Navajo. <em>Sacred Basket with Prayer Sticks (Kitan) Used in Night Chant or Mountain Chant</em>, late 19th century. Wood, fiber, pigment, Total Length: 33 3/4 in. (85.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1905, Museum Collection Fund, 05.588.7117a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 05.588.7117a-b.jpg)

Sacred Basket with Prayer Sticks (Kitan) Used in Night Chant or Mountain Chant

Artist:Navajo

Medium: Wood, fiber, pigment

Geograhical Locations:

Dates:late 19th century

Dimensions: Total Length: 33 3/4 in. (85.7 cm) Other (Tallest Prayer Stick): 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm)

Collections:

Exhibitions:

Accession Number: 05.588.7117a-b

Image: 05.588.7117a-b.jpg,

Catalogue Description:
The basket for these prayer sticks has never been located. This impressive set has 101 prayer sticks of different sizes, colors, and patterns, strung together. Some singers kept a "sample" roll of prayer sticks to aid in making the ones used in all the various chants. This possibly might be a sample roll and never had a basket. It also might have been made for display purposes as usually the prayer sticks were destroyed during the ceremonies.

Brooklyn Museum