|
 Ivory Fastner, Koniag Inc. Collection, Karluk One Site
Ancient Faces
People around the world use faces in artwork to record events, display emotion, express identity, share beliefs and celebrate the human form. Kodiak’s ancient artists were no different. Alutiiqs carved faces in wood, bone, ivory, and stone. Archaeological collections from the past 2,000 years are rich with these pictures. Look closely and you will see artistic customs, social traditions, and even the spiritual beliefs of Alutiiq ancestors.
Through out the Alutiiq world, craftsmen fashioned ingenious tools from beach cobbles and leaves of slate. They molded these same common materials into works of art. By pecking – using one stone to shape another – artists transformed cobbles into sculptures. And with the aid of a sharp rock they drew detailed pictures of people on soft pieces of slate. Each work tells a story.
 Decorated Stone Lamp, Tonalite, Gift of Roy Madsen
Some of the oldest human faces in
Alutiiq artwork occur on stone oil lamps up to 2,000 years old. Most
decorated lamps show geometric designs or sea mammals, but a few
display realistic human faces. These important sources of light and
heat were probably family heirlooms, and each was thought to hold a
spirit. Carved faces may represent an ancestor, or perhaps the
human-like spirit inside each lamp
 Stone Figurine from Chirikof Island, USF&WS Collection
This stone figure shows a common
convention in Alutiiq art. Craftsmen often used a V- shape to depict a
nose and brow. Some people believe this shape resembles a whale’s tale
and reflects the ties between Alutiiq people and the sea mammals
essential to life on Kodiak.
 Cape Alitak Petroglyph Group
Human faces also occur in Kodiak
petroglyphs, the ancient artwork pecked into shoreline boulders. At
Cape Alitak, there are more than 700 of these images – including many
distinct faces. Clusters of these faces may be characters from family
stories, drawn to show ties between the people and who harvested
resource in the surrounding area. Or, they may be ritual art, create
during spiritual preparations for whale hunting.
About 700 years ago, Alutiiqs began to
draw detailed pictures of people on small pieces of slate. The faces
in these pictures preserve amazing details about people’s jewelry and
clothing. Many faces are adorned with labrets, beads, necklaces,
earrings, and headdresses, and some of wear parkas. Compare the
pictures from different regions and you can see different styles of
dress. These differences may reflect the presence of different social groups.
WORKING ORGANIC MATERIALS
Alutiiq artists also brought human faces to life in wood, bone, and ivory carvings. Organic materials were more pliant than stone, allowing craftsmen to shape both realistic and stylized face with great detail. Some wooden objects were painted, adding human images to common objects, or subtle details to carved faces. Each work tells a story.
 Painted Image of Llam Sua, the Alutiiq supreme being.
Sometimes Alutiiq faces have lines emanating from the
eyes – stripes of paint that form rays or beams. These lines may
indicate exceptional sight. Lam Sua, the Alutiiq spirit of all things,
was thought to see and hear everything. This small painting may depict
Lam Sua seeing through the universe.
 Gaming disk, Koniag Inc. Collection, Karluk One Site, Courtesy Ronnie Lind
Everything in the Alutiiq universe is
alive, with a human-like consciousness. From the mountains, to animals
and everyday objects, all things are aware human actions and require
respectful treatment. Wastefulness, carelessness and poor repair can
cause bad luck and suffering for humans. Faces carved on household
objects may have reminded people of their place in the world and the
need for considerate behavior.
 A Child's Doll, Koniag Inc. Collection, Karluk One Site
Alutiiqs carvers made two types of dolls. Children’s toys had standard
faces with detailed bodies and legs. These dolls were spring
playthings that symbolized the rebirth of the year and the
reincarnation of recently passed souls. In contrast, shamans' dolls
had unique faces but simple bodies. Elders recall that shamans carved
these dolls to look like people they wished to help or harm.
 Ivory Figurine, Olsen Collection, Anton Larsen Bay
A prized possession of every Alutiiq hunter was his decorated hunting
visor. Ivory carvings were one of the hat’s embellishments and
sometimes included a seated human figure. This figure, which
represented the hunter’s spirit protector, had a large head and
prominent ears.
 Wooden Masks, Koniag Inc. Collection, Karluk One Site
The faces in ceremonial artwork depict Alutiiq ancestors and spirits.
Alutiiq carvers created unique masks, depicting stylized faces to tell
family stories and represent to the spirits that guided life on earth.
Dancers wore large masks for performances. Small masks were tied to
festival gear, like drums. Masks with pointed heads represented evil
spirits.
 Star Man Carving, Whalebone, USF&WS Collection, Aliulik Peninsula, Courtesy Brad & Kay Underwood
Alutiiq legend tells of a girl who married a
star, a man who lived in the sky. The girl traveled to his home in a
basket and found that he had moss on his head, twigs for hair, and one
bright eye in the middle of his forehead. Is this face-shaped piece of
whalebone a carving of the star man?
 Whalebone Sculpture, Carlson Collection, Larsen Bay
This whalebone carving from an archaeological site
looks unlike any other Alutiiq depiction of the human face. Is it a
portrait of a fur trader or perhaps a carving done by a European
colonist?
 Add to favorites (138) |  Quote this article
Only registered users can write comments. Please login or register. |
Exhibits 
Comment on this article