Weapon For Killing Slaves, Prong Of Deer Antler

Item number E88701-0 from the National Museum of Natural History.

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Notes

From card: "Presented by John C. Calbreath. to J G. Swan. Called a Sitzee, carved to resemble the crane, Te koh. from Haida Indians of Howkan, Prince of Wales Archipeligo, Alaska. "Its use. When a chief or a member of his family died, it was the custom to kill a slave and bury the body under that of the person for whom he was sacrificed; this was effected by striking the sharp end of the prong through the top of the head penetrating the brain and causing instant death. bears very ancient and highly valued. The paw carved on one end of the Sitzee and forming the handle indicates that the first owner belonged to the totem or family of the bear." - Swan's invoice and descriptive catalogue." Illus. Pl. XLVI, Fig. 261, p. 320 in USNM A.R. for 1888. Publication caption identifies as: "Made from a deer antler, and carved to represent the head of Tl'koh, the crane; the handle represents a bear's paw."