Sculpture Item Number: A16057 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Black coloured pecked stone sculpture depicting an anthropomorphic face. Face has circular eyes and triangular-shaped nose, mouth is slit-like.
Cultural Context
archaeological
Narrative
Said by Ross Brooks to have been found c. 1944 in a mound along the lower Fraser River. Brooks, who ran a curio shop in Vancouver, said he collected dozens of stone carvings from the mound. However the site location was never disclosed, or discovered by other archaeologists, before his death in 1946. After he died his widow sold his collection of carvings - commonly called 'Brooks heads'. The carvings have been controversial since their 'discovery', as some archaeologists argue they may have been created by Brooks and manipulated to appear old. (For example, see discussion in the journal article "A New Look at Northwest Coast Stone Bowls", in Archaeology of Coastal British Columbia, pp. 165-174, by Grant Keddie.)
Item History
- Made in British Columbia, Canada
- Collected in Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada during 1944
- Owned by Ross A. Brooks before 1946
- Owned by Mabel Orr Brooks before 1950
- Received from Mabel Orr Brooks (Seller) and H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) during 1950
What
Who
- Culture
- Coast Salish ?
- Previous Owner
- Ross A. Brooks and Mabel Orr Brooks
- Received from
- Mabel Orr Brooks (Seller) and H. R. MacMillan (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
- Collected in
- Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada
When
- Collection Date
- during 1944
- Ownership Date
- before 1946 and before 1950
- Acquisition Date
- during 1950
Other
- Item Classes
- carvings & sculpture
- Condition
- fair
- Accession Number
- 1861/0059