War Club Called Gunstock Club Plains Indians, North America

WAR MASSUE called GUNSTOCK CLUB
Plains Indians, North America
Late 19th - early 20th century
Wood, wrought iron, nails and pigments
H.: 80cm; W.: 15.5cm; Thickness: 2.2cm
The gunstock is a wooden club cut like a “gun butt”, tapered on the proximal part, finished in the shape of a diamond. The short blade with a triangular section is placed at the level of the bevel and held down in the wood with three metal nails. From these three metal points, a polychrome decoration is organized delimited by incised geometric lines. We could see, in a stylized way, a bird in flight: the yellow pigments would refer to its outstretched wings, the red to its body and the blade of the club to its beak.
This weapon was used for hand-to-hand combat but also on the occasion of Pow-wow ceremonies.

Text and photos © FCP CORIDON