Yellow Wolf's War Club

  1. Resources
  2. View Resource

ArchivalResource

Yellow Wolf's War Club

ca. 1860s

https://content.libraries.wsu.edu/digital/collection/lv_mcwhorte/id/43/rec/2

The handle of this club was made longer than most to allow Yellow Wolf to fight from horseback. The stone was artificially rounded, then attached to the handle with rawhide that extends down the length of the club. There is a short gap between the wooden handle and the rock, occupied by only rawhide, which gives the rock freedom to swing independently. The rawhide is covered in red paint that was applied when the club was made. The club's handle is covered with a strip of otter fur from which most of the hair is missing. A buckskin wrist thong is attached at the handle's base. Yellow Wolf made this war club, known as a kopluts, in his early youth and carried it through the 1877 Nez Perce War. Upon his surrender in 1878, Yellow Wolf was imprisoned. During this time he kept the club concealed in his leggings. It was presented to L. V. McWhorter by Yellow Wolf in 1909.

Length: 34.3cm, Diameter of stone: 7.5cm. Rawhide, wood, otter fur, paint.

eng, Latn

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 11658688

Related Entities

There are 1 Entities related to this resource.

Yellow Wolf, 1855-1935

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6225wg2 (person)

Yellow Wolf was born in the Wallowa Valley. A young warrior at the time of the Nez Perce War, he took part in every major battle and was wounded five separate times. For his contributions in the war, Yellow Wolf was given the rank of Chief. He chose not to surrender with Chief Joseph after the Bear Paw battle, and subsequently spent two years in Canada before returning to Idaho, at which time he was arrested and sent to the Indian Territory of Oklahoma. When he returned to the Colville Reservati...