Made of ivory. (a-h) resemble log cabin "castles" (rooks); (i-p) are cylindrical labret-shaped carved walrus ivory pieces, each with engraved and darkened concentric circles on one end; (q-z) are fishtail shaped ivory pieces with engraved and darkened concentric circles on opposite sides.
Donor:
Phoebe Apperson Hearst
Collection place:
Unalaska, Unalaska Island, Fox Islands
Verbatim coll. place:
Alaska; Aleutian Islands; Unalaska
Culture or time period:
Aleut
Collector:
Charles L. Hall
Collection date:
ca. 1895
Taxon:
Odobenus rosmarus
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Carvings (visual works), Chess pieces, and Rooks (chess pieces)
Function:
5.6 Sports, Games, Amusements; Gambling and Pet Accessories
Accession date:
August 12, 1902
Context of use:
A chess-like game. (fide Lydia Black)
Department:
Native US and Canada (except California)
Dimensions:
2.3 centimeters, 3.7 centimeters, and 2 centimeters
Comment:
A chess-like game, may have ante-dated Russians. Lydia Black." Photo: "yes". Published: "Aleut Art", Lydia Black, fig. 78 (p. 124). Remarks: "possibly made for sale" crossed out. "Russians introduced chess to the Aleut." "These pieces (a-h) said by Jean Loup Rousselot to be in shape of Russian blockhouse.
Loans:
S1964-1965 #9: University of California, Davis (September 3, 1964–January 1965)