Standing figurine on damaged base, human hair embedded in scalp, figure surmounted by animal head. Carved wood with black and red pigments. Oblong object held in right hand. On base: "[souther] n Alaska [presen]ted by Hon. L. B. Mizner May 77;". The figure is probably a doctor (shaman). Animal at top is his messenger (mink?) whose power the doctor obtained by cutting its tongue (fide Charles Brown, June 1964).
Donor:
Alaska Commercial Company, Benjamin Bristol, and Older University Collections
Collection place:
Southern Alaska
Verbatim coll. place:
Alaska; Southern Alaska
Culture or time period:
Tlingit
Collector:
Hon. L. B. Mizner
Collection date:
May 1877
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Anthropomorphic and Carvings (visual works)
Accession date:
1904
Context of use:
Shaman figure. The hair shows this was treasured as a memento of a deceased relative. (fide Charles Brown, June 1964)
Department:
Native US and Canada (except California)
Dimensions:
height 35 centimeters
Comment:
According to Charles Brown, June 1964: Some doctors have several messengers: bird and animals whose tongues he has cut (a small cut on the side of the tongue).