This is an Arapaho Morning Star Amulet dating to circa 1880-1890 from the ex-collection of Alfred Kroeber and Mitchell Kwiatkowski. The piece features a parfleche rawhide Maltese cross shape "Morning Star" amulet with round hand carved abalone bead at teh center and Indian tanned hide fringe ties on each of the four arms which each hold Turkey plume feathers which have a red, yellow and purple dyed finish. The amulet itself has a mineral dye polychrome painted finish in red, yellow, green and purple and is tied onto a strand of Indian tanned hide necklace. The piece has an old collection tag that reads, "Arapho Ca. 1890 Morning Star Amulat Kroeber Collection Oklahoma" and "Deet Rawhide with Trade pigments. Oil tan deer thong. Dyed feathers tied with Elk sinew. Abalone shell disky. smoke patinas." There is also another museum collection tag which states the same info and a collection number of MK599.2. Provenance: From the ex-collection of Alfred Kroeber and Mitchell Kwiatkowski. Alfred Kroeber (1876-1960) was a famous American cultural ethnographer and author who wrote about many tribes along with collecting and curating materials for several museums. He received his PhD under Franz Boas at Columbia University in 1901, the first doctorate in anthropology awarded by Columbia. He is truly one of the most esteemed experts in Native American Anthropology and collecting from the turn of the century. Measures overall 19.5"L from the back of the necklace strand to end of the bottom feather, the amulet hide section not including the feathers is 2.75" across.