The missing link: an examination of skin clothing production of north central plains Native Americans

Abstract

Deer hides are one of the most commonly used materials for clothing production among the prehistoric Northern Great Plains peoples. Richard Michael Gramly?s 1977 article, Deerskins and Hunting Territories: Competition for a Scarce Resource of the Northeastern Woodlands, assumed an estimate of 3.5 hides per person per year. A figure widely cited in anthropological literature, yet provides no supporting data. This investigation seeks to find that data as applied to the Plains Indians. Measurements were taken of known clothing articles to determine surface area, and these were compared with the surface areas of average sizes of small, medium, and large hides. Comparing the surface areas allowed for an accurate estimation of the number of hides needed by both a man and woman for an appropriate climate wardrobe. Such information can be vital in interpreting prehistoric and historic hunting patterns, with significant social and ecological implications.