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Description

Wooden fish hook with bone point lashed on with cedar bark. A length of nettle fibre twine is tied to the hook and wound around it. [LM 18/06/2007]

Display History

PRM display label [1991 - 1995] - NORTH AMERICA; NORTH WEST COAST, HAIDA. Small halibut-hook with bone point and sinew line. The bone point is lashed on with cedar bark and nettle fibre twine. Collected by Rear Admiral M. Lowther, HMS 'Portland', 1853. Beasley collection. Donated by Mrs H.G. Beasley. 1954.9.77 [LM 18/06/2007]

Longer Description

Wooden fish hook with bone point lashed on with cedar bark. A length of nettle fibre twine is tied to the hook and wound around it. The hook has been carved from a single piece of wood and steamed and bent into a U-shape with outward-curving ends. One end has a greater curve and is thinner. This thinner, curved end is tightly wrapped with cedar bark. The thicker, less curved end has a carved bone barb placed on one side and lashed in place with tightly wrapped cedar bark. A thin line of ?nettle fibre (or ?sinew) is attached near the barb and wound around the hook. [CAK 29/06/2009]

Research Notes

The following information comes from Haida delegates who worked with the museum's collection in September 2009 as part of the project “Haida Material Culture in British Museums: Generating New Forms of Knowledge”:
This hook was viewed alongside other fishing hooks on Monday Sept 14, 2009. Delegates provided two functions for this hook: a cod hook, and a halibut hook for catching smaller sized halibut. One suggestion was also that this hook could have originally been a Makah hook from northern Washington State, but that it was obtained by Haidas through trade networks. The wood was identified as yew wood and delegates explained that it could be bent if soaked for twenty-four hours and then steamed. The twining was identified as being made from cedar. [CAK 21/05/2010]

Beasley numbers probably refer to the date on which Beasley acquired an object. [CW 20/7/2000]

See Hilary Stewart's book "Indian Fishing: Early methods of the Northwest Coast" (published by Douglas in Vancouver and the University of Washington Press in Seattle in 1977) for information on the construction and use of fish hooks. [CAK 29/06/2009]

Primary Documentation

Accession Book Entry - 'MRS H. G. BEASLEY, WHITE BARN, SUNNINGDALE, BERKS. Specimens from the Cranmore Museum... N. AMERICA, HAIDA INDIANS. Small halibut hook with bone point and sinew line. Length 15.4 cm. Collected by Rear Admiral Marcus Lowther, H.M.S. Portland, 1853 (24.11.27).'
Additional Accession Book Entry - 'Bt. from Launcelot Lowther, Folkestone'.

There is no further information on the catalogue card. [CW 11 6 98]

Pre-PRM label [in Related Documents File] - Beasley Coll. Haida. Hallibut Hook. 24.11.27 Collected by Rear Admiral Marcus Lowther. H.M.S. Portland, 1853. [MdeA 27/6/2005]

Pitt Rivers Museum label [in Related Documents File] - N. America Haida Indians d.d. Mrs. H. G. Beasley 1954.9.77 Beasley col. 24.11.27 Coll. 1853 [MdeA 27/6/2005]

Related Documents File - The Haida Project Related Documents File contains video of research sessions and interviews with Haida delegates from September 2009 as part of the project ‘Haida Material Culture in British Museums: Generating New Forms of Knowledge'. It also includes post-visit communications that discuss object provenance. For extensive photographic, video, and textual records documenting the Haida research visit as a whole, including but not limited to preparations of objects for handling, travel logistics, British Museum participation, transcribed notes from research sessions and associated public events held at PRM, see the Haida Project Digital Archive, stored with the Accessions Registers. Original hand-written notes taken during research sessions have been accessioned into the Manuscripts collection, in addition to select other materials. [CAK 02/06/2010]

Item History

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