Set Of Dice, Beaver Teeth

Item number E2686-0 from the National Museum of Natural History.

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Notes

FROM CARD: "...CONSISTS OF 2. FOR STUDY & RETURN: MR. STEWART CULIN. UNIVERSITY OF PENN., PHILA, PA. MARCH 24, 1897."Peale catalogue identifies as "Dice made of beaver teeth, used by the natives of Oregon in playing a native game." See "NARRATIVE OF THE UNITED STATES EXPLORING EXPEDITION," VOL. IV, P. 392, CHARLES WILKES, 1845.Reference: "Games of the North American Indians" by Stewart Culin, Smithsonian Institution. 1907. Twenty-fourth annual report of the Bureau of American Ethnology: to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1902-1903. Washington, D.C.: U.S. G.P.O. On pp. 155-156, Culin discusses the use of beaver teeth dice by the tribes of Puget Sound and British Columbia. On pp. 137-138 he describes woodchuck teeth dice used by the Kamath of Oregon.One has original Peale number label. More complete tooth is etched with designs in black of triangles filled with horizontal lines.