Featherwork

Featherwork is the craft of creating objects and adornments using bird feathers as the primary material. Across the world, featherwork has served ceremonial, symbolic, and decorative purposes and has been practiced by many cultures from ancient to modern times. Objects made include headdresses, capes and cloaks, fans, banners, masks, jewelry, and panels for ritual or court regalia. Feathers are often combined with fabric, wood, leather, metal, and natural fibers, and are attached by stitching, binding with sinew or cord, weaving, or glue. Feathers may be cleaned, shaped, dyed, or treated to achieve color and stiffness.

In traditional contexts, featherwork commonly signified status, achievement, or affiliation, and was used in ceremonies, dances, and rites. Techniques vary by region but commonly involve arranging feathers in layered or patterned forms and securing them to a base fabric or frame. Some cultures cultivated or traded specific bird plumes, making certain feathers highly prized.

In the modern world, featherwork continues as an artisanal practice and as a cultural heritage art. Contemporary artists and museums document and reinterpret featherwork traditions, often using responsibly sourced feathers or synthetic substitutes. Regulations and ethical considerations now govern the use of endangered species and protected plumes.