Ledger Book Drawing

ca. 1890

Beginning in the 1860s, Plains warriors illustrated their battle exploits in ledger books and on ledger- book paper that were acquired through trade, gift, and booty. This practice continued a long visual tradition of Native warriors’ depictions of individual and tribal histories on hide shirts, robes, tipis, and tipi liners. Plains artists often represented warfare between Native tribes, as well as against the U.S. Army. Here, a warrior wearing a long eagle-feather headdress is scalping another fallen warrior, who just dropped his bow and arrows.