Soles Of Man's Seal Skin Boots Item Number: E3985-0 from the National Museum of Natural History

Notes

FROM CARD: "INVENTORIED 1976."Source of the information below: Inuvialuit Pitqusiit Inuuniarutait: Inuvialuit Living History, The MacFarlane Collection website, by the Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre (ICRC), Inuvik, N.W.T., Canada (website credits here http://www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca/posts/12 ), entry on this artifact http://www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca/items/274 , retrieved 1-8-2020: A pair of soles for boots. The soles are made from seal hide, and are pleated around the fore part of the foot and heels. More information here: http://www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca/item_types/23: Warm, dry footwear is essential for survival in the Arctic. The MacFarlane Collection includes examples of knee-length boots known as kamaks, and ankle high moccasin-type footwear. These garments have been skillfully made, and often were decorated by piecing together contrasting pieces of skin. The soles are crimped along the front edges to make the shape conform to the foot.