Historically, ethnic and cultural groups that pass into history or are on that brink of extinction leave remnants of their ancient glory, usually codified in art. Among the brightest examples are Native American paintings and especially antique Native American art, an enduring legacy left for contemporaries by the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Today, we want to give you a general idea of how vast and rich the visual art of Native Americans is by introducing its most remarkable types.

Different types of Native American art

Considering how many items Indigenous Americans left after themselves, it is always challenging to group all of them into categories. Here is the list of the most common artifacts found by scholars over the years.

• Basketry – Baskets are considered to be some of the oldest art forms of Native American art;
• Pottery (ceramics) – Fine ceramics made by American Indians served two main purposes: aesthetic and functional;
• Masks – You must have heard about wooden kachina masks that were used during ceremonies to imitate living spirits;
• Totem poles – Native Americans used huge totem poles as symbols of certain cultural beliefs, historical characters, or events in a tribe history;
• Jewelry – Necklaces and pendants that indigenous people wore were meant to be a protection from evil spirits rather than accessories to boast in front of others.
• Beadwork – Tribal art was especially valued for its beautiful beadwork made of shells, animal bones, turquoise, and silver.

If you want to buy some original pieces of indigenous American art, you should consider visiting upcoming art auctions devoted to Native American art by Santa Fe Art Auction. The auctions are scheduled for 6-7 February. In case you decide to buy something for your collection, you will probably need to ship fine art from Santa Fe to your home. In such a case, you might want to request help from Fine Art Shippers that offers regular art shuttles to/from Santa Fe. Good luck!