Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Cradleboard with Thunderbirds
Not on view
Thunderbirds, powerful guardian spirits, are depicted on this porcupine-quilled and beaded cradleboard, along with rows of humanlike figures possibly representing manitos, or spirit beings. Dozens of metal cones hang from the cover and strap, creating a gentle tinkling sound with the slightest movement. In most Plains Indian tribes, a baby’s birth called for an elaborately ornamented cradleboard. Made with love by the mother’s relatives, cradles were often passed down as family heirlooms.
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