Bear Doctor's Dagger
Item number 08.491.8668 from the Brooklyn Museum.
Public
RRN ID
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Description
The Pomo bear-doctor and the dagger he carried have left a trail of confusion in scholarly literature. Dr. Hudson, informant to Stewart Culin, Museum’s curator, summarized as follows. Bear men belong to a secret organization with a representative from each tribe. He preyed on the community and if killed another would be elected in his place. The object of the society was to eliminate undesirable people in the tribe. Bear-doctors were said to have carried one or two daggers of this type with the tips sharpened and rubbed on grinding stones.The realistic style of incising, impeccably rendered does indicate artist provenance to William Benson and has been found on other items know to have been made by Benson. Since several of these have been found in Museum collections, all made by Benson, these are clearly "models" made for the non-Native market.
Credit Line
Museum Expedition 1908, Museum Collection Fund
Item History
- Made between 1900 and 1925
What
- Name
- Bear Doctor's Dagger
- Identification Number
- 08.491.8668
- Type of Item
- dagger and bear
- Material
- elk antler, hide, plant fibre, twine and pigment
- Overall
- length 13.5 in, width 2.0 in
Where
- Holding Institution
- Brooklyn Museum
When
- Creation Date
- between 1900 and 1925
Other
- Classification
- Ceremonial
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