Before the birth of mass media, these "little banners," as they were called, were often used to reach the people. Bandanas played a functional role in the old West, starting in the late 1800s. Red and blue neckerchiefs, or mufflers, with simple patterns like paisleys and polka dots protected cowboys from dust and were used for washing, signaling compadres, tying up broken bones and disguising bank-robbing outlaws. The bandana shown here is a design I made that a goldminer might have found useful; his map is printed on this functional cloth that could also protect him from inhaling dust in the mine. Go 49ers!
