Amulet Item Number: 1985.49.225 from the Pitt Rivers Museum

Description

Amulet of elk hoof incised with crest design. [MJD 5/5/2009]

Longer Description

Amulet of elk hoof incised with crest design. The overall shape is conical, with the top perforated. The bottom half of the ornament has been incised with large eye designs in the middle and more abstract designs along the bottom. This likely would have been attached to an apron to jingle or rattle when dancing. [CAK 21/05/2010]

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 object was viewed alongside other items of personal adornment on Friday Sept 11, 2009. Delegates explained that hooves are associated with shamans. They also wondered if the material was elk or caribou hoof instead. Christian White commented that he could imagine this object being part of a necklace or hanging on an apron. Ruth Gladstone Davies explained that mountain goat horn was hung on aprons to make a noise when dancing. Christian White thought the design was a Northwest Coast design. A discussion of the sound this object would make can be viewed on Tape 6, time 8:50, which can be found in the Haida Project Related Documents File. [CAK 21/05/2010]
Animal horn amulet, in the form of a neck ornament. [CW 11 6 98]

Primary Documentation

Pitt Rivers Museum label - CANADA, QUEEN CHARLOTTE IS. HAIDA Carved moose hoof Trans. Wellcome Inst. [MJD 05/05/2009]

Written on object - R. 1620/ 1937 [MJD 05/05/2009]

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]