Helmet

Item number E20785-0 from the National Museum of Natural History.

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Notes

FROM CARD: "CARVED FROM THE SOLID. HARDWOOD. UNPAINTED AND PLAIN EXCEPT FOR FACE WHICH IS TUFTED WITH HAIR AND PAINTED. TOP OF CROWN FROM EAR TO EAR HAS TUFTS OF APPARENTLY HUMAN HAIR INSERTED IN SMALL HOLES SECURED WITH PEGS. MOUSTACHES AND CHIN WHISKERS OF CUT SECTIONS OF A SOFT GRAY FUR GLUED OR OTHERWISE SECURED IN PROPER LOCATIONS. FACE PAINTED GREEN (RIGHT SIDE); VERMILLION (LEFT SIDE); EYES, WHITE AND BLACK; EYEBROWS, BLACK; TEETH, WHITE; EARS, RED. NEG. NO.43,227-D (FRONT). 43,227-C (PROFILE-RIGHT SIDE). 43,227-I (PROFILE-RIGHT SIDE AT AN ANGLE)43,227-J (PROFILE-LEFT SIDE) LOANED: OSAKA EXPO-70 JULY 69 - JAN 71. RETURNED TO COLLECTION DECEMBER 7, 1970. LOANED TO THE S.I. CENTENNIAL COMM. 7-9-75. LOAN RETURNED MAR 22 1990." FROM OLD 19TH OR EARLY 20TH CENTURY EXHIBIT LABEL WITH CARD: "HEAD-DRESS.---HEAVY CONICAL HELMET OF WOOD, HOLLOWED OUT ON UNDER SIDE TO FIT WEARER, AND ORNAMENTED IN FRONT WITH A CARVED AND PAINTED MAN'S FACE, ONE HALF BEING COLORED BLUE AND THE OTHER RED. THE MOUSTACHE, BEARD, AND HAIR ARE OF VEGETABLE FIBER. WORN IN DANCING BY SITKA-KWAN INDIANS. OUTER DIAMETER, 11 1/2 INS. INNER DIAM., 8 1/2 INS, HEIGHT, 9 1/2 INS. SITKA, ALASKA, 1876. 20,785. COLLECTED BY J. G. SWAN."Ruth Demmert, Alan Zuboff, Linda Wynne, Florence Sheakley, and Virginia Oliver made the following comments during the Tlingit Recovering Voices Community Research Visit, March 13-March 24, 2017. This object was carved from a burl, and looks more like a helmet than a dancing mask. Florence believes that helmets with iron nails or staples are newer because earlier Tlingit helmets only used wooden dowels to make repairs. The fuzzy beard on this object could be made of animal fur, human hair, or whiskers, but it is not vegetable fiber as the record states. The blue color on this object in particular looks commercial and has changed over time. This object is made in a similar fashion as a shakee.at dancing headdress, with additional garments draped down the back.

Item History

What

Name
Helmet
Identification Number
E20785-0
Type of Item
helmet

Where

Holding Institution
National Museum of Natural History
Made in
Sitka, Baranof Island, Alaska, USA
Collected in
Sitka, Baranof Island, Alaska, USA

Who

Culture
Tlingit
Field Collector
James G. Swan

When

Collection Date
during 1875
Acquisition Date
during 1876

Other

Accession Number
004730

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