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Crown, tiara

Date: 1988

Artist or Maker: Adrian Wallace

Artist or Maker: Elizabeth Wallace

Dimensions:

14 x 14.6 cm (5 1/2 x 5 3/4 in.)

Credit Line: Gift of Jane Colman.

Place Made:

Zuni Pueblo, McKinley County, New Mexico, Southwest, United States, North America

Object Number: SAR.2004-14-1

Not on view

DescriptionA silver crown with a single Knife Wing (Achiyaladaba) figure in the front center. The figure is inlaid with turquoise, plus red, black, white and pale yellow pieces. Over its head "Zuni Knife Wing" is inscribed. Belows its feet "Jr. Princess" appears in relief. The top edges at the central area are filagreed silver. There are two silver combs toward the back to hold the tiara in place. On the reverse "Adrian and Elizabeth Wallace Oct. 17 1988" is inscribed.
Tribal Collection Review RemarksJim Enote and Octavius Seowtewa during collection review visit December 7 and 8, 2010 (Events Record “Collection Review: Zuni Tribe, Review 5”): The materials used are silver, tortoiseshell, mother of pearl, gold lip, and turquoise. The current catalog description calls this a tiara, but it is a crown. Crowns like these used to be made every year for Miss Zuni and Junior Miss Zuni. There hasn’t been a Miss Zuni contest for the past two years.

Knife Wing is a figure in Zuni stories who helped the Zuni people find their homelands. Because he could fly he was able to help them find a good place to live. He is a symbol of strength and is associated with War Chiefs. He is also depicted on some types of altars. Knife Wing is always depicted as dressed very similarly to an Eagle Dancer. The difference between the two is that Knife Wing's face is different from an Eagle Dancer's face (for example, Knife Wing wears a round face with a cloud step headdress and the face doesn't include a beak). Though dressed much like an Eagle Dancer, Knife Wing is only a symbol and is not represented in dances. The Zuni name for Knife Wing is Achiyaladaba.

In Collection(s)

Zuni Collection

The Indian Arts Research Center, in collaboration with Native American community scholars, strives to present accurate collections records. Records may be updated as new information becomes available and is reviewed with the Native American community having cultural affinity to particular items. Please write to iarc@sarsf.org if you have questions or concerns related to the documentation.