COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
mediaCollectionId
AMICO~1~1
The AMICA Library
Collection
true
AMICA ID:
MMA_.1981.358.1
amicoid
MMA_.1981.358.1
AMICA ID
false
AMICA Library Year:
2002
aly
2002
AMICA Library Year
false
Object Type:
Decorative Arts and Utilitarian Objects
oty
Decorative Arts and Utilitarian Objects
Object Type
false
Description:
Walrus ivory was made into objects of utilitarian function and/or personal finery by the peoples living in the arctic cold of the Bering Strait. Few of these well-conceived, intimately scaled objects were as utilitarian in purpose as the harpoon heads that were the foremost element of toggling harpoons. An Alaskan favorite, such harpoons were used to hunt sea mammals, which not only constituted the basis of local subsistence but provided the very material from which the harpoon parts were fabricated. Harpoons had to be beautifully made in order to attract the spirits of their prey?necessary for a successful hunt?and they were best ornamented with images that enhanced the hunter's power. Depictions of long-beaked, elegantly rendered predatory birds often appear on the harpoon heads. These images were part of an overall philosophy that mandated respect for the hunted by the refinement and elaboration of both the equipment and clothing used for the hunt. The ivory acquired its deep rich browns and tans through burial in the permafrost.
opd
Walrus ivory was made into objects of utilitarian function and/or personal finery by the peoples living in the arctic cold of the Bering Strait. Few of these well-conceived, intimately scaled objects were as utilitarian in purpose as the harpoon heads that were the foremost element of toggling harpoons. An Alaskan favorite, such harpoons were used to hunt sea mammals, which not only constituted the basis of local subsistence but provided the very material from which the harpoon parts were fabricated. Harpoons had to be beautifully made in order to attract the spirits of their prey?necessary for a successful hunt?and they were best ornamented with images that enhanced the hunter's power. Depictions of long-beaked, elegantly rendered predatory birds often appear on the harpoon heads. These images were part of an overall philosophy that mandated respect for the hunted by the refinement and elaboration of both the equipment and clothing used for the hunt. The ivory acquired its deep rich browns and tans through burial in the permafrost.
Description
false
Creator Nationality:
North American; Native American; Aleutian; Bering
crc
North American; Native American; Aleutian; Bering
Creator Nationality
false
Creator Name-CRT:
Old Bering Sea peoples
crt
Old Bering Sea peoples
Creator Name-CRT
false
Title:
Harpoon Head
otn
Harpoon Head
Title
false
View:
Principal view
rid
Principal view
View
false
Creation Date:
4th?5th century
oct
4th?5th century
Creation Date
false
Creation Start Date:
300
ocs
300
Creation Start Date
false
Creation End Date:
499
oce
499
Creation End Date
false
Materials and Techniques:
Ivory (walrus)
omd
Ivory (walrus)
Materials and Techniques
false
Style or Period:
Old Bering Sea
std
Old Bering Sea
Style or Period
false
Creation Place:
United States, Alaska
ocp
United States, Alaska
Creation Place
false
Dimensions:
H. 6 in. (15.2 cm)
met
H. 6 in. (15.2 cm)
Dimensions
false
AMICA Contributor:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
oon
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
AMICA Contributor
false
Owner Location:
New York, New York
oop
New York, New York
Owner Location
false
ID Number:
1981.358.1
ooa
1981.358.1
ID Number
false
Credit Line:
Rogers Fund, 1981
ooc
Rogers Fund, 1981
Credit Line
false
Copyright:
Copyright ? 2002 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All rights reserved.
ors
Copyright ? 2002 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All rights reserved.
Copyright
false
Rights:
orl
<a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/education/er_photo_lib.asp"target="_new">http://www.metmuseum.org/education/er_photo_lib.asp</a>
Rights
false
Related Image Identifier Link:
MMA_.h1_1981.358.1.tif
ril
MMA_.h1_1981.358.1.tif
Related Image Identifier Link
false