Rattle

NA8517

From: Canada | British Columbia | Naas River Region

Curatorial Section: American

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Object Number NA8517
Current Location Collections Storage
Culture Tsimshian
Provenience Canada | British Columbia | Naas River Region
Culture Area Northwest Coast Culture Area
Section American
Materials Wood | Bark | Pigment
Description

Dance rattle in the shape of a raven carved from two pieces of wood. The raven's mouth is slightly open. The top of the rattle has a carved shaman figure reclining on the raven's back. The shaman's tongue is sticking out, protruding into the mouth of a frog that sits on their arms and legs. Behind the frog, a hawk's head is carved perpendicular to the raven's body. The underside of the raven is carved with a low relief design of a hawk's head with its beak curved downward and back into its mouth. The raven's wings extend away from the body on each side with painted designs on the tops and bottoms. Each component is painted with red, green, and black paint. The cylindrical handle protrudes from the rear of the raven and nails secure the two halves of the rattle along the handle. The sides of the rattle are perforated with leather strips present on one side which would have further secured the rattle halves together.

Height 13.9 cm
Length 32.5 cm
Width 12.4 cm
Credit Line Wanamaker Expedition to the Northwest Coast; Louis Shotridge, 1918

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