Parfleche Antique Green & Blue

Antique Painted Small Rawhide Parfleche

SOLD Add this Parfleche Antique Green & Blue to your collection! The crafter made this small Parfleche container from Rawhide.  He painted it with Red, Blue, and Green paints in geometric designs. It comes with Braintanned Deerskin Leather Lacing ties.
A parfleche (pronounced par-flesh) is a traditional Native American container made from rawhide. The word "parfleche" comes from the French words "parer" (to parry or shield) and "flèche" (arrow), because the heavy hide could deflect arrows.  Native Americans also use rawhide to make shields.  To create a parfleche, Native American tribes, particularly those from the Great Plains region,  use rawhide, which is the untanned skin of an animal, usually a buffalo.  They often decorate them with intricate geometric patterns using natural pigments derived from plants and minerals.
Native Americans use versatile Parfleche containers for various purposes, such as storing food, clothing, personal items, or even important tribal documents and artifacts. They were essential to the nomadic lifestyle of many Plains tribes, as they could easily carry them on horseback during their migrations and hunting expeditions.
This Parfleche Antique Green & Blue measures approximately 8.75 inches  long  x 7 inches wide.  Because of its age and condition, we have not opened it. You will see signs of wear and some holes in the rawhide.  One of the Deerskin Leather lacing ties has broken.   One of a Kind!
Shop for more Collectibles
Read the Denver Art Museum Leaflet Parfleches and Other Rawhide Articles

Categories: AntiquesCollectibles

SKU: 2222-003-628

Shop for Antique Collectibles