Carving

• Wood carving and stone carving are traditional Cherokee art forms. Carving was originally for making utensils. Traditional Cherokee carvings were utensils such as ladles and spoons and dough trays. Wooden "Ka-no-na" were used to process corn into cornmeal. Pipes were also crafted by carvers, often with stylized life forms in relief on the pipe. Cherokee wood-carving and stone-carving artists carry on the traditional craft. Contemporary Cherokee wood or stone sculpture continues the tradition of the animal forms in relief.
  
  

Masks

• Along with functional wood carving, Cherokee carved masks out of wood. The masks were used in the regular celebrations and religious ceremonies of the tribe. Mask carvers used soft grain woods such as poplar and buckeye. The lightweight masks were used in dances. Before the introduction of tools, the masks were carved out of bark using flint stones. The carvers may add animal fur or a few feathers to the mask to indicate what animal the mask represented. The Cherokee did not use feathers elaborately in their ceremonial costumes as other tribes were known to do.
  
  

Baskets

• The Cherokee craft of making baskets dates back at least 9,500 years ago. The Cherokee people became known for their fine baskets. The baskets are traditionally made from cane, white oak, hickory bark and honeysuckle. The original two materials used to dye the baskets were black walnut and blood root. Eventually butternut was used for black, yellow root for yellow and broom sedge for orange. Cherokee baskets gained renewed popularity during the American crafts revival of the early 20th century. The craft tradition has been maintained by members of the tribe.
  
  

Fabric

• Cherokee clothing was simple but made by hand. Men wore moccasins and breechcloth for pants. In winter they wore hunting jackets. Chiefs and priests wore elaborate cloaks woven with feathers and wrapped their heads in turbans. Men's faces and bodies were tattooed, another art form mastered by the Cherokee. Women wore "tear" dresses. Tear dresses were torn from cloth since the women did not have scissors. Cherokee are also known for quilts made from various pieces of cloth torn, then sewn together. The star quilt pattern so famous in craft circles comes from the Cherokee culture.