Art Institute of Chicago

Ceremonial Headdress

Ainu

Date

Edo period (1615–1868), first half of the 19th century or earlier

Medium

Bast fiber, gilt-paper-wrapped silk, silk, and wood

Culture

Hokkaido region

Department

Textiles

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

The Ainu people of northern Japan and eastern Russia are an aboriginal group that maintains a way of life separate from that of the mainstream culture in Japan. They have their own language, religion, and material culture, all of which had been suppressed until the later 20th century—even though anthropologists, ethnographers, and art historians have long been interested in studying and preserving their traditions. The Ainu are best known for their visually striking coats as well as carved and decorated wooden implements and headbands, baskets, mats, and other weavings.

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