Plummet shaped wood carving with 3 curved iron hooks attached by walrus hide thong to turned wood handle.
Donor:
Phoebe Apperson Hearst
Collection place:
King Island, Nome Borough, Alaska
Verbatim coll. place:
Alaska; King Island
Culture or time period:
Alaskan Eskimo
Collector:
H. H. Cushing
Collection date:
ca. 1901
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Carvings (visual works)
Accession date:
December 16, 1902
Context of use:
Seal or Duck catcher. When the Esquimo goes out in his kayak he shoots a seal then throws this wooden bottle shaped thing over his head ... " (Incomplete quote from H. H. Cushing (the collector)'s notebook.
Department:
Native US and Canada (except California)
Dimensions:
9 centimeters and 20 inches
Comment:
Native name and meaning: "nik-ski (seal or duck catcher)" References: "Cushing's notebook.