Original cataloguing identifies this object as "Wooden Dance Hat, Green." Illus. Fig. 385, p. 280 in Fitzhugh, William W., and Aron Crowell. 1988. Crossroads of continents: cultures of Siberia and Alaska. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. Crossroads caption identifies the brilliant red pigment on the hat as vermillion, made in China and acquired by trade. Source of the information below: Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center Alaska Native Collections: Sharing Knowledge website, by Aron Crowell, entry on this artifact http://alaska.si.edu/record.asp?id=184, retrieved 4-28-2011: Crest hat. This wooden ceremonial hat a Beaver clutches two Eagles in its paws. Haida clans of the Eagle moiety own both of these crests. Cylinders stacked on the beaver's head signify that the owner of the hat had hosted four major potlatches, an accomplishment possible only for a wealthy chief. Decorated shields of beaten native copper (called "coppers") were a symbol of wealth and are represented here by painted motifs on the hat's brim. The base of this hat was carved from alder and the upper portions from cedar. Extracts from Elders' discussions of the hat in 2005 (see web page cited above for the full entries): Delores Churchill (Haida): 'It's a beaver. . . . It's strange though, even though it says "Haida," it's doing that color on the rings. You very seldom see color. So I'm wondering if it's Haida from Kassan or Howkan, because in Alaska they followed some of the Tlingit, things that they did. They picked up some of those traits that the Tlingits had, and this coloring is one of the things that the Tlingits did. So that to me is indicative that they were really influenced by the Tlingit. So I wouldn't be surprised if it was from Kassan or Howkan or Klukwan. . . ." Delores Churchill: "Well what makes it real interesting too is it [painted design] looks like the coppers." Clarence Jackson (Tlingit): "Yes, copper shields." Delores Churchill: "Well the copper shields were very important not just to the Tlingit but to the Haida and to the Tsimshian. And they thought it of great value. And I'm wondering if, when the person obtained this hat, he had to give four coppers. Because sometimes when people got married they threw coppers down to show how rich they were, and then the bride would dance around the coppers. So I'm really wondering if his is signifying that the person who got this hat paid four coppers for this hat."This object is on loan to the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, from 2010 through 2027.

From card: "Collector's data: "This very fine specimen of indian carving was procured by me at Koona village [a.k.a. Tanu], B.C. of an indian named STA LAI who carved it. It was worn on the headdress of the chief during ceremonial dances and is the crest of the Koot or Fish eagle (hawk). It is one of the best carvings I have seen both in design and execution and shows that the ancient art of carving in stone and metal and wood for which the Haida are so just known has not died out among this interesting tribe. - James G. Swan, Sept., 1883."On exhibit in NMNH Sant Ocean Hall. 2014 exhibit caption identifies this as carving of eagle claw with salmon (frontlet for headdress), by Sta Lai, Haida.

From card: "Bundle of split spruce root."

From card: ""... with white hair, moveable [movable] eyes and with Staie or labret in under lib [sic, should be lip]." Swan's descriptive catalogue."Provenience note: Swan list for this object in accession file, under #63 on list of objects collected at Skidegate, Skedans, Laskeek, and Fort Simpson, B.C. in summer 1883, identifies it as collected at Skedans, as does the Anthropology catalogue ledger book. The Fort Simpson location on the catalogue card appears to be an error.

From card: "Mask of wood -- from Massett, the Queen Charlotte Islands of British Columbia, the Haida people. It represents an old wrinkled man with white hair, worn up general festival occasions."

FROM 19TH OR EARLY 20TH CENTURY EXHIBIT LABEL WITH CARD: "EAR-RING.---SILVER-PLATED BOB, HOOK AND CLASP, WITH BELL OR CONICAL-SHAPED PENDANT 1 1/2 INCHES LONG. HAI-DAH INDIANS, PRINCE OF WALES ISLANDS. LENGTH, 2 INCHES. ALASKA, 1875. 19,547. COLLECTED BY J. G. SWAN."

FROM CARD: "DESCRIPTION AND LEGEND ON REVERSE. COLLECTOR'S DESCRIPTION: "CARVED COLUMN LIKE......ERECTED IN FRONT OF CHIEF RESIDENCES QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS, B.C. LEGEND. THE LOWER FIGURE IS THE GRIZZLY BEAR HOORTS. ON HIS HEAD IS THE CODFISH (MYTHOLOGICAL) KAHATTA INDICATED BY THE TEETH AND SCALES. THE UPPER FIGURE IS THE BEAVER TSING. HIS HEAD IS SURMOUNTED BY THE HAT WORN BY CHIEF TO INDICATE THEIR RANK. IT IS COMPOSED OF BASKET WORK AND THE NUMBER OF THESE INDICATES THE DEGREE OF RANK ATTAINED BY THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE IN FRONT OF WHICH THE COLUMN IS SET UP. IT IS HEARALDIC AND INDICATES THE TOTEM OR FAMILY CONNECTIONS. JAMES G. SWAN, PORT TOWNSEND, W. T. JULY 6TH, 1882." IDENTIFIED AS MODEL OF CARVED COLUMN IN FRONT OF CHIEF'S HOUSE SKIDEGATE IN LEDGER BOOK AND SWAN'S LIST IN ACCESSION RECORD. - F. PICKERING 6-25-1999

FROM CARD: "ILLUS. IN BARBEAU, "HAIDA MYTHS ILLUS. IN ARGILLITE CARVINGS", NMC#127, P. 197. LABEL: "CHILKAT INDIANS" INVENTORIED 1980." Illus. Pl. 157, p. 197 and described p. 228 in Thunderbird chapter of Barbeau, Charles Marius. 1953. Haida myths illustrated in argillite carvings. [Ottawa]: Dept. of Resources and Development, National Parks Branch, National Museum of Canada. Identified as "An oval plate with the Thunderbird in low relief inside, and a folate wheel on the obverse side. 9 5/8" long diam. x 8 1/4" short diam."