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Ghost Dance Drum

George Beaver Native American
1891–1892
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
A dark and powerful image of Thunderer, mythical ruler of the Sky World, dominates the painted design of this drum. Streaks of lightning shoot from the creature’s wings, eyes, and mouth. Below, a group of swallows flies before the storm that brings new life. Pawnee doctor George Beaver made the drum for the age-old sacred hand game, a ritualized part of the tribe’s Ghost Dance ceremony. The Ghost Dance offered hope for a revival of traditional culture.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Ghost Dance Drum
  • Artist: George Beaver (Native American, Pawnee, active late 19th century)
  • Date: 1891–1892
  • Geography: United States, Oklahoma
  • Culture: Pawnee
  • Medium: Wood, rawhide, pigment
  • Dimensions: Diameter: 23 in. (58.4 cm)
  • Classification: Wood-Musical Instruments
  • Credit Line: Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago (71856.1)
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing