American Collections: From Arctic to Amazon

The Americas collections span from Inuit carvings to Amazonian featherwork, from Mayan ceramics to contemporary Native American art.

Pre-Columbian Highlights

Mayan Artifacts - Hieroglyphic writing systems - Calendar knowledge in stone - Jade more precious than gold - Ball game equipment and mythology

Andean Treasures - Textiles preserving mathematical knowledge - Gold work the Spanish missed - Pottery telling daily stories - Quipu recording without writing

Amazonian Arts - Featherwork of impossible delicacy - Botanical knowledge in objects - Sustainable forest practices - Contemporary indigenous rights

North American Indigenous Arts

Historical Pieces - Treaty objects with complex histories - Beadwork replacing quillwork - Ledger art documenting change - Potlatch objects challenging Western economics

Contemporary Voices - Traditional techniques, modern messages - Sovereignty expressed through art - Environmental activism visualized - Identity reclaimed and celebrated