Feather Warbonnets

• The feathers of the warbonnet might often be dyed to make them more colorful.Indian Headress image by Stormy Ward from Fotolia.com
  
  One of the most iconic images seen in many Western movies is the Feather Warbonnets, made from eagle feathers creating a ring around the head and often incorporating beads and ermine pelts. There were only actually about a dozen tribes who wore this ceremonial head dress, including the Sioux and Cheyenne. This headpiece had to be earned one feather at a time by brave deeds and could only be worn by chiefs or warriors.
  
  

Roach Headdresses

• Seen in films such as "Last of the Mohicans" the roach headdress was created from stiff animal hair that had often been colored and attached to either leather or bone. These colorful plumes would be worn on the top of the head by warriors or ceremonial dancers.
  
  

Basket Hats

• Basket hats were ornately designed and woven from plant fibers. Often, the design on a hat might indicate some of the wearer's personal and family history. This form of headpiece was found mainly in tribes west of the Rockies. They were not ceremonial head wear, so they could be worn by men and women depending on the region.
  
  

Buffalo Headdresses

• The Buffalo headdress is also seen often in Western-style movies. It consisted of a buffalo-skin helmet adorned with horns, buffalo fur, ermine skins and ceremonial feathers. Only a handful of tribes wore this kind of headpiece, such as the Sioux. It was a sign of high status and achievement, so only a few members of a tribe were permitted to wear them.