North America | Alaska
Thule Whale
Alaska
Whale figure
Thule culture – Ancient Eskimo
12th – 18th century
Marine ivory
Length: 3.4 cm – 1 ¼ in.
Provenance
Excavated at Gambell (Sivuqaq), Alaska
Collection Jeffrey Myers, New York
Sold
According to Fitzhugh et Kaplan (Inua: Spirit World of the Bering Sea Eskimo, 1982 : 156), these shamanic figurines were carved for several purposes: to stand in for people absent from the village during festivals, to avert infertility, or else to focus the attention of animal inua (spirit) during the Doll Festival, which was held to bless hunting and fishing expeditions in the coming year.
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