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Ivory harpoon foreshaft
Native American; Inuit
Large bi-facially chipped obsidian blade
Mesoamerican

Knife with iron blade and ivory handle / Native American; possibly Aleut

Essay/Description

Inuit cutting tool made from steel with an ivory handle used for skinning. Aleut women use ulu knives for numerous jobs, including skinning animals and preparing food. The curved blade allowed women to use a rocking motion when cutting, which held the cut object still and allowed for the use of only one hand.

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Title(s): 
Knife with iron blade and ivory handle
Culture: 
Native American; possibly Aleut
Date: 
19th century
Period: 
Historic
Place: 
Southwest Alaska, Alaska
Materials/Techniques: 
iron, ivory
Classification: 
Object Type: 
Accession No: 
84.1372
Department: 
Not On View

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