Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc.

Brooklyn Museum Collection

Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation

Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc.

Object is a flattish, hollow bone, shaped like a whale with a fin rising from the center of its back. On the fin is a carved face with mouth and teeth indicated. At one end of the whale is an open mouth. Throughout object are carved geometric forms: U-shapes, circles, and elipses forming another mouth, teeth, eyes and nostrils. Several incisions are filled with abalone shell; three pieces of shell are missing. On back of object, at either side of fin, are two holes equal in size. Thought to be used by a Shaman this would be used to catch or hold the ill person's soul while healing ceremonies would be performed. When finished with healing the person's soul would be retunred to his or her body. Condition: A portion of one end of the charm is void. Two holes of equal size appear on its back, one on either side of the fin.

From card: "Purchased of O. F. Northrup. Illus. in USNM AR, 1888; Pl. 25, fig. 107; p. 284. [Dagger is identified in this publication as Tlingit type.] "carved to resemble a sharks head."" From 19th or early 20th century exhibit label with card: "Double-bladed dagger and sheath. - Blades made of steel; the handle, which is mounted with copper and wrapped with cloth, is set between the two blades. The short blade above the handle is ornamented with hammered totemic designs. The long blade has a groove down the middle. Sheath made of buckskin with neck-strap attached. Length of lower blade, 12 5/8 inches; length of upper blade, 5 inches. Copper River Indians (Athapaskan stock), Alaska. Collected by James G. Swan. This dagger is clearly of the Tlinkit type, and was procured by the Copper River Indians through trade."Provenience note: This object appears on Swan list in accession file under # 2 on Masset list. Object is listed as from Fort Wrangel [a.k.a. Wrangell], Alaska, collected 1883, from O.F. Northrup, and is listed as made by Atna River Indians, Alaska. The entry on this object in the Anthropology catalogue ledger book says Atna, Copper River, purchased from O.F. Northrup. (Note that there was an Oscar F. Northrop in the fur business in Wrangell, which may be the same man?) Dagger is attributed as Tlingit type on old museum exhibit label and in USNM AR for 1888 (see remarks above).

The felt is black and red. The bead is blue, black, red, and white. The string is white. The thread is red and black.

Gift of Frederic B. Pratt