Aboriginal Australian Dot Painting

Aboriginal Australians have one of the oldest continuous cultures in the world. Their art, going back to ancient rock and cave paintings believed to have been made by ancestral spiritual beings, is an important part of their heritage. Dot painting has its roots in these […]


Somali Headrest

Headrests are used by many people around the world during sleep. This type, known as a barkin, is used by nomadic Somali and Aweer (Boni) people in southern Somalia and eastern Kenya. In Somali culture, headrests are used by both men and women. By elevating […]


Bedouin Wedding Necklace

The Bedouin are a nomadic people who live in the Middle East. This necklace is from Saudi Arabia, where the donor purchased it at a small marketplace outside the city of Jeddah. As seen here, silver is the preferred metal for Bedouin jewelry. Bedouin women […]


Cherokee Basket

Basket weaving is an integral part of Cherokee culture with a tradition dating back almost 10,000 years. Baskets were historically used to harvest, store, and transport crops; catch fish; and even for games. They also served ceremonial purposes by protecting ritual tools and clothing while […]


Shipibo-Conibo Ceramic Vessel

The Shipibo-Conibo people live along the Ucayali River, a tributary of the Upper Amazon in Peru. They are famous for their polychrome earthenware pottery, like this piece, which they have been producing for more than 1200 years. Shipibo women produce the largest and thinnest coil-built […]


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