Image taken from page 20 of "American Indians" by Frederick Starr, 1899. The Mandan historically lived along the banks of the Missouri River and two of its tributaries - the Heart and Knife Rivers - in present day North and South Dakota. Speakers of Mandan, a Siouan language, developed a settled, agrarian culture. They established permanent villages featuring large, round, earth lodges, some 40 feet in diameter, surrounding a central plaza. While the bison was key to the daily life of the Mandan, they also farmed and actively traded goods with other Great Plains tribes. They wore clothing made from the hides of buffalo, as well as deer and sheep. From the hides, tunics, dresses, buffalo-fur robes, moccasins, gloves, loincloths and leggings could be made. These items were often ornamented with quills and bird feathers, and men sometimes wore the scalps of enemies.