in combination with hunting, for example. Indian religion generally involved that the universe is suffused with
preternatural forces and powerful spirits. Shamanism was a common form of religious practice in which the individual tried to control
these spirits through the use of magic.
Language - In former times there existed many Indian languages - perhaps as many as 2,200! This caused problems in intertribal
communication, but made it also possible for scientists to trace the development of Indian culture. Many of these languages have
survived and are spoken by contemporary Indians, over 100 in the United States alone!
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