Headdress Frontlets/Crest Helmets

Headdresses frontlets were the principal form of ceremonial headgear on the Northwest Coast in the nineteenth century. Frontlets were worn by prominent members of a clan or family, and were part of an elaborate headdress which typically included sea lion whiskers, animal fur, and often ermine tails. In addition to rich painting in red, blue and black, many examples were embellished with fragments of abalone shells and mirrors, a material deemed particularly significant by numerous First Nation peoples. The inlay would have reflected firelight and animate the headdress frontlet when worn during notable social occasions.