Great Basin Beaded Tobacco Bag, circa 1890

Beaded Shoshone tobacco bag (pipe bag) from the late 19th century. Constructed of native tanned hide and expertly beaded with glass trade beads in greasy yellow, red white hearts, translucent green, light and dark blue. Upper fringe is quill wrapped with red white heart beads separating the fringe. Pictorial elements in the beadwork include tepee (tipi) motifs.

The Shoshone peoples are members of the Great Basin or Transmontane Culture Area. At the time this bag was created, the Shoshone were semi-nomadic with territory extending through the Great Basin and surrounding Rocky Mountain region. Their core homeland was considered Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada, Utah but they would travel through parts of Colorado. Their movements would follow hunting routes, trade paths and buffalo migration.