Turtle Pendant Item Number: 1590/46 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Solid pewter turtle, underside flat with engraved marks, solid half ring under head, body of turtle engraved, but not the head.
Animal imagery is a significant part of woodland first nations tradition, but no documented instance has been found of the use of animal effigies in trade. The place of effigies in woodlands culture is not known.
personal ornamentation
The Iroquois legend of the turtle explains that the Earth was formed from a lump of mud on the turtle's back. See Frederickson, page 59.