Native Americans displayed a magnificent variety of carved, sewn, and painted symbols on almost all their everyday and ornamental articles--pottery, clothing, masks, shields, and totems. A thousand illustrations show the fascinating origins and meanings of 300 signs, starting with the simplest--lines, circles, curves--and tracing their combinations into ever more complex designs. They come from a variety of North American tribes, and depict bonds with nature (particularly animals and the landscape), rituals, and legends that convey heroism and wisdom.
