Amutat

Identifier2005.035.001

MaterialWood/Plant material;Metal;Land Mammal Bone;Sinew;Hide

Dimensions Height: 4.75" Width: 4" Length: 115.5"

Age20th century

TraditionsAlutiiq

ProvenanceKodiak, possibly, ca. 1900. The spear may have been pigmented an ocher red at the ends and a dark color in the central part of the shaft; this would be consistent with Alutiiq harpoons. The harpoon would have been used when hunting a large sea mammal from a kayak. Large sea mammal harpoon. The shaft of the harpoon appears to be a straight grained spruce or hemlock; the harpoon ends with a slim, tapered base. At the other end is an open socket in the wood to hold a bone foreshaft, to which is held a toggling harpoon head with three spurs. Bound or held to the harpoon head is a steel blade, bifarcial, with small sharp snags or spurs on each side of the base. A ring of spruceroot fits over the harpoon head, functioning to help hold tahe blade/harpoon head in place (?). This rig is typical of harpoons used on Kodiak Island. The harpoon has a finger rest, bone, lashed to the shaft with sinew and cotton cord. All the other cord is cotton, with the exception of the lashing holding the float. The float is an animal skin and is quite thick; it is not a bladder. The shaft of the spear was deliberately made of two pieces of wood, carefully beveled and lashed together about two feet from the butt of the harpoon. Gift of the family of Albert Ray and Alice H. Troxel