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What did tall Northwest Coast memorial poles record about the people who commissioned them?
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Native American art
Pottery created by the Hohokam people, made of buff clay and painted with red designs.
Tall Northwest Coast memorial poles served as significant historical and social documents rather than religious objects. They were commissioned by wealthy village chiefs and nobles to record and exalt the individual’s status within their society’s class system.1
Specifically, these poles documented the following about the person who commissioned them:
- Social Position and Importance: The poles served as a visual record of the owner's rank, class status, and relative importance within the community.1
- Wealth: Because hiring a professional artist to carve a pole was an expensive undertaking, the existence of the pole itself was a clear sign of the owner's affluence and ability to accumulate and display wealth.21
- Family Lineage: The carvings often featured hereditary crests, animals, or spirits that identified the lineage of the head of the household, functioning similarly to a family crest.23
By examining these poles, observers could gain an introduction to the house owner or village chief, as the symbols provided essential information regarding their identity, history, and social standing.21