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Incised Tablet

ca.1450–1700
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
An Underwater Panther, a mythical spirit of the Underworld, is carved on this stone tablet. Fearsome teeth, circular eyes, and a feathered crest identify the creature, which is believed to hold knowledge of healing medicines and to have control of animals and the dangerous whirlpools of powerful rivers. This tablet, one of several to have been recovered from sites in Iowa and Missouri, reflects a complex history of cultural evolution and links Mississippian peoples to the historical tribes of the Eastern Plains.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Incised Tablet
  • Date: ca.1450–1700
  • Geography: United States, Iowa
  • Culture: Oneota
  • Medium: Catlinite (red pipestone)
  • Dimensions: Length: 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm)
    Width: 7 3/4 in. (19.7 cm)
  • Classification: Stone-Implements-Inscribed
  • Credit Line: Sanford Museum and Planetarium, Cherokee, Iowa (521-69-m)
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing