Adornment - jewellery, beadwork and ceremonial regalia - is a defining element of cultural expression for North American Indians. This study is based on a decade of research and interviews with elders and artists, excerpts from which are presented in the book, and extends in scope from the Arctic Circle to northern Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Thousands of distinctive objects are reproduced, among them Southwestern turquoise jewellery, Plains beadwork, "carved" metal bracelets from the Northwest, quill and moose-hair work from the Subarctic, etched horn jewellery from northern California, and engraved mussel-shell gorgets from Oklahoma and the Southeast. Also included are regional maps, and diagrams of jewellery techniques.