An Early Pueblo Cradleboard

Pueblo, Southwest USA

Wood | Item 1406

I’ve handled a good number of Pueblo and Navajo cradleboards, but this one takes the cake! I have never seen one carved out of a single piece of wood like this, where the sides and the neck support for the baby are all continuous with the main board. The piece was originally one piece, but a crack has occurred requiring hide strips to secure it as seen down the middle. The wood shows amazing wear and I suspect this is likely a late 18th to early 19th century example. The side supports show a classic stepping down as the sides meet the main board at the bottom portion. These side boards are each punctured with 4 holes to allow for the hide straps that would secure the baby into the board. The back side that would rub against the mother’s back is polished to a highly smooth and mellowed patina. This board is so amazing!