Miskwabik, Metal of Ritual examines the thousands of beautiful and intricate ritual works of art—from ceremonial weaponry to delicate copper pendants and ear ornaments—created in eastern North America before the arrival of Europeans. The first comprehensive examination of this 3,000-year-old metallurgical tradition, the book provides unique insight into the motivation of the artisans and the significance of these objects, and highlights the brilliance and sophistication of the early civilizations of the Americas. Comparing the ritual architecture and metallurgy of the original Americans with the ethnological record, Amelia M. Trevelyan begins to unravel the mystery of the significance of the objects as well as their special functions within the societies that created them. The book includes dozens of striking color and black and white photographs.

Amelia M. Trevelyan is Professor and Chair of Art History at Principia College in Elsah, Illinois.

Reviews:

"A useful compendium of ethnographic and ethnohistoric references to native copper belief systems and use by Native Peoples."--Journal of Canadian Archaeology

"Refocuses the discussion of aboriginal copper use away from its possible economic significance . . . to their symbolic and ceremonial significance. . . . Highly recommended."--Choice

"Trevelayan draws all Native American use of copper in the eastern US . . . into a long, consistent tradition of ritual behavior, underscoring her argument with 16 dazzling color illustrations that indicate just how spectacular Native American copper could be. Highly recommended."-- Choice

"Fills a crucial gap in the literature. Trevelyan's work goes beyond a simple history of copper production to discuss meaning and function [of the objects and associated designs]. Her work has ramifications that reach far beyond a disucssion of copper work alone. This volume will be very influential in reshaping Eastern Woodlands scholarship."--Lee Anne Wilson, Hartwick College, co-editor of Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

“Trevelyan has fused her knowledge of art and archaeology to give us a comprehensive picture of this native art form. . . . She tells this little-known story with clarity and understanding.”-- American Archaeology

"This detailed study draws on material, linguistic and historical evidence, to explore the types of copper artifacts that were made, their role in society and religious rituals and Native American beliefs concerning the special properties of copper."--Oxbow Book News