Photo Gallery

Ceremonial staff, a mortuary offering found in a grave in a kiva, carved out of the thigh bone of a grizzly bear with a precisely executed geometric design and a finely polished surface. Mogollon Culture, ASM.
ASM = Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, Tucson (Arizona)

The upper end of a talking stick, which was held by a chief on ceremonial occasions; with wolfs head and haliotis inlays. (166 cm, SJM)
SJM = Sheldon Jackson Museum, Sitka

A Haida chiefs speaker's staff. An eagle, a raven with pointed ears and a wolf can be identified on the stick. By gesturing with the staff the speaker could emphasize certain words or sentences. (92 cm, VM)
VM = Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Coiffé du chullo de laine sous le typique chapeau cuzquenio, vêtu d'un magnifique poncho, ce jeune Indien de la Vallée sacrée tient en main la vara de mando, bâton cerclé d'argent, insigne honorifique de sa fonction. Il est l'alcade d'un ayllu, communauté agraire héritée des temps inca, où les Quechuas continuent de vivre comme autrefois.