Aleutian Islands, Alaska, United States, North America
Accession Date:
16 Dec 1879
Notes:
FROM CARD: "SMALL BIRD WITH HOOKED BEAK. WINGS STRETCHED OUT AND BACK FROM BODY. LEGS EXTEND FROM BASE. CARVED LOOP ATTACHED TO BELLY. DECORATED WITH V-SHAPED DOTS."
Illus. Pl. 2, after p. 82 in Turner, Lucien M., and Ray Hudson. 2008. An Aleutian ethnography. Fairbanks: University of Alaska Press. Identified there as "Resembling an eagle, this carving with its repetitive dot motifs is similar to ones attached to Unangan bentwood hats. According to Nicholai Galaktionoff, the Unalaska people had a special relationship with eagles and could transform themselves into these birds."
E35901, 35911, and 35914 are Illus. Fig. 119a, p. 113 in Black, Lydia. 2003. Aleut art = Unangam aguqaadangin. Virginia Beach, VA: Donning Co. Publishers. They are identified there as miniature bird carvings collected on Atka.