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The Plundering of the Past: Its Affect on Iranian Archaeology

Some of the first archaeological expeditions to Iran began in the mid 19th century, when British and French archaeologists investigated the site of Susa in southwestern Iran. Over the following decades, excavations were predominantly conducted by American, British, French, German, and Iranian sponsored expeditions throughout Iran. Many of these early excavations proved successful in uncovering a wealth of artifacts, architecture, and information pertaining to the ancient civilizations of the region.

Food

The food quest of the Woodland Indians was based primarily on hunting, fishing, and gathering wild crops.

They practiced some agriculture, but it was definitely of secondary importance and consisted mostly of the Indian staples -- corn, beans, and squash. Wresting a living from the forest and prairie demanded a great deal of time and effort. It necessitated considerable mobility, with outlying camps and special purpose gathering and processing stations.

Connecticut Cherry Highboy

In the history of American cabinetmaking, highboys are particularly valuable and important because they show advanced craftsmanship and artistry. This Connecticut highboy, dating back to the 18th century, is cherry wood with a double block front with bonnet top. The top has spiral (flame) finials and the highboy is supported by ball and claw feet. This particular highboy was once owned by a governor of Connecticut.

Item Image
highboy
Catalog Number
E14138
Accession Number
20403
32

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Collection

Milwaukee Public Museum Curator of Anthropology Dr. Samuel Barrett collected these items while on a Museum expedition to the Lac Courte Oreilles reservation in 1910. He witnessed an eight-day dance which brought Native Americans from all over Wisconsin and as far away as Oklahoma to the reservation. In addition to collecting material objects for the Museum, he recorded field notes about the dance and other cultural aspects of the Ojibwe that would rarely have been seen or documented otherwise. This collection contains over 1,000 objects that are primarily everyday items such as cooking utensils, baskets, and this pair of snowshoes. Many of these items are on display in the Second Floor Woodland exhibit area.

Item Image
snowshoes
Catalog Number
N/A
Accession Number
2207
102

Wild Rice

One of the food staples particularly enjoyed by the Ojibwe and Menominee was wild rice. 

Wild rice is not a true rice, but rather a cereal grass -- Zizania aquatica -- which grows in shallow lakes and streams. It ripens in late summer, usually from the middle of August to early September. Native people in the Great Lakes boiled rice and ate it with corn, beans, or squash. Meat, a small amount of grease, or maple sugar was often added for seasoning. As a treat, it was occasionally parched like popcorn.