Trap stick. Made of whalebone; carved at one end with head and 2 animal figures (carvings believed to have magical powers).
Donor:
Hamlin-Jose Pony Express Foundation
Collection place:
Northwest Coast, United States
Verbatim coll. place:
; Northwest Coast
Culture or time period:
Tlingit
Collector:
Hamlin-Jose Pony Express Foundation
Collection date:
August 1964
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Carvings (visual works)
Accession date:
1964
Context of use:
Trigger used in setting deadfall traps for whistling marmot and ermine, also for foxes and other small mammals.
Department:
Native US and Canada (except California)
Dimensions:
length 28.8 centimeters
Comment:
Remarks: See Albert P. Niblack, "Coast Indians of S. Alaska and N. British Columbia", p. 302, fig. 145 a,b, "U.S. National Museum" and Phillip Drucker, "Indians of NW Coast", p. 53, American Museum Science Books - B3. Cf. 2-13199 for another example and other information.