Hand Adze with Blade Item Number: 08.491.8874 from the Brooklyn Museum
Description
This is a hand adze composed of a carved wood handle, bear shin bone blade and commercial twine wrapped around both to bind together. The wood handle iconography has the top of a wolf's head with the upper torsos of a pair of dancers wearing wolf masks. These masks usually come in pairs (See 08.491.8905a,b). According to Culin collecting records the bone blade replaced an iron blade (2908:84). According to Bill Holm, Northwest Coast specialist, the twine is commercial and unabraded which indicates the adze has never been used in this form. The handle shows a wear pattern of the hand that used it and is softly worn.
Credit Line
Museum Expedition 1908, Museum Collection Fund
Item History
- Made between 1800 and 1899
What
- Name
- Hand Adze with Blade
- Identification Number
- 08.491.8874
- Type of Item
- adze with blade and hand adze
- Material
- hardwood wood, bear bone, twine, pigment and iron metal
- Overall
- length 4.25 in, width 2.25 in, height 11.5 in
Who
- Culture
- Nuu-chah-nulth and Ehattesaht
Where
- Holding Institution
- Brooklyn Museum
When
- Creation Date
- between 1800 and 1899
Other
- Classification
- Tool