DEI l >H \ l'l\ I \K r 



129 



Here also, tribal preferences are to be found. The 

 rawhide paintings are also geometric and though the 

 designs first appear quite complex, they can readily 

 be resolved into triangles and rectangles. Another 

 point of special interest is that some tribes give these 

 conventionalized designs a symbolic value. This is 

 particularly true of the Arapaho. 



Thus Fig. 47 shows a moccasin which is beaded 

 around the edges, but has its front surface traversed 

 by a number of quilled lines. The white bead work 

 represents the ground. Green zigzag lines upon it are 



Fig. 47. Arapaho Moccasin with Symbolic Decoration. 



snakes. The quilled lines represent sweathouse poles. 

 These lines are red, blue, and yellow, and the colors 

 represent stones of different colors, used for producing 

 steam in the sweathouse. At the heel of the moccasin, 

 which is not shown in the figure, are two small green 

 squares. These represent the blankets with which 

 the sweathouse is covered. 



The design of a snake was embroidered on this 

 moccasin in order that the child wearing it might not 

 be bitten by snakes. The symbols referring to the 



