Ivory cylinder with a carved animal head and two bears / Arctic, Inuit

Essay/Description

Ivory cylinder with a carved animal head and two bears, with a hole in one end of the cylinder.

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Anthropology Item Information

©Gilcrease Museum

Title(s):

Ivory cylinder with a carved animal head and two bears

Culture:

Arctic, Inuit

Date:

1800s

Period:

Historic

Place:

Alaska

Materials/Techniques:

Ivory

Classification:

Archaeological Objects

Object Type:

Ornament

Accession No:

83.1361

Department:

Anthropology

Collection:

Kravis Discovery Center

Not On View

Dimensions

Overall:

Height: 0 22/25in. (2.2cm)
Width: 1 3/4in. (4.4cm)
Length: 8 1/4in. (21.0cm)

Tags and Search Terms

Tags:

Alaska, Arctic, Ceremonial, Eskimo, implements, Indian, Indians, Native American, tools

Tools and amulets typically depicted animals or events, like hunting, in order to make the animal spirits, which enjoyed attention, happy. The Inuit believed that the better the skill and artistry in a piece, the more likely an animal was to return and feed the people (Furst and Furst 1982, 137).

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Cite this Page

Ivory cylinder with a carved animal head and two bears. 83.1361. Kravis Discovery Center. 1800s. Tulsa: Gilcrease Museum, https://collections.gilcrease.org/object/831361 (04/20/2017).

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