Native American Indian artifact from the Fry collection

Collection: Fry

Item Number: Fry0141

Category: Shovel

Region: Arctic

Tribe: Eskimo

Period: 1875-1900

Materials: Wood, seal hide lashings and whale bone

Description: Snow shovels of this style were traditionally made of whale bone and wood, and utilized for clearing entrance ways to and from the semi-subterranean home sites of Northwest Alaska. These shovels were also used to bank snow around snow houses and to clear soft snow before cutting snow blocks for houses.

Dimensions: 45" and 53"

Provenance:

Chilberg Collection

Exhibitions:

Lure of the Arctic, Cincinnati Art Museum, October 2007 - January 2008