Mat Creaser

Item number Nbz866 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Wooden mat creaser carved with two bird-like heads facing in opposite directions. Both surfaces are engraved with thunderbirds, dotted lines (rain?) and diamond shapes. An oblong opening has been carved into the centre of the piece to create a handle. The heads of the two birds are also decorated with incised lines, but different patterns. One has a series of criss-crossing diamond shapes enhanced with a white powdery substance and a circular eye, while the other has a slit-like eye and a diagonal slit on each side of its mouth. There are two incised thunderbirds on each side of the creaser, at the same end, for a total of four. They have dotted lines to represent their wing feathers and Xs on their tails, the ones in the middle of the creaser (beneath the opening) are upside down. Diamond shapes and dotted lines are likewise only represented at one end of the object, but on both sides.

History Of Use

This object was used for creasing cat-tail or tule reed mats in combination with a mat needle. The mat needle would be inserted through the leaves of the cat-tail, and the grooved portion of the mat creaser would be run across the surface to create a crease in the mat that would prevent it from splitting later when it was sewn with cordage.