ticketsMember | Make a donation

Buffalo Effigy

1600–1800
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
This ancient stone carving embodies the importance of the buffalo in the lives of Plains Indians. With lowered heads, imposing humps, and straight sloping backs, the carving references both the creature’s monumental form and great speed. This effigy—found in the Wind River Basin in Wyoming and attributed to the Crow people who occupied the region—is a Plains bison. It was likely used in hunting rituals or possibly in healing ceremonies.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Buffalo Effigy
  • Date: 1600–1800
  • Geography: United States, Wind River Basin, Wyoming
  • Culture: Possibly Crow
  • Medium: Limestone
  • Dimensions: Length: 8 3/8 in. (21.3 cm)
  • Classification: Stone Sculpture
  • Credit Line: National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., Department of Anthropology (A431143-0)
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing