File:Falcon warrior Spiro Brooklyn.jpg

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Summary

Description

The engraving on this shell depicts a falcon warrior wearing a beaked mask, a cloak of feathers, and ear spools. Vomit or a speech scroll emanates from his mouth. Falcon regalia connect the human warrior to the sky realm, giving him special powers. Interior Mississippian tribes traveled to the coast in great numbers in the springtime to gather conch shells, using them as ceremonial cups to hold a liquid made from the yaupon plant. They would then drink the “black tea” in order to induce vomiting, a purging action of cleansing the body as a form of transformative prayer.

DIMENSIONS Falcon warrior: 10 7/16 × 7 1/2 × 5 1/2 in. (26.5 × 19.1 × 14 cm)
Date 1200-1500 C.E.
Source https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/76820
Author Brooklyn Museum
Other versions Additional images available at the museum website

Licensing

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Captions

Engraved conch shell from Spiro Mounds depicting a falcon warrior

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File history

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Date/TimeDimensionsUserComment
current20:46, 27 February 2021899 × 1,205 (244 KB)TillmanCropped 12 % horizontally, 22 % vertically using CropTool with lossless mode.

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