North America | Alaska
Thule seal amulet
Alaska
Shamanic amulet / ornament
Thule Culture – Ancient Eskimo
18th century or earlier
Carved walrus tooth
Length: 1 ¾ in. – 4.4 cm
Thule Seal 4.4 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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