Ivory seal and human effigy / Arctic, Inuit

Essay/Description

String of six objects, with two men and four seals.

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Anthropology Item Information

©Gilcrease Museum

Title(s):

Ivory seal and human effigy

Culture:

Arctic, Inuit

Date:

Early 1900s

Period:

Historic

Place:

Alaska

Materials/Techniques:

Ivory

Classification:

Archaeological Objects

Object Type:

Seal and Human Effigy

Accession No:

83.1363

Department:

Anthropology

Not On View

Dimensions

Overall:

Height: 0 13/25in. (1.3cm)
Width: 2 51/64in. (7.1cm)
Length: 29 1/4in. (74.3cm)

Tags and Search Terms

Tags:

Alaska, Arctic, Art, Ceremonial, Indian, Indians, Native American, toy

The Inuit believe that every living creature has a soul and that soul is “a tiny replica of the being it inhabits” and lives in the bladder (Furst and Furst 1982, 141). As a result, many miniature ivory effigies of animals and people have been produced and the Inuit place significant importance on the returning of seal bladders to the ocean to produce more seals (Furst and Furst 1982, 141).

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Cite this Page

Ivory seal and human effigy. 83.1363. . Early 1900s. Tulsa: Gilcrease Museum, https://collections.gilcrease.org/object/831363 (04/19/2017).

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