These rare and beautiful portraits of Native American girls were taken between the late 1800s and the turn of the 19th Century.

Women were well respected in traditional Native American culture, and although they generally had different roles from men, they often had the same rights as their male counterparts.

Because women’s activities were considered central to the welfare of the community, this gave them a certain level of social, political and economic power, and even today approximately 25% of Native American tribes recognised by the federal government of the United States are led by women.

1. Marcia Pascal, Half-cherokee, Daughter Of U.s. Army Officer George W. Paschal, 1880s

2. O-o-be, The Kiowas, 1894

3. Native American Girl, 1870-1900

4. Hattie Tom, Apache, 1899, By Frank A. Rinehart

5. Gertrude Three Finger, Cheyenne, 1869-1904, By William E. Irwin

6. Cherokee Nanyehi, Lakota

7. Unidentified Native American Girl, Lakota, 1890

8. Elsie Vance Chestuen, Chiricahua

9. Native American Girl In Traditional Dress

10. Tsawatenok Girl, 1914, By Edward Curtis

Source: boredpanda