Bowl made from the capsule shell of a brazil nut. Top of shell has been shorn off to create an even rim, and woody bark has been removed, leaving exterior of shell very smooth with some natural scarring and undulations due to removal process. A low, small round foot has been carved into the base of the shell. Interior is smooth.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

AMEC Analysis:Comments: This is a single charred hazelnut.One unmodified nut, possibly a hazelnut. Possibly burned. Grey residue on exterior surface. L. Penttila 4/1/2010

Among the Tukano of the northwestern Amazon, stories abound of visits to the animal world, of people turning into animals to learn about their habits, and of animals teaching men how to utilize certain resources. Shamanic knowledge contains detailed descriptions of these encounters, and many shamans, or payés, claim to have acquired wisdom from animals that revealed an unexpected food source or a cure for illness. This necklace with finely carved animal and human figurines may have been worn by a payé to acknowledge this relationship.


Entre los Tukano del Noreste Amazónico, abundan las historias de visitas al mundo animal, de gente que se convierte en animales para aprender sus hábitos, y de animales enseñando a los hombres cómo utilizar ciertos recursos. El conocimiento chamánico contiene descripciones detalladas de estos encuentros, y muchos chamanes, o payés, dicen haber adquirido sabiduría de los animales para encontrar comida en algún lugar inesperado, o curas para enfermedades. Este collar con figurillas humanas y animales finamente talladas puede haber sido usado por un payé en reconocimiento de esta relación.

Culin purchased this rattle from Saucy Calf who explained the symbolism to Francis La Flesche. It would have been used in what is now the Native American Church. The gourd is painted with a zigzag line of red paint that represents the crown of thorns. The handle is worked with beads that represent lightning, divided into two parts by a band in the middle. The lower part of this band represents earth and the upper the sky, illustrating man ascending into heaven. The metal attached to the handle reads, “Behold the heart of Jesus is with me."

Oblong, rounded, brown piece that tapers at both ends. Has an animal head that has circular eyes with geometric patterns. There is a thin band around the 'waistline' separating the geometric designs on the head from the rest of the plain body. White clay emphasizes designs.

Small cream coloured sculpture of a human figure carved out of vegetable ivory. Figure is turning pages of a book with a smaller figure on their knees beside him. Both are wearing patterned robes.

Made out of nuts in three parts covered with nine dangling strands of bone, possibly that of vertebrae, that have a conical bone at each end. The top is covered with strands of hide. There is a piece of hide underneath the bone strands, which are also decorated with a white, red, and white bead at the top and middle.