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Description

Mask of a raven's head with strips of fur attached.

Longer Description

Mask of a raven's head with strips of fur attached. The raven's head is carved from one piece of wood, which has largely been stained black on the outer surfaces. The eyes are not stained or pigmented but contain the remains of wooden pegs that appear to have held a separate eye cover that is now lost. A long strip of fur covered skin is attached to the rear of the mask through holes in the wood. The remains of wooden pegs and resinous adhesive on the top of the head suggest the loss of a fur/hair/skin addition. There are the faint remains of a white pigment in the facial carvings. [HR 27/10/2005]

Display History

Display label current at 11/2007 'CANADA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, HAIDA GWAII; HAIDA. Mask (or perhaps hat) portraying Raven. Worn by a shaman. Given by Charles Edenshaw to the Reverend Charles Harrison in the 1880s. According to Harrison, Edenshaw told him that the mask had been worn by ‘his father's great great uncle who was a most remarkable doctor'. Harrison estimated that the mask had therefore been made before 1680. Purchased from Harrison in 1891; 1891.49.10.1 ' [MdeA 3/9/2007]

Publications History

Discussed by Charles Harrison on p. 87 of his Ancient Warriors of the North Pacific (London: H.F. and G. Witherby, 1925): ‘Another mask was that of a raven's head with an attachment of marten skin; it was used by the Shaman of the village upon the occasion of the ceremonial dance organized by the raven clan; this mask was at least one hundred and sixty years old.' [JC 15 5 2003]

Research Notes

NB This mask is not discussed by June Bedford in her 'Haida Art in the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, and the Rev. Charles Harrison', in European Review of Native American Studies, Vol. XII, no. 2 (1998), pp. 1-10. [JC 15 5 2003] She may have confused this mask with the documented Edenshaw transformation mask, 1891.49.8 [Laura Peers, 30/8/2005]

Strings of animal skin and fur (marten?) are attached. [JC 15 5 2003]

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 mask was viewed alongside other masks on Thursday Sept 10, 2009. Delegates thought that this mask would have had fur on the top, and likely seal fur, possibly ermine or beaver. When mimicking how the mask would be worn, Jaalen Edenshaw held it up at his forehead, not over his face. Delegates commented that this mask weighed very little and that it had been hollowed out nicely. They thought such a feature made it easier for the dancer. They explained that today masks are not so light, partly because they are often carved primarily to be sold rather than danced. Video of delegates discussing this mask and the practice of conversing with ravens can be viewed on Tape 4, time 9:00 and time 23:25, which can be found in the Haida Project Related Documents File. [CAK 27/05/2010]

Harrison MS in PRM Manuscripts and Photographs dept, p22, described a mask in the form of a raven's head tied to the shaman's head by strips of marten skin, which may be this mask. Harrison notes: 'I had one such mask given to me by chief Edinso [Edinshaw?], who stated that it was formerly worn by his father's great great uncle who was a most remarkable doctor. Edinso is about ninety years old, so perhaps the Raven's head I received was over 200 years old.' [research by Barbara Bartl, PRM intern, 2003]

Members of the Haida Nation consulted in December 2005 confirmed that this mask was Haida, and noted that its overall dark colour was unusual [Laura Peers, 10/04/2006].

Primary Documentation

Accession book entry: 'From Rev. Ch. Harrison, 80 Halton Rd, Canonbury Sq. N. Collection of Haida objects collected by him.... - Mask = Ravens head. £45. [Purchase price includes 1891.49.1-110]

No additional information on catalogue index cards. [JC 4 9 1996]

Written on object - 'Raven's head mask used by medicine man at dances etc of Raven tribe, also in obtaining information from ravens. Haida. C. Harrison Col. (MS No. 8) Purch 1891.' [DCF Court Team 14/4/2003]

Written on object (inside surface) - Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford. [HR 27/10/2005]

Related Documents File - Correspondence between Jeremy Coote and June Bedford occurring in April 1999 regarding some confusion over this mask and several others. [MOB 25/9/2001]

Related Documents File - Discussion of the use of this mask and associated practices can be viewed on Tape 4, time 9:00 and time 23:35, within the Haida Project 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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