height 8 inches x width 9-1/2 inches

...the carving of horseheads on wooden utensils and pipes has a long history among the Great Lakes Indians.  The prototype of these images is a dragon-like effigy carved on pipe bowls by these Indians.  Gradual change resulted in the stylized horseheads of the 1860s.  This stylistic convergence of dragon and horse was not accidental; horses were believed to have originated from the Underworld, the realm ruled over by a dragon-like deity.

Native symbolism is often multi-layered though; by carving the two horse-heads nudging each other amorously the Mesquakie carver conveyed his warm feelings for the female recipient of this heddle (Brasser 2007)

Included is a copy of a typed essay on Great Lakes heddles by Ted Brasser.