Bear figure

North America | Alaska

Bear figure

Alaska

Zoomorphic toggle

Archaic cultures from Alaska

Walrus tooth
18th century or earlier
Length: 1 ¼ in. ( 3.1 cm)

Ex collection Walter C. Waters, the Bear Totem Store, Wrangell, Alaska, before 1950
Ex private collection, France

Bear toggle / Bear Totem Store 3.1 cm / Galerie Flak Price on request
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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