Whaling Float | Seal Skin Float Item Number: 222B from the The Burke: University of Washington
Exhibit Label
Wood, stomachs, bladders, and skins were used by Northwest Coast fishermen and sea hunters to make floats of many sizes. The largest and most impressive were whaling floats made of the skins or hair, of harbor seals. Painted designs on most whaling floats are similar to these. Concentric circles in various combinations of red and black, with simple geometric elaboration, make up the patterns. (Holm, Spirit and Ancestor, 1987)
Automatically Generated From Material
The paint is black and red.
Item History
- Received from Washington World's Fair Commission
What
- Name
- Whaling Float | Seal Skin Float
- Identification Number
- 222B
- Type of Item
- whaling float and seal skin float
- Material
- seal skin, wood, sinew, cloth, cedar bark and paint
- Manufacturing Technique
- painted, carved, wrapped and twisted
- Overall
- length 88.0 cm, height 38.5 cm, width 40.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Makah
- Received from
- Washington World's Fair Commission
Where
- Holding Institution
- The Burke: University of Washington
Other
- Credit
- Gift of Washington World's Fair Commission
- Motif
- Bands | Fish?
- Collection
- Burke Museum Ethnology Collection