Adornment - jewelry, beadwork, and ceremonial regalia - is a defining medium of cultural expression for North American Indians.

Southwestern turquoise jewelry and Plains beadwork are recognized hallmarks of Indian peoples, yet there exist many other examples of Indian artistry, such as beautifully "carved" metal bracelets from the Northwest Coast; quillwork and moosehair objects from the Subarctic; etched dentalium-shell and elkhorn jewelry from northern California; and engraved purple mussel-shell gorgets from Oklahoma and the Southeast.

This book, filled with thousands of beautiful and distinctive objects, many of them never before published, presents the first comprehensive study of Indian adornment from prehistoric times to the present.